working with what I have

[AprilW]

I want to change my rabbits to natural. I've been to TSC to check what they sell based on some of what I skimmed over here today. Here's what I have come across and what do you guys think - would it be doable?

I can get:
All grain - oats/barley/corn
Whole oats
Alfalfa hay
Oat/Timothy/Alfalfa hay mixture (we don't have another reliable source of quality hay)
BOSS
various bird seeds

In addition I already feed my rabbits a wide variety of foraged weeds and garden scraps. I mostly need to create the "base" of the diet. I asked the guy at TSC about ordering wheat and barley, he was reluctant and just said he didn't think they'd do custom orders (with fewer than 10 rabbits at the moment, I don't buy much feed as it is).

I guess I just need some guidance on what I can feed the rabbits to make a good, wholesome diet out of what is available to me. I would like to start growing alfalfa, perhaps oats and clover in a corner of my yard next year.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I feed alfalfa hay and a grain mix. My current grain mix is 4 parts each of oats and barley, 1 part BOSS and 1 part Beet Pulp.

I know that MaggieJ generally feeds only one type of grain, so I think you will do just fine with oats and BOSS along with the hay.

 

[Zab]

Just thinking.. could it be any idea to mix in a tad of mineral pellets for horses?

I figure rabbits and horses eat basically the same foods in nature (with some differenses) and we supplement our hay with mineral pellets to the horses. They get only hay and grass, except my standardbred who gets barleys since he's loosing weight to easily otherwise.

As I figure it, rabbits need mostly hay/grass/weeds. Any sort of nice grain (barley perhaps, or oats) to add for weight. And supplementing with minerals and vitamins just in case. I don't know if there's anything bad in those supplements, but it's an idea.. they wouldn't need much.

I fed my show jumping rabbit oats, barley and hay, and he did fine. Won lots of shows.. :lol: Was 12 years ago though.

 

[MaggieJ]

The oats should work fine for the grain part of the diet. The only problem with oats is that some rabbits do not like the hulls. Others don't mind at all. I find that wheat is popular with rabbits, geese and chickens, so that is what I buy. We're lucky here having so much choice.

You will want to feed alfalfa hay as the base of their diet along with a small amount of grain and the forage you gather for them. A bale of the mixed hay would be good to have on hand. The protein level is lower but my rabbits like it for nest building and the kits are enthusiastic about it during weaning. Rabbits on a natural diet need a trace mineral salt block. I use the reddish-brown ones for general livestock; some other people use the ones for goats.

I suggest you look at the thread on fodder. This is an up and coming idea for people raising rabbits on natural feed. If your rabbits should chance to turn their noses up at the oats, this is an excellent way to use them to maximize their nutrition.
fodder-sprouting-systems-anyone-t10317.html

 

[AprilW]

I've been skimming through the fodder thread. It's an interesting idea. I love the thought of being able to actually grow what my rabbits need - rather than have to rely on feedstores.

 

[Miss M]

Just thinking.. could it be any idea to mix in a tad of mineral pellets for horses?

Natural feeders over here usually buy a big livestock mineral block and smash it up, and feed it in cups. It's cheap!

Wish I could find barley here. Just oats, corn, and rice bran. And alfalfa pellets. To use the rice bran, I'd have to make cookies with it.

 

[Zab]

Just thinking.. could it be any idea to mix in a tad of mineral pellets for horses?

Natural feeders over here usually buy a big livestock mineral block and smash it up, and feed it in cups. It's cheap!

Wish I could find barley here. Just oats, corn, and rice bran. And alfalfa pellets. To use the rice bran, I'd have to make cookies with it.

Ah, I'm not that far out then

Our mineral blocks are always full of salt though and that's concidered to give problems when fed to rabbits. They have tons of threads where they complain about pet stores selling salt and mineral blocks to new rabbit owners.. :/ I'm not sure what to believe but there's salt and minerals in the pellets I feed, so.. I've read here that salt blocks are recommended?

Pelleted minerals are without any special amount of salt though.

 

[skysthelimit]

I haven't seen a pelleted mineral a TSC yet, that would make things easier, if the rabbits would eat the pellet. The store does have a horse block that is mostly mineral and not salt. If I ever make the switch that will be what I use. Mine will not eat the horse pellets, so i have no source of alfalfa, just oats and BOSS. That keeps me using rabbit pellets unfortunately.

 

[Dood]

Pellets already have enough salt added and caged bunnies will 'play' with a salt block out of boredom and overdose themselves. Natural fed rabbits need salt since it is not in their grains but they usually have free access to hay to entertain themselves with incase they get bored and don't focus on the salt bock, if they do seem to be going through alot, the block should not be left in the cage.