Rabbitry Ready, but NO RABBITS!

[BakingNana]

Thanks for the warm welcome(s)! Grumpy, the next time we are going to pass by St. Joe, I'll PM you and see if we can set a time to visit you. I'd love to see a pro's setup! I'll be adding two NZ does and one NZ buck in a few weeks, and will probably be adding a Cali or two after I have a bit more experience. One thing I'm hemming and hawing on now is feeding. I've been feeding our bucks pellets and Timothy, with very small occasional treats like parsley, carrot tops, etc. But the more I read from various resources, the more confused I become. Everything from pellets only to no pellets at all and "homemade" diets. Guess I have more study to do on that subject.

 

[Miss M]

We have plenty of information here on feeding rabbits. Of course, our members range from those who feed only pellets, to those who feed only natural.

Rabbits, as I'm sure you've been learning since February, come with their own learning curve. Until you get the hang of keeping rabbits and raising litters and butchering, it would probably be good to stick with pellets. You'll have enough to learn without adding the stress of concocting a proper diet from locally-sourced options. Get your meat rabbitry going, get some experience under your belt, and then delve into natural feeding. That would be my advice.

As far as pellets go, it's rare to find a good rabbit pellet at a pet store. Feed stores have the pellets you want. They're made for the benefit of the rabbits, not as eye candy for the owner (oooo, look at all the pretty colored bits). If the feed store has two kinds of pellets, one more expensive than the other, you probably want the more expensive one, as the cheaper one probably has a lot of filler in it. BUT just post what your options are here on RT, and the members here will be able to tell you which is probably the better feed.

 

[BakingNana]

As far as pellets go, it's rare to find a good rabbit pellet at a pet store. Feed stores have the pellets you want. They're made for the benefit of the rabbits, not as eye candy for the owner (oooo, look at all the pretty colored bits). If the feed store has two kinds of pellets, one more expensive than the other, you probably want the more expensive one, as the cheaper one probably has a lot of filler in it. BUT just post what your options are here on RT, and the members here will be able to tell you which is probably the better feed.

Thanks so much. I feel calmer now about feeding. I purchased my feed from TSC, but unfortunately I poured it into my feed can and tossed the bag, so I can't remember what the brand was. I will definitely get advice before my next feed purchase.

This forum is a blessing to me. I participated in a similar forum on chickens when I started my first flock, and it's probably the reason my feathered egg factories are doing so well. My grandchildren have benefitted no end from the rabbits and chickens. They've become quite responsible little caregivers and quite comfortable with where their food comes from and the difference between pets and livestock. I overheard my 8-year-old grandson ask my 10-year-old granddaughter what would happen if one of the rabbits got mean and bit, and she matter-of-factly said "freezer camp." :lol: