WildWolf
Well-known member
On facebook, someone wanted me to write an article/file thing on natural feeding. It's two pages long. The format on here (indention, font size, and font type) is a little different than on the actual file. So, what do you all think of this? Missing or incorrect info, grammar mistakes, suggestions? Thanks!!
Natural Feeding Basics
Why natural feeding? There are many benefits to a pellet-free diet: it's much less expensive, more natural, more self-sufficient and the rabbits enjoy it more. When given a choice, all my rabbits go for grain and greens first, hay next, and pellets last. Weaning enteritisis is very rare for naturally fed rabbits. Many breeders have reported ill rabbits that successfully self-medicate on herbs that natural feeding offers. Also, you do not have to worry about feed recalls and mystery ingredients. Of course, there are draw backs: it's much more labor intensive and requires more in depth knowledge than feeding pellets does.
What to feed? Rabbits can survive on just alfalfa hay alone. Solely feeding alfalfa hay is definitely not recommended because you don't just want your rabbits to survive, you want your rabbits to thrive and be as healthy as possible. However, that fact can give you a basis for your rabbit's diet. Free choice alfalfa hay, greens, trace mineral salt licks and supplemental grain mixes make up the entirety of the natural feeding diet. Mineral licks are extremely important because they provide salt and trace minerals that the other food might not provide. Greens include multiple types of rabbit-safe weeds (that's free food!!), rabbit-safe vegetables, fodder, and rabbit-safe herbs. Be aware of the health effects of those herbs. Plus, there are a few nutrient-rich greens you should be aware of. Someday I will make a list of common rabbit safe greens and include the effects of herbs and the nutrient-rich greens. Concerning greens, variety is best! Let your rabbit guide you on amount. When deciding amount, I keep increasing their greens until they leave some leftover the next day. Basically, feed as much as they eat in one day. Unless they are already overweight, they will regulate themselves on greens and hay. On the other hand, my rabbits will gorge themselves with grain if I allowed them to. You must regulate the amount of grain you give. I feed grain like a supplement- kits, nursing or pregnant does, or skinny rabbits get more grain depending on their needs. Usually, a doe and her litter get half a cup or more and normal rabbits get a fourth, or even an eighth, cup. Grain mixes usually include wheat, oats, and/or barley, in addition to black oil sunflower seeds if you want more protein.
What about growing kits and nursing does? Growing kits and nursing does need more protein- so they'll eat more alfalfa hay. Also, increased grain will help them get the right amount of protein. Black oil sunflower seeds provide a good source of extra nutrients. In general, naturally fed kits grow more slowly than pellet fed kits. That being said, many naturally feeding breeders successfully use line breeding to produce rabbits that grow just as fast as pellet fed kits. Also, many greens and herbs contain key nutrients like calcium that help nursing does and increase milk supply (discussed later on).
What do you do in the winter? In the winter, just like in the wild, the rabbits will eat more hay. During the summer, you should prepare for the winter. I learned that the hard way. Gather greens to dry for the winter (weeds, vegetables, herbs- all of it!). Sprout wheat or other grains for fodder. Sprout sunflower seeds. Pot up weeds and keep them indoors. Grow herbs inside in pots. Grow vegetables, herbs, and weeds (yes, encourage and even grow weeds in your garden!) in a greenhouse or cold frame. Increase the amount of grain fed. Feed black oil sunflower seeds. “Force” twigs by putting them in a cup of water by a sunny window. You can resort to buying vegetables at the grocery store. You can even buy dandelions, if you go to an Asian grocery store. I just prefer all the other methods because they are cheaper.
A short list of common rabbit-safe greens: These are all listed by common name. Please, please, please look up Latin names and rabbit safety and make a definite identification of plants before feeding them. I usually have at least 3 varieties, usually 4 or 5 varieties, in one feeding. I'm providing this list mainly to demonstrate how simple and easy finding rabbit food is. I said 3 to 5 varieties- now look below at how many varieties are in the small sample of rabbit-safe, nutritious greens. Almost all of the greens I feed are weeds because they are abundant, free, and some are nutrient-rich. Listed below is the selection of greens I normally feed.
Weeds: dandelions, white clover, wild violets, broad leaf and blackseed plantain, narrow leaf plantain, lambs quarters/ white goosefoot, chicory, shepard's purse, and wild false strawberries, queen anne's lace.
Vegetables: carrot tops, beet tops, lettuce (not Iceberg), Swiss chard, strawberry leaves, banana peels (although some of my rabbits don't like them).
Herbs: roses (does that count as an herb?), basil, sage, mint, parsley, and lemon balm. Again, beware the effects of herbs (ex. Parsley increases milk supply, sage dries up a doe's milk, ect.)
Trees: mullberry, willow, and fruit trees (be careful of fruit because the seeds might be toxic, ex. Apple seeds).
There are many, many more rabbit-safe greens. This is just to give you an idea. Sometime in the future I will make a more comprehensive list of rabbit safe greens, and including herb's health effects and nutrient-rich greens.
To conclude: I know the amount of information seems complicated at first, but don't be discouraged! Yes, it's much more effort than pellets. But there's no precise formula or anything fancy. All amounts can and should be modified according to each individual rabbit's needs. Basically, natural feeding is just this simple formula: Free choice alfalfa hay, as many greens as available depending on the season, about a ¼ cup of grain, and a mineral lick.
A great place for more information is the Natural Feeding forum at RabbitTalk.com. If you want more information, or have any questions, please contact me and/or Google it!! I've been naturally feeding for 3 years and there are certainly more experienced people out there than me. Even so, I'll be glad to help you to the best of my ability! I can be reached by email ([email protected]) or by facebook. I hope you found this helpful. Good luck with your natural feeding!!
Natural Feeding Basics
Why natural feeding? There are many benefits to a pellet-free diet: it's much less expensive, more natural, more self-sufficient and the rabbits enjoy it more. When given a choice, all my rabbits go for grain and greens first, hay next, and pellets last. Weaning enteritisis is very rare for naturally fed rabbits. Many breeders have reported ill rabbits that successfully self-medicate on herbs that natural feeding offers. Also, you do not have to worry about feed recalls and mystery ingredients. Of course, there are draw backs: it's much more labor intensive and requires more in depth knowledge than feeding pellets does.
What to feed? Rabbits can survive on just alfalfa hay alone. Solely feeding alfalfa hay is definitely not recommended because you don't just want your rabbits to survive, you want your rabbits to thrive and be as healthy as possible. However, that fact can give you a basis for your rabbit's diet. Free choice alfalfa hay, greens, trace mineral salt licks and supplemental grain mixes make up the entirety of the natural feeding diet. Mineral licks are extremely important because they provide salt and trace minerals that the other food might not provide. Greens include multiple types of rabbit-safe weeds (that's free food!!), rabbit-safe vegetables, fodder, and rabbit-safe herbs. Be aware of the health effects of those herbs. Plus, there are a few nutrient-rich greens you should be aware of. Someday I will make a list of common rabbit safe greens and include the effects of herbs and the nutrient-rich greens. Concerning greens, variety is best! Let your rabbit guide you on amount. When deciding amount, I keep increasing their greens until they leave some leftover the next day. Basically, feed as much as they eat in one day. Unless they are already overweight, they will regulate themselves on greens and hay. On the other hand, my rabbits will gorge themselves with grain if I allowed them to. You must regulate the amount of grain you give. I feed grain like a supplement- kits, nursing or pregnant does, or skinny rabbits get more grain depending on their needs. Usually, a doe and her litter get half a cup or more and normal rabbits get a fourth, or even an eighth, cup. Grain mixes usually include wheat, oats, and/or barley, in addition to black oil sunflower seeds if you want more protein.
What about growing kits and nursing does? Growing kits and nursing does need more protein- so they'll eat more alfalfa hay. Also, increased grain will help them get the right amount of protein. Black oil sunflower seeds provide a good source of extra nutrients. In general, naturally fed kits grow more slowly than pellet fed kits. That being said, many naturally feeding breeders successfully use line breeding to produce rabbits that grow just as fast as pellet fed kits. Also, many greens and herbs contain key nutrients like calcium that help nursing does and increase milk supply (discussed later on).
What do you do in the winter? In the winter, just like in the wild, the rabbits will eat more hay. During the summer, you should prepare for the winter. I learned that the hard way. Gather greens to dry for the winter (weeds, vegetables, herbs- all of it!). Sprout wheat or other grains for fodder. Sprout sunflower seeds. Pot up weeds and keep them indoors. Grow herbs inside in pots. Grow vegetables, herbs, and weeds (yes, encourage and even grow weeds in your garden!) in a greenhouse or cold frame. Increase the amount of grain fed. Feed black oil sunflower seeds. “Force” twigs by putting them in a cup of water by a sunny window. You can resort to buying vegetables at the grocery store. You can even buy dandelions, if you go to an Asian grocery store. I just prefer all the other methods because they are cheaper.
A short list of common rabbit-safe greens: These are all listed by common name. Please, please, please look up Latin names and rabbit safety and make a definite identification of plants before feeding them. I usually have at least 3 varieties, usually 4 or 5 varieties, in one feeding. I'm providing this list mainly to demonstrate how simple and easy finding rabbit food is. I said 3 to 5 varieties- now look below at how many varieties are in the small sample of rabbit-safe, nutritious greens. Almost all of the greens I feed are weeds because they are abundant, free, and some are nutrient-rich. Listed below is the selection of greens I normally feed.
Weeds: dandelions, white clover, wild violets, broad leaf and blackseed plantain, narrow leaf plantain, lambs quarters/ white goosefoot, chicory, shepard's purse, and wild false strawberries, queen anne's lace.
Vegetables: carrot tops, beet tops, lettuce (not Iceberg), Swiss chard, strawberry leaves, banana peels (although some of my rabbits don't like them).
Herbs: roses (does that count as an herb?), basil, sage, mint, parsley, and lemon balm. Again, beware the effects of herbs (ex. Parsley increases milk supply, sage dries up a doe's milk, ect.)
Trees: mullberry, willow, and fruit trees (be careful of fruit because the seeds might be toxic, ex. Apple seeds).
There are many, many more rabbit-safe greens. This is just to give you an idea. Sometime in the future I will make a more comprehensive list of rabbit safe greens, and including herb's health effects and nutrient-rich greens.
To conclude: I know the amount of information seems complicated at first, but don't be discouraged! Yes, it's much more effort than pellets. But there's no precise formula or anything fancy. All amounts can and should be modified according to each individual rabbit's needs. Basically, natural feeding is just this simple formula: Free choice alfalfa hay, as many greens as available depending on the season, about a ¼ cup of grain, and a mineral lick.
A great place for more information is the Natural Feeding forum at RabbitTalk.com. If you want more information, or have any questions, please contact me and/or Google it!! I've been naturally feeding for 3 years and there are certainly more experienced people out there than me. Even so, I'll be glad to help you to the best of my ability! I can be reached by email ([email protected]) or by facebook. I hope you found this helpful. Good luck with your natural feeding!!
I'll revise those edits before posting the article. I think I'll have a vegetables/shrubs/vines category to include roses, grapes, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries for the short list of rabbit safe plants. As for the mineral lick... I'm not sure. I put my mineral licks in the grain bin, and since the rabbits LOVE grain, they always lick a little bit of the mineral lick. I think I'll leave the article the way it is concerning the mineral licks.
