Powdered Feeds

[SamLM5511]

I know there are some powdered rabbit foods and supplements that are used for medical purposes. They can be mixed with water and fed through a syringe. But has anyone ever fed their rabbits a powdered food out of a feeding dish? Is that too dusty? Would it need to have water added?

My rabbit is temporarily in the care of my parents. They struggle to properly (if at all) use fresh greens for him. He usually ends up just getting hay and pellets when he’s with them. To make it easier, I thought about using a dehydrator on his veggies so they could keep them in a container right by his cage. Then I thought about making it even easier by grinding them and turning it into a powder (I would keep track of weight and volume and make a conversion chart to make sure he got proper amounts). If he can’t eat it like a powder I thought about making it into cubes instead. In which case could he eat them as is or would they need to be soaked? This is all knowing that he has constant and unlimited access to fresh water.

I know this is all a little crazy. But is it too crazy? Does this seem doable or effective to anyone? I just know that my parents forget about the greens or they go bad before they use them. I figured this could be just as easy for them as it would be to feed pellets (which my rabbit has recently started turning his nose up to). Thoughts, suggestions, ideas? 

[bonilla&BUB]

Hi there.

I would never do that. The whole point of feeding greens is “fresh greens”. There is such a thing of critical care, that is a powdered food that is used for emergencies, after surgery, for force feeding a rabbit that won’t eat pellets or hay. It is not in addition to pellets and hay.

You need to leave your bunny in the care of someone responsible enough to make sure your bunny is properly cared for. Try a boarding facility or maybe a friend. Don’t pawn your bunny off on someone if it is only because it is the easier or cheaper thing to do.

If you must leave your rabbits in the hands of your parents, make sure they are giving your bun the clean, fresh green it needs!!

[Mari and Lilo bunny]

I also would not do that… but I do know what you’re struggling through. I have to leave my bunny under my brothers care ever so often and it’s very stressful. What I do so my brother does not forget my bunny’s veggies is I make veggie rolls. So I get the right amount of veggies, get paper towels and roll the paper towels around the veggies. One roll per day. This just makes it really easy for my brother to access! Or you could put the veggies in a container, one container per day. I put my veggies rolls in a specific drawer in the fridge that everyone in my family knows is the veggie drawer. If your parents will forget even this way, then you might want to get a cooler with ice inside and place it next to the cage with all the veggie rolls so that they are kept fresh. Or buy a mini fridge, more expensive but definitely worth it. ?

[SamLM5511]

I’ve tried the “prepackaging meals’ and they are often still forgotten. I may try the cooler thing.

[Bam]

You can dry greens for your bun. I dry dandelion, plantain, kale, willow, apple leaves. You don’t have to crush it into a powder -if you have ziplock bags you can tell your parents to feed f ex 1/4 bag per day -it doesn’t have to be exact.

Rabbits do well on a diet that’s mostly hay, if the hay is good quality and the rabbit is a healthy adult. Obviously growing, pregnant, lactating or poorly buns need extra nutrients.

Some buns can’t tolerate fresh greens so they can’t have them. If you have good quality pellets in addition to good hay, that should give your bunny what he needsin the way of vitamins and minerals and protein. Greens are important as enrichment and ideally your bun would get fresh greens every day, but sometimes you just have to adjust to reality.

Don’t give powdered dry food, your bun could breathe the powder into the lungs.

[SamLM5511]

That’s what my main concern would’ve been about a powder (breathing in particles). He’s majorly stopped eating pellets which is why I want to give him more varied greens. But it’s almost impossible to give a single rabbit enough variety for a pellet free diet using fresh greens. They just go bad before you can use them all. I’m thinking one or two basic greens to give regularly and keep on hand. Then add various dried greens/veggies to help support varied nutrition.

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