Oats bad?

[CochinBrahmaLover]

So I was on... 'That' forum when I came across a post about someone who had an accidental litter. Well, no one else had responded, and I decided to give my 2 cents from what I've learned.
I recommended she tip over the box (buns were 2 weeks and hopping out, missing feedings), that she keep them on a single level cage (in fear of the buns falling down), and that she start offering oats for her little buns. Now, from what I've read on here and from a personal friend, oats are good for moms to provide calcium, and a good 'first food' for buns. And it helps to prevent weaning enteris, though I doubt that's going on. Well, one of the more knowledgeable rabbit owners came on, and said (quote) "Oats are not the best for bunnies as starch can cause diarrhea and bloat" and when I said what I said above - good first food, helps with weaning enteris, and helps with calcium. However, they insisted that oats are bad and said " My information on oats being bad for bunnies comes from articles written by biologists and vets (and my own vet). Alfalfa is much higher in calcium and provides extra calories for growing/nursing bunnies. I think alfalfa is preferable as it doesn't usually cause the same intestinal issues that oats can. " so now I'm confused. Not only was I under the impression that oats are good for buns that are Preggo & nursing, I thought that if kits ate a lot of alfalfa, then they could easily get diarrhea, but that its a lot less likely with oats (wasn't sure if it was because alfalfa tastes good whereas oats are more bland, or just because of the chemical components)

So... Can anyone clear my confusion? :?: thanks !

 

[Dood]

She is right that starch can cause enteritis but

the starch in oats is primarily digested in the small intestine, thus creating glucose. Starch from corn and barley is less likely to be digested in the small intestine, thus moving on to the large intestine which produces volatile fatty acids.

causing enteritis.
From - http://www.animal-science.org/content/7 ... 3.full.pdf

Since baby rabbits are already getting alfalfa from nibbling out of moms feed bowl giving them some in the nest box is redundant and they will just get peed on and disintegrate to mush. Giving them oats in their nest box gives them the added calories from fat, a safe starch and a more balanced source of protein than the other grains in one sturdy package.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

...


Soo... Oats are redundant if being fed alfalfa? But give them safer starch than other grains?

 

[Peach]

Oats settles their stomachs and a excellent weight gainer. So you are not in the wrong. I don't really feed hay often, but normally it's just bermuda grass. I'd let the OP just take the information in and test it for themselves. I don't know what that breeder was feeding because it has NEVER cause bloat or enteritis. It has done the complete opposite.

 

[Dood]

Oats are redundant if being fed alfalfa

it depends. Rabbit pellets should be a compete diet and are mostly alfalfa, usually with seeds added to help balance the diet. If your kits and doe are on skinny then oats will safely help fatten them up.

You don't "have to" feed oats to kits - I bet most people dont, but I put oats in the nest box as soon as their eyes open so they start eating food ASAP, to promote an early weaning and so my does dont need to lactate as long.

It encourages them to eat solids since it is convienently located and mom will likely eat it too and hence teach them what to do.

I would be asking the girl with the oops litter what percent protein her feed is. The house rabbit society usually recommends 12% protein for adults but a nursing doe and growing kits should be closer to 18%.

 

[Zass]

I give oats to rabbits with upset bellies because they find them delicious and will often eat them when they refuse most other foods. They seem to digest them fairly easily.

From my personal experience trying to nurse a rabbit through GI stasis without them takes a lot longer.
As far as kits go, I'm just beginning to experiment with kits and oats, BUT my early weaned kits that were given daily oats(3 weeks old) had 100% survival rate.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Just want to make sure this is about the thick, Quaker oats that are not instant. Not some sort of magical oat im unaware of, haha.

Ill tell them what you guys said, but just end it with each to their own, and let the OP decide what to do.

 

[Dood]

Yes, pure ground/crushed oats with no sugar, salt, dairy products or anything else added.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Okie dokie. Thanks. I'm just about done with the thread though cause the person who says that oats are bad is a mod... I see this ending badly for me, lol.

Thanks though. Good to be informed and such ^^

 

[DogCatMom]

"That" forum wouldn't happen to have the initials R.O., would it? I suggest this because I'm on that forum once or twice a week, and there is a "very knowledgeable" (and wrong) mod over there....

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

No, BB. Never seen RO....

 

[Demamma]

My rabbits are on a grain diet a big part is oats. My rabbits are doing great Beautiful coats. Very rare for me to lose a kit. They also eat grassy alfalfa, alfalfa blocks or pellets.

 

[ottersatin]

I find nothing wrong with the use/feeding of Oats to Rabbits.
I actually use it as a first feed to kits as they leave the nestbox.
If it's WRONG, than I would have probably gotten out of rabbits a long time ago!
In fact I find that rather than creating FAT on Rabbits, Oats tends to help put
necessary Flesh on the Rabbit. If a Rabbit is not eating, often the addition of
a top dressing of Rolled Oats will get them started again. I don't know all
the answers, I'm probably still as blind as anyone else, but if it works for you
the only thing you can do is use it with good intention! Maybe for ALL these years,
I have just been lucky.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Otter satin, you make a great point I highly doubt that 4 people - 3 here, 1 I know in real life - could use oats for years and see No effects.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

When I read the word OATS, I think of the whole grain.
I was reading wheat to the rabbits mixed in. I asked the
question at the feed mill the other day, what was the difference
between whole and crimped oats. The 3 people I asked could not
tell me. Strange, you work at a mill, and don't know ?
What I always thought,is that crimped oats would go through another process.

I was asking the question because I liked the wheat I was buying there,
because it was out of the hulls. I wanted oats that were out of the hulls, also.

I keep forgetting that I can feed oats from a grocery store to bunnies.
I have 1 litter out there now and am going to give them some this morning.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

as goes for the old fashion oats... I buy it by the 50 pound bag at the health food store.. If it was bad... I would not have any rabbits left.. this stuff will save your rabbits.. I feed it to my rabbits morning and night.. they look for it and love it.. I start putting it in the next box when there eyes start to open.. it has save allot of rabbits.. so for them to say it is bad.. I am a prime example it is not

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Unless, as otter satin said, that y'all have been magically, superbly lucky.

Well I'm not as nervous anymore. Thanks. I'm excited for my litter