Not all rabbits need the same

[garden lady]

I was cleaning the hutch and I know I am past the poor little starving rabbit stage and now realize I have 5 different rabbits with different needs and 5 baby rabbits. After a month their needs have changed. Lulu is not a senior doe and is nursing. Sunshine is not a senior doe and her weight is fine and she is growing Zoup is a senior doe and she could lose some weight. Snickers and Cream are not senior bucks and are growly slowly if any. I noticed the 2 boys have smaller droppings than the females, so should I cut back the pellets? Sunshine is eating the same as her brothers, but her droppings are a lot bigger, but all 3 females drink more water than the males.

 

[ladysown]

do you feed hay to your bunnies?
could your males be not getting enough water? can you encourage them to drink more?

The males should be drinking as much as the non-nursing does.

the smaller size to the pellets make me wonder if something is going on with them intestinally.

 

[garden lady]

do you feed hay to your bunnies?
could your males be not getting enough water? can you encourage them to drink more?

The males should be drinking as much as the non-nursing does.

the smaller size to the pellets make me wonder if something is going on with them intestinally.

They all have bowls of water and bottles of water on the door. They have hay at all times, but I think I need to cut back on the other food to get them to eat more hay, maybe?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

The more fresh food they eat, the higher the water content of the droppings, thus larger bunnyberries. The boys probably aren't munching as many greens.

 

[garden lady]

The more fresh food they eat, the higher the water content of the droppings, thus larger bunnyberries. The boys probably aren't munching as many greens.

Greens would be grass, weeds, what about leaves like raspberry and blackberry?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Right. Fresh foods which contain water. Water content varies a lot between plants- I imagine lettuce and Kale have more water than berry leaves. But giving a variety is the best course to take, and let them pick and choose what they want.

 

[Piper]

but not iceberg lettuce