How Much Pellets Do I Feed My Rabbits?

[Jackie237]

Hello everyone,

I’ve read some articles on diet for house rabbits, but it never seems to apply to my rabbits very much. Currently, I have 3 Netherland Dwarfs. Two of them are 2 years old and the other one is 1 year old.

How much pellets do I feed them per day? One of my bunny, Joey, is 3 pounds. The other two: Sally and Daisy – are both 2 pounds .Since they all live together in the same home, what is the best way to feed them? Also, is it bad if I make pellets a very small part of their diet (replacing with veggies)?

 

Thanks!

 

[Roberta]

Hi Jackie,

If you go to the BB home page there is a very good section on diet incl a list of good veg and fruit for your Rabbits.
With bunnies a balanced diet should be 80% Hay Approx 18% Fresh Greens/veg Approx 2%
So if you feed hay unlimited (always available) 2 serves of greens/veg per bun per day based on body weight and approx 1/4 cup of pllets per day per bun.
Mine live in a large group too so actually measuring portions is impossible but having watched them over time eat as a group they seem to be able to sort it out for themselves. I fill their pellet dish twice a day and that works out to the right amount for all and no one seems to be pigging out, they share the veg and hay and seem to enjoy eating as a family. So far no one is too fat or too thin so it must be working.

[tanlover14]

Hey there,

Since your buns are Nethies, I would say anywhere between an 1/8 cup-1/4 pellets a day although personally I think 1/4 may be on the high end for their body weight. I would suggest somewhere in the middle? My buns get a little less than 1/4 pellets a day and two big salads a day.

I also noticed you said something about making pellets a very small part of their diet? I know some buns can go without pellets altogether but you should really talk to a rabbit-savvy vet who has examined your buns to make sure you’re going in the right direction. To eliminate pellets, you need to supplement the things they need through different types of veggies so you can ensure they are still getting all the nutrients/vitamins/ect. that they need in their every day diets!

And I completely agree with Roberta on how to feed them — I have a bonded trio and we have three dishes (just in case) that we put 1/3 of the food in, the amount for each rabbit, and then let them go to town. My buns almost always will just crowd around the same dish anyways, but if one does get pushed out then he can always go to another dish to eat. All my buns weights are perfectly healthy also so I don’t think you have anything to worry about doing that way. Unless of course, one of them begins to get aggressive and vicious about it.

[Sarita]

I have a netherland dwarf and I free feed him pellets but he doesn’t eat much pellets at all or really much of anything. He mainly eats greens and hay. It’s really not bad to make pellets a small part – in fact that is what is recommended by the House Rabbit Society. He is about 4 years old and 1 1/2 to 2 pounds.

[Monkeybun]

My nethie and polish share 1/8 cup pellets a day

[Author]

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