Help! So much conflicting information on diet

[shelmstr1]

I have an 8 week old Netherland Dwarf and a less than a year (guessing 7-8 month) Rex.  How much do I feed them?

Our Rex is starting to get pudgy so I'm thinking I'm feeding too much and want to make sure I know how to feed baby too.  I know unlimited hay and water for both.

I've been feeding our Rex about 2-4 cups of greens/day and 1/2 cup young pellets.  He's not a big hay eater so I'm wondering if I need to cut down pellets or greens until he eats more hay.  He seems like he's starving every time I feed him.

For baby, I am doing unlimited young pellets and hay and a teaspoon of Quaker Oats per day.  Too much/too little?  When do I start introducing greens?

I've searched many sites and see many conflicting theories on how much greens to feed and when to start introducing greens.  Any advice would be appreciated.

[Stickerbunny]

Rabbits don't need oats. And you shouldn't introduce greens until at least 12 weeks old. For the 7 month old, adult pellets would be good to start switching off to and I would reduce pellets from 1/2 a cup to about 1/4, especially with that amount of greens – it's recommended 1/2 cup per 6lbs of body weight, but greens really do make up for the lesser amount. Rabbits often act like they are starving every time they are fed, my two act like they are starving every night, no matter what. Even if they have pellets left they act like they are starving when I give them a salad. lol

What TYPE of pellets are you feeding? That is often a bigger reason for weight gain than just the amount (though, too much can be too, but 1/2 cup isn't that much really).

 

http://rabbit.org/faq-diet/ most of us use that site for a guideline.

[shelmstr1]

Thanks for the input. This is why I said so much conflicting information. When I picked up the baby, they said it should have 1 tsp of oats/day. I’d never fed oats to my older bunny. I had heard not to introduce greens until later but one site said a year, one said a few weeks, I’m so confused LOL. I can certainly switch the older one to adult pellets. It’s a tough call because I don’t really know how old he is. When you said it’s recommended 1/2 c per 6 lbs, is that 1/2 c of pellets or greens? I did cut his greens down to 2 c per day and pellets about 1/4c per day to see if he’ll eat more hay. I am using Oxbow pellets. I did buy hay from Small Pet Select and got pellets from them but am back to Oxbow now.

[bpash89]

I would just cut back on the pellets and see how that goes before thinking about adjusting how much veggies he gets too. Switching to adult pellets (oxbow is great) will help too since they are timothy based instead of alfalfa based and that'll cut back on some of his calories.
1/2c per 6lbs of pellets.
2 cups of greens per 6lbs as a minimum.

How much exercise do they get?

[Deleted User]

The source to Trust is generally thought to be rabbit.org, the House Rabbits Society’s website. I think if you read this article: http://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetables-and-fruits-for-a-rabbit-diet/ you will find the bulk of your questions answered. There is also an excellent FAQ section (on the same site) that can help more specifically with the younger rabbit’s current dietary needs. (As well as any number of other helpful articles on all kinds of topics from housing to gastric upsets.)

According to the article I posted above you want to be feeding a minimum of ONE cup of leafy greens per TWO pounds body weight. So please don’t cut back on the greens! I think your deciding to switch over to adult pellets and making it a smaller serving of them is an excellent start. If you are really concerned then I strongly suggest checking with your vet before making other substantial dietary changes. Accurately establishing whether or not a rabbit is over weight isn’t a simple matter.

[shelmstr1]

Thank you all for the advice! I am slightly cutting down the pellets and will switch to adult soon. I am giving him about 2c greens (1c morning/night) so we’ll see how that goes. He gets a bunch of exercise. He is caged at night but has free reign of his own bedroom throughout the day. Baby bunny is caged most of the day for now. I let him out once/twice a day when I’m feeding/cleaning cage. He seems to get tired out by that and is not ready to be left out unattended.

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