Feeding rabbits: do's and don'ts, vitamins, proper diet, recommendations

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 20:55

Growing rabbits in household plots is quite profitable. These animals breed and gain weight very quickly. However, in order for rabbits to develop well and not get sick, they, of course, should be properly fed.

The diet of these animals should include foods containing a sufficient amount of proteins, vitamins and minerals necessary for the body of animals. The menu of rabbits bred on farms and household plots must include feed:

• juicy;
• rough;
• concentrated.

The answer to the question of what rabbits like is, among other things, toasted white bread. Such a product is usually placed in the cages of both decorative and household eared animals.

What juicy food to give

Rabbit breeding as a business will be successful, of course, only if the animals grow and develop well. And for this, root crops and vegetables must be included in the diet of animals. From succulent feed to the rabbit menuusually included:

• carrot;
• potato;
• beets;
• watermelon rinds;
• zucchini and pumpkin;
• cabbage.

Carrots for rabbits of absolutely any breed, including decorative ones, are allowed to be given in unlimited quantities. This root crop, among other things, contains a lot of vitamins that are useful for rabbits. Carrots also increase the appetite of these animals, as a result of which they begin to gain weight faster.

They usually give carrots to such animals only in their raw form. At the same time, it is allowed to put both whole root crops of this variety and chopped ones into the cells. Carrots can be offered to rabbits as soon as they start trying to eat food on their own. Moreover, for fluffy babies, such food is considered very he althy and even necessary.

When feeding rabbits with potatoes, the animals begin to gain weight very quickly. This is explained by the fact that such tubers contain many easily digestible nutrients. You can give potatoes to rabbits, but only boiled. In this case, green tubers should first be carefully selected.

Beets for such animals can also be very useful. However, it should only be fed to rabbits in very small quantities and with caution. Beetroot is a pretty strong laxative and can make babies tummy ache.

The same rules should be observed when feeding cabbage to animals. Leaves of this vegetablerabbits are usually offered only in very small quantities. Most often, watermelon peels are also not given to these animals too much.

Zucchini and pumpkin rabbits, according to many experienced farmers, can be offered without fear. The only thing is that rabbits themselves do not like such food too much. They usually eat it reluctantly. And therefore, animals should not be put too many zucchini and pumpkins in cages. Otherwise, these vegetables will start to rot in the corners and become a source of some kind of infection.

In addition to vegetables and root crops, such animals are sometimes offered fruits as well. However, food of this variety should only be given to rabbits with great care. In any case, fresh fruits are usually not offered to these animals. The only thing is that farmers often give their eared wards dried chopped apples and pears.

Features of feeding rabbits: roughage

This category of rabbit food includes:

• mowed meadow and forest grass;
• tops of garden plants;
• hay.

Considered excellent food for such animals and tree branches with green foliage. Their rabbits are also supposed to be given without fail.

What herbs can be given

This kind of rabbit food is basic. Grass for such animals should be mowed in dry areas - in the field or in the forest. Swamp vegetation is never used to feed rabbits. If such grass is included in the diet of animals, it can lead to the developmentvarious infectious diseases.

Before you start mowing grass for rabbits, you should make sure, among other things, that they do not grow in the selected area:

• poisonous henbane, dope, etc.;
• nightshade;
• lilies of the valley;
• spurge;
• celandine.

There are other types of herbs that can harm the he alth of rabbits or even lead to the death of animals. The list of such plants is quite wide and you can get acquainted with it, for example, in specialized literature.

You shouldn't give freshly cut grass to rabbits right away. From the raw green mass in such animals, and especially in small ones, indigestion can occur. Any grass for rabbits before laying in the feeders must be dried for at least one day.

Holes of garden plants

Domestic rabbits love this kind of food and eat it willingly. Most often, however, only carrot and beet tops are offered to rabbits. In any case, the green mass of tomatoes, eggplants, peppers should never be fed to these animals.

The same goes for potato tops. All these plants belong to the nightshade family. And therefore, their eating can lead to an upset of the gastrointestinal tract of animals. In addition to carrot and beetroot, rabbits are sometimes given radish tops. Such green mass does not harm the stomachs of these animals.

What else can you feed rabbits: tree branches

Besides grass, these animals are supposed to be fedand another kind of roughage. They give rabbits when kept on a farm or in a household plot and leafy branches. These animals, of course, do not eat wood. But at the same time, the bark of branches can be very useful for them.

In any case, eating green branches has a beneficial effect on the digestive tract of animals. It is believed that it is very useful to give rabbits, for example, branches:

• birch trees;
• karagacha;
• willows and willows;
• apple, currant, rowan;
• pines.

At the same time, shoots should not be fed to such animals:

• wolf bast;
• elderberries;
• bird cherry;
• ledum.

What kind of hay to give

Breeding rabbits as a business or keeping these animals in small household plots involves the use of roughage, of course, not only in summer, but also in winter. Instead of grass in the cold season, farmers give hay to their fluffy wards. Harvest such food for rabbits in compliance with the same rules as grass in the summer. That is, they choose well-ventilated, dry areas without poisonous and harmful plants for mowing.

Sometimes they just buy hay for such animals, of course. In this case, experienced farmers are advised to check the supplier first. Only the highest quality hay is suitable for rabbits.

You also need to store such food correctly. Hay for rabbits is usually stored in the shade under sheds. roughagethis species in winter is also the main diet of such animals. And of course, only high-quality, not rotten hay should be given to rabbits.

Recommendations for harvesting branches

In winter, animals should also be fed dried branches - apple, willow, birch, etc. Harvest such rough food for rabbits as follows:

• cut not too thick young enough branches;
• tie them into brooms with a cutting thickness of 2.5-3 cm;
• hang branches to dry in the attic or any other suitable space.

Both in winter and summer, rabbits should receive branches for food daily.

What are concentrates

This type of food contains a very high amount of protein. Without concentrates, even if other food is available in sufficient quantities, rabbits will gain weight very slowly. These feeds are cereal grains. Also, compound feeds specially designed for a particular group of animals are also classified as concentrates in agriculture.

Rabbits can be given almost any grain. However, in most cases, these animals are fed only crushed barley. It is these grains that are eaten by rabbits most readily and are best absorbed by their body. Oats are also considered a very useful type of concentrate for these animals. But such grain is usually mixed with barley in not too much quantity.

In principle, rabbits can survive withoutconcentrates - on one herb. However, in this case, the animals will often get sick and, of course, will not gain commercial weight. Quality concentrates are especially important when keeping rabbits outside in winter.

Pour concentrates into animal feeders usually 1-2 times a day. Although rabbits are rodents, they are still offered a crushed version of the grain.

If desired, these animals, of course, can be given compound feed. For rabbits, this type of food is considered very suitable. However, in this case, you should choose the type of such a product designed specifically for these animals.

Compound feed for rabbits, unlike other agricultural animals, is usually also prepared on the basis of barley and oatmeal. In addition, legumes and various vitamin complexes can be added to such mixtures in a small amount.

Recommendations for the use of concentrates

Grass for rabbits is usually mowed by homeowners on their plots. The same applies to vegetables or root crops. They are harvested in their own garden. Concentrates for these animals are in most cases purchased on the side. And it is through them that the infection is often brought to the farm. Therefore, the owners of rabbit farms should approach the choice of a supplier of such feeds as responsibly as possible.

Very often, unfortunately, barley and oats are infected with the most dangerous viruses or bacteria that can cause severe, often fatal diseases in rabbits. Before purchasing such feed from a supplier, you should at least ask where it came from. Purchase only product sourced from rabbit infectious disease-friendly areas in that particular season.

Do I need vitamin supplements

Most modern rabbit breeds are hardy. Properly formulated diet for these animals will be the key to their rapid growth and development. However, in order to prevent, for example, a lunge of young animals or an outbreak of morbidity, vitamins are often additionally offered to such animals. Also, such mixtures are usually given to animals in the winter season.

Vitamins for rabbits in most cases are added little by little to the feed. At the same time, complexes deserved the best reviews from farmers:

• "Chiktonik" containing vitamins B, D3, A, K.
• "Prodevit", which includes vitamins A, D3 and E.
• "E-Selenium", containing selenium and vitamin E.

It is believed that it is very useful to mix in food for rabbits and the additive "Ushastik". The composition of this mixture includes not only various vitamins, but also minerals useful for the animal body.

Daily dosages of different types of supplements intended for eared animals may vary. To determine the amount of formula fed to animals in this particular situation, you should first of all read the instructions for use provided by the manufacturer on the packaging of the selected product.

Feed ratio

So, what can we feed the rabbits, wefound out. The main food for these animals, therefore, is grass and hay. Also, eared fluffies are offered vegetables and concentrates. But how much should these animals be fed?

The most appropriate feed ratio for rabbits is considered to be:

• concentrates - 50 g per head in summer and 60 g in winter;
• herbs - 400-500 g in summer;
• hay - 120-150 g in winter;
• succulent feed - 150-200g

Such feeding norms for rabbits are provided for ordinary animals raised for meat. For manufacturers, slightly different ratios are considered more suitable. In preparation for mating, for example, females and males are given a day:

• concentrated feed - 70 g in summer and 100 g in winter;
• herbs - 500-600 g in summer;
• hay - 150-200 g in winter;
• succulent feed - 150-200g

Feeding standards for rabbits on farms must be observed. In particular, this, of course, applies to pregnant females. Such rabbits are usually offered:

• concentrates - 70-90 g in summer and 100-130 g in winter;
• herbs - 550-750g in summer;
• hay - 150-200 g in winter;
• succulent feed - 200-250g

Nursing uterus is given:

• concentrates - 120-150g in summer and 140-160g in winter;
• herbs - 1000-1200g;
• hay - 200-250 g;
• succulent feed - 300-600 g.

Succulent products, both when feeding rabbits in winter and in summer, usually use the same amount.

What not to give

Above in the article, we found out that certain types of herbs should not be offered to rabbits. Also, it is forbidden to give such animals such juicy food as:

• eggplant;
• tomatoes;
• red cabbage;
• onion.

Beets are usually offered to rabbits only for fodder.

Fruits, in addition to dried pears and apples, such animals should not be given any. Concerning this:

• Plums that are laxative;
• figs;
• oranges and tangerines;
• mango;
• store-bought dried fruit.

Unsuitable coarse and concentrated feeds

Certain types of herbs, as we found out, can cause poisoning in rabbits. This also applies to some garden plants. In addition to nightshade, rabbits are also forbidden to feed green peas and their tops. Eating such food leads to bloating of the animals, and sometimes to their death.

Do not give rabbits from concentrates:

• rice;
• millet or millet;
• rye.

These types of grains are practically not digested in the stomachs of animals and only contribute to the formation of unnecessary mucus in the digestive tract.

Can I give human food

It is known that, for example, pigs, ducks and even chickens are often offered leftovers from their table to pigs, ducks and even chickens. For such household animals, such food can actually be quite useful. However, leftovers from the table are usually never offered to rabbits. The only exception in this case are boiled vegetables. But even such food can only be given to these animals in very small quantities.

The following types of human food are absolutely not suitable for rabbits:

• dairy products, including kefir, cottage cheese, cheese and whey;
• meat products, including offal, heads, legs.

Also, in no case should rabbits be given sweets - chocolate, sweets, toffees, lollipops. Actually, the natural ingredients used in the preparation of such products themselves may not be harmful to animals. However, sweets, unfortunately, are often mixed with all sorts of toxic additives that improve their appearance, smell and taste.

Baking can also be quite dangerous for rabbits. The use of such products causes bloating in animals, leads to obesity, a decrease in resistance to diseases, etc. From baked rabbits, as already mentioned, only white bread crackers can be offered. Such a product is usually given to these animals once every few days as a treat.

Can I use food intended for other pets and farm animals

Mixers designed for geese, ducks, chickens should not be given to rabbits. This ban also applies to food intended for other animals, including domestic ones. For example, rabbits are absolutely not suitable for food purchased for:

• hamsters;
• decorative rats;
• parrots and canaries;
• chinchillas, guinea pigs, etc.

This food usually contains very little calcium and fiber. In principle, he cannot bring much harm to rabbits. But with the constant feeding of animals with such food, they may begin to have he alth problems. Also, rabbits that have been eating such food for a long time may experience obesity and even swelling of the internal organs.

When kept as pets, be sure to use only special regular or pelleted rabbit food. You can buy such a product in almost any pet store.

In household plots, rabbits are also usually not given grain bought once for chickens and ducks. Farmers often store such concentrates directly in poultry houses. Rabbits and poultry usually suffer from the same infectious diseases. And if in chickens, ducks or geese, various kinds of infections do not occur very often, then rabbits are quite susceptible to them. Cereals for these animals should be stored separately.

How many times a day to feed rabbits

Food for these animals is usually offered three times a day. Arrivingthus, both in summer and in winter. Most often, owners of suburban areas use the following rabbit feeding scheme:

• in the morning - half of the daily dose of rough and concentrated feed;
• at lunch - the entire daily allowance of juicy food;
• in the evening - the second half of the daily dose of grass (hay) and cereals.

In the summer, rabbits are usually fed for the first time at 6-7 am. In winter, this period is postponed by 8 hours. These animals dine in any season at 12 noon or one in the afternoon. In the evening in summer, food is offered to such animals at 7 o'clock, in winter - at 5 o'clock.

The selected mode of feeding rabbits when they are kept must be observed. Thanks to this, the animals will begin to gain weight much faster.

Of course, in the cages, in addition to food, there should be water for rabbits. Drinkers for these animals are placed directly in cages or enclosures. At the same time, the water is periodically changed. It shouldn't be rotten by any means. This water can easily make rabbits sick.

What feeders should be

Under roughage in cages, rabbits usually equip special senniks. It is more convenient for these animals to give concentrates in separate feeders. Root vegetables and vegetables are usually simply placed on the floor in a cage. Of course, you can put such food in the feeders. But the animals will still get carrots and beets from there and scatter them.

Of course, feeders and drinkers for rabbits should be made exclusively from environmentally friendlymaterials. Containers for laying food for these animals are usually made of wood or tin. In metal feeders, at the same time, the edges are necessarily bent out and down. If this is not done, the animals will definitely cut themselves when eating.