Switching New Rabbits from Pellets to Natural Forage

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Joined
Mar 24, 2022
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Location
Western South Dakota, USA
I finally got my buns! They're standard Rex and Cali (I think--bunny lady didn't seem to know--rabbits are very difficult to source here so I was just excited to find some rabbits intended for meat production). Two girls and a boy and they seem to get along well so far although they've all got different mums. I'll be keeping my eyes open for a buck and a couple more does to have more genetic diversity, but for now this is what I have.

I need to introduce them to fresh food. We did our first grass cutting a few days ago. I raked it up and spread it out in the work space of my greenhouse to dry since it's been kind of soppy here the last couple of weeks. They seem to like it. And I've given them some pellets. There's only one kind available here that I've found. I'd like to grow them out in a tractor I had set up with chicks (I'll staple 2x4 wire across the bottom). First though, I have to acclimate them to fresh greens and I'd love to hear your advice and experience as to how you've done this.

//In case anyone is worried: We don't have much for wild rabbits here. I haven't seen any in years and I have had no problems with coccidiosis in my poultry. (Not sure if poultry get the same parasites as buns, but I haven't had a problem in any case.) We live way out in the sticks in the midst of Forest Service lands. No neighbors. No farming here before us that I know of. We get very cold in the winter (usually), and the winter is very long, so I think parasites are not a super big deal. I treat my poultry every once in a while just in case, but have never seen anything to make me think they've been affected by them.//

Thanks for any advice you may be able to offer; I'll get some pictures at some point today, but all my devices are kind of inconvenient to take pictures with as I've physically impaired them from spying on us. 😂 Soooo I haven't done it quite yet. Soon. Very excited about my new babies and I want to make sure I take any needed precautions to keep little tummies from getting upset.
 
Your situation sounds ideal for natural feeding.

Here's how I did it. I continued to feed the rabbits the pellets they were accustomed to. And I fed greens that I gathered from our acreage.

Here are some of the safest species to feed -- in fact they are the ones that help fight any tendency towards diarrhea.
Plantago major. -- Common plantain and its relatives. Plantago major - Wikipedia
The leaves of raspberry, blackberry, and strawberry.

Dandelion greens are excellent, especially fed alongside any of the above. For others, please consult the Safe Plants for Rabbits list. The New Safe Plants for Rabbits List

Start with a small handful and increase a little each day. If you're worried about adverse effect, make sure they have the chance to eat some pellets first so they are not ravenous. Once they are eating the greens regularly and all is well, you can increase the amounts a bit faster. In my experience, once they adjust to the greens, the prefer them to pellets. I remember that it took mine ages to finish that final bag.

If you encounter any problems -- unlikely -- please post so we can help.
 
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