Comments on: Feeding Rabbits http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk Care for house rabbits and pet rabbits Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:05:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Susie Stone http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/food.html#comment-5967 Susie Stone Sat, 12 Nov 2011 11:45:33 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-5967 Hi Richard, Thank you for your last reply it was very helpful. As I said before we are new rabbit owners and our baby lop Tipsy is 9 weeks old and she seems to eat all the time! We are feeding her in the morning but by lunch time she has nothing left, we are also giving her hay to eat as well as fresh water each day - is this nornal, we were told to fill her bowl (normal rabbit bowl) half full with the food the breeder give us which seems to be a mixture of pellets and muesli ( we could only get nuggets from Pets at home, what would you recommend?) We have been letting her out every day for half and hour to an hour for exercise, do you recommend this my daughter is afraid she will get wild as she loves this and does not want to go back into her hutch, she is jumping and having appears to be having great fun. We have also noticed she seems to be eating her hay. I am cleaning her cage out every 2nd day and using compressed wood shavings on the bottom and then staw and hay. The breeder we bought her from only used hay, could this be the reason she appears to be eating the straw. Thank you for your help, we are really enjoying our new rabbit but it is a bit daunting we just want to make sure we are doing this best for her and dont have anyone to ask Susie Hi Richard, Thank you for your last reply it was very helpful. As I said before we are new rabbit owners and our baby lop Tipsy is 9 weeks old and she seems to eat all the time! We are feeding her in the morning but by lunch time she has nothing left, we are also giving her hay to eat as well as fresh water each day – is this nornal, we were told to fill her bowl (normal rabbit bowl) half full with the food the breeder give us which seems to be a mixture of pellets and muesli ( we could only get nuggets from Pets at home, what would you recommend?) We have been letting her out every day for half and hour to an hour for exercise, do you recommend this my daughter is afraid she will get wild as she loves this and does not want to go back into her hutch, she is jumping and having appears to be having great fun. We have also noticed she seems to be eating her hay. I am cleaning her cage out every 2nd day and using compressed wood shavings on the bottom and then staw and hay. The breeder we bought her from only used hay, could this be the reason she appears to be eating the straw. Thank you for your help, we are really enjoying our new rabbit but it is a bit daunting we just want to make sure we are doing this best for her and dont have anyone to ask Susie

]]> By: Richard Lord http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/food.html#comment-5484 Richard Lord Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:13:19 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-5484 Hi Ashley, The spraying, nipping and mounting behaviour that you have described is territorial behaviour. Neutering rabbits usually decreases or stops this, as territorial and aggressive tendencies are reduced. It may take a short time after neutering for his hormones to balance out before you see any change. When training your rabbit, be firm but gentle. For example, every time he tries to go on the bed, remove him and say no firmly. If he goes straight back on, put him in his cage for a short period of time. Don't give him a treat when you put him in his cage after doing this as he will think he's getting a treat for going on the bed. Give him treats when he does something good, in this case, you could try giving him a little treat occasionally when he is staying on the floor. I have read that pink eye or conjunctivitis can be caused by a variety of causes including allergies and bacteria. It is possible that it is related to your rabbit, and maybe you have a minor allergy. I would suggest visiting your doctor to discuss the causes of this. Richard Hi Ashley,
The spraying, nipping and mounting behaviour that you have described is territorial behaviour. Neutering rabbits usually decreases or stops this, as territorial and aggressive tendencies are reduced. It may take a short time after neutering for his hormones to balance out before you see any change.
When training your rabbit, be firm but gentle. For example, every time he tries to go on the bed, remove him and say no firmly. If he goes straight back on, put him in his cage for a short period of time. Don’t give him a treat when you put him in his cage after doing this as he will think he’s getting a treat for going on the bed. Give him treats when he does something good, in this case, you could try giving him a little treat occasionally when he is staying on the floor.
I have read that pink eye or conjunctivitis can be caused by a variety of causes including allergies and bacteria. It is possible that it is related to your rabbit, and maybe you have a minor allergy. I would suggest visiting your doctor to discuss the causes of this.
Richard

]]> By: Ashley http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/food.html#comment-5269 Ashley Sat, 29 Oct 2011 01:17:52 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-5269 my rabbit is one and a half years old and we've had him for almost three months now. His appointment for nurturing isn't until November and he's spraying certain parts of the house and trying to bite everyone's feet (also trying to mount them). It's getting painful and he's adamant so much at times that we have to put him in the kennel for hours just to get some peace. He thinks once he's in the cage that he gets numerous amounts of treats and won't rest until he gets at least two or three. My question is that once he's nutured will his libido slow down?? will the nipping and aggression when he's locked in the cage stop?? Also I don't even know if I'm in the correct forum (google sent me here) I am having issues with my eyes (very red and leaky) someone told me that it's pink eye and everyone is blaming Rabbit for it. Is that possible? He is somewhat litter trained other than the disgusting territory pills he keeps depositing around the house when he sprays but can the fecal in his litter box be tracked to when he jumps onto my bed??? I am currently trying to teach him to stay off the bed but he's persistent and sometimes I'm not successful. Will the territory pills and spraying cease once he's neutered? Any help would be greatly appreciated. my rabbit is one and a half years old and we’ve had him for almost three months now. His appointment for nurturing isn’t until November and he’s spraying certain parts of the house and trying to bite everyone’s feet (also trying to mount them). It’s getting painful and he’s adamant so much at times that we have to put him in the kennel for hours just to get some peace. He thinks once he’s in the cage that he gets numerous amounts of treats and won’t rest until he gets at least two or three.

My question is that once he’s nutured will his libido slow down?? will the nipping and aggression when he’s locked in the cage stop??

Also I don’t even know if I’m in the correct forum (google sent me here) I am having issues with my eyes (very red and leaky) someone told me that it’s pink eye and everyone is blaming Rabbit for it. Is that possible? He is somewhat litter trained other than the disgusting territory pills he keeps depositing around the house when he sprays but can the fecal in his litter box be tracked to when he jumps onto my bed??? I am currently trying to teach him to stay off the bed but he’s persistent and sometimes I’m not successful.

Will the territory pills and spraying cease once he’s neutered?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

]]> By: Paige http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/food.html#comment-1087 Paige Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:29:52 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-1087 Thanks for the help :) Thanks for the help :)

]]> By: Richard Lord http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/food.html#comment-1077 Richard Lord Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:49:43 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-1077 Hi Paige :-) Good to hear you and Gizmo are still getting on well! Some people have fed things like Weetabix or porridge to rabbits that are underweight, but I'm not sure that this is a good idea. Breakfast cereals like Weetabix are high in fibre, but not the kind of fibre that rabbits need. Some can also be high in salt or sugar that is not good for the rabbit either. I would stick to little bits of fresh fruit or herbs as a treat. Barney's favourite treat is Parsley, and Jemima's is a grape!! Because of the high sugar content, only feed fruit in small quantities. Hi Paige :-) Good to hear you and Gizmo are still getting on well!
Some people have fed things like Weetabix or porridge to rabbits that are underweight, but I’m not sure that this is a good idea. Breakfast cereals like Weetabix are high in fibre, but not the kind of fibre that rabbits need. Some can also be high in salt or sugar that is not good for the rabbit either.
I would stick to little bits of fresh fruit or herbs as a treat. Barney’s favourite treat is Parsley, and Jemima’s is a grape!! Because of the high sugar content, only feed fruit in small quantities.

]]> By: Paige http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/food.html#comment-1031 Paige Wed, 12 Jan 2011 23:57:01 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-1031 Gizmo is now 5 and a half months old! :) He is growing fast and his personality has definatly come through! He is getting the chop in a couple of weeks time too! My question is, is weatbix safe for rabbits? As a rare treat? I have heard mixed reviews, some say it is fine, others say it is bad. I trust your judgement so I thought I would ask you! Thanks, Paige Gizmo is now 5 and a half months old! :) He is growing fast and his personality has definatly come through! He is getting the chop in a couple of weeks time too!

My question is, is weatbix safe for rabbits? As a rare treat? I have heard mixed reviews, some say it is fine, others say it is bad. I trust your judgement so I thought I would ask you!

Thanks, Paige

]]> By: Paige http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/food.html#comment-552 Paige Sat, 27 Nov 2010 15:39:49 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-552 Thanks so much :) Thanks so much :)

]]> By: Richard Lord http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/food.html#comment-546 Richard Lord Sat, 27 Nov 2010 07:59:18 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-546 Hi Paige The pictures are great, thank you for sending them in! Gizmo should continue with access to unlimited alfafa hay and pellets until 7 months (28-30 weeks) old, when you can gradually change alfafa hay for unlimited timothy, oat or grass hay and start reducing the amount of pellets. Hi Paige
The pictures are great, thank you for sending them in!
Gizmo should continue with access to unlimited alfafa hay and pellets until 7 months (28-30 weeks) old, when you can gradually change alfafa hay for unlimited timothy, oat or grass hay and start reducing the amount of pellets.

]]> By: Paige http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/food.html#comment-544 Paige Fri, 26 Nov 2010 22:01:40 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-544 First of all, thanks for uploading the pictures of Gizmo! Now for my question. Well, i've had Gizmo for three weeks now which means he is 15 weeks old. He has grown considerably since I got him and he is also putting on weight normally. However, I don't want him to become overweight because I know this is really unhealthy for a rabbit. He has an unlimited supply of hay, I fill his food bowl (two inches deep with five inch diameter) every morning, and in the morning or evening I give him his greens. Is this the time I start decreasing his pellet intake? Or do I carry on giving him the full bowl untill he is fully grown? Thanks Paige First of all, thanks for uploading the pictures of Gizmo!

Now for my question. Well, i’ve had Gizmo for three weeks now which means he is 15 weeks old. He has grown considerably since I got him and he is also putting on weight normally. However, I don’t want him to become overweight because I know this is really unhealthy for a rabbit.
He has an unlimited supply of hay, I fill his food bowl (two inches deep with five inch diameter) every morning, and in the morning or evening I give him his greens.
Is this the time I start decreasing his pellet intake? Or do I carry on giving him the full bowl untill he is fully grown?
Thanks
Paige

]]> By: Paige http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/food.html#comment-350 Paige Wed, 17 Nov 2010 19:20:55 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-350 Thankyou for your help Thankyou for your help

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