Introducing Grass and other live foods

[RoosterMania]

I've been transitioning my rabbits from one pellet feed to another over the last two weeks. I was doing a 1:1 ratio but this morning change to 2:1 new to old to begin weaning them off the old feed. They have coastal Bermuda grass hay as well. I've enclosed a run for them to be able to get feel grass beneath their feet and take a nibble of living food. I have a few questions about how to best introduce the live grass to them. Should I bring them some clippings first so that I can control how much they eat to begin with or can I just put them down and let them have at it? My thinking is that if I go ahead and have them semi-foraging for food before they are of breeding age, then their kits will be able to transition to forage easier. My grow out pens will be the Salatin style tractors. Am I at least on the right track? I'm new at this and well aware that theory doesn't always workout in practice.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

You can get them accustomed to it either way. The key is to start with small amounts... so if you put them in the tractor, start with only 5-10 minutes depending on their behavior. If they are busy exploring they can stay longer, but if they start mowing down the greens nonstop, take them out after just a few minutes.

I like to make sure that they have something in their stomachs first- like a good feeding of hay- so they are already sated and less likely to overeat.

When you have your first litters you don't need to worry about a slow introduction if they have fresh foods available from the very start. When kits first leave the nest, they just "taste test" and nibble a bit here and there, and will develop the correct gut flora to process it. It is when you introduce older rabbits to unlimited fresh feed that problems occur because they will gorge themselves on it and don't have the bacteria to digest it.

 

[Marinea]

I agree with MSD, but will add something you most likely have taken into account already- make sure the grass has not been treated, and that it is free from any dog droppings.

My last two litters had greens available from the time they first climbed out of their nest box, and I didn't have a single issue.