Feeding enough?

[NaluNut]

My Holland Lop bunny is coming along to be 4 months. It seems like her appetite is increasing and all she wants is food. She doesn’t seem interested in me at all except in the desire for me to feed her.

I’m wondering if I’m feeding her enough. She gets unlimited hay and I feed her when I wake up and at dinner time. In total I probably give her 1/8 cup of pellets and 2 cups of greens. Or so it looks.

lately, I’ve mainly been giving her carrot tops, broccoli stems, and some herbs. But I always change it up.

How do I satisfy my bunny?

[LBJ10]

At 4 months, she should be getting “unlimited” pellets. She’s a growing girl.

[NaluNut]

hmmm thats another question, I hear mixed reviews on that too.
Some people don’t even feed pellets, some say 1/4 cup fer 6lbs, some say pellets aren’t good/fatening for rabbits and feeding unlimited at a young age just creates bad habbits.

sooo I have been going by the 1/4 cup per 6lbs… that’s why I’ve been feeding her roughly 1/8 cup.

Thoughts? What have you heard?

[LBJ10]

Neither of mine had weight issues after being fed unlimited pellets as babies. When I say unlimited, I mean as much as they’ll eat in a reasonable amount of time. If a bunny is a little piggy and gobbles up all of the pellets no matter how many you give them, then I would say there is a problem.

For smaller breeds, it is recommended that their pellets are cut back after they are 6 months old. Larger breeds can have unlimited pellets longer since they continue to grow after 6 months of age.

As far as developing problems later on goes, I’m assuming you mean they become addicted to pellets. While my boys love their pellets, I wouldn’t say they are addicted to them. Some people feed them based on body weight. Others feed them as treats or in very small amounts or none at all. Feeding no pellets at all can be difficult because it’s hard to ensure they are getting everything they need from the veggies they get. You have to provide a wide variety and bunny has to actually want to eat that wide variety.

I don’t know what brand of pellets you’re feeding. I use Oxbow and it says 1/8 cup daily for 1-4lbs (for the adult formula). For the young bunny formula, they advise feeding unlimited pellets.

[Crashley]

Baby bunnies should always be given an unlimited amount of pellets. LBJ10 is correct shes a growing girl My bunny is 3 months this december and she always has unlimited pellets and hay! she doesnt eat all the pellets at one time just when she is hungry! she never goes without and she is perfect in weight for her age and healthy.

[Author]

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