How much should i be feeding her?

[cmccorquadale]

Shes 12 weeks old, mini rex. I feed her unlimited timothy hay, a handful of alfalfa per day, and lately i’ve been filling her food bowl (young rabbit pellets – oxbow) about two-three times daily. I feel like because she is small, i shouldn’t be feeding her so much. She just seems hungry. When i fill the bowl, she eats the whole thing right then and there. And she is always begging me for more. Am i wrong to be hesitant about giving her more? I would hate to make her overweight.

[sarahthegemini]

At 12 weeks she can have unlimited pellets but keep an eye on her hay intake. I couldn’t give mine unlimited because then they wouldn’t touch their hay. You can also start introducing veggies at this age too. But go slow!

[vanessa]

If you weigh her every week, you’ll get an idea of whether she is gaining or losing weight. If you are satisfied with her weight, use it as a benchmark. When I got Guinevere, she was 5months old, on unlimited pellets/hay, but she was overweight already. So while we feed unlimited to young growing rabbits, it is still wise to keep an eye on their weight. Rabbits can be little beggars. How much hay does she eat?

[cmccorquadale]

Hm, I was told by the breeder not to feed her any fruits or veggies until she is spayed, could that be correct? Honestly, some days she eats more hay than others. Some days she doesn’t eat it at all, some days she won’t touch her pellets because she just wants the hay. Probably on average a good big handful of timothy hay every day. alfalfa is wayy less than that. I say a handful, but its not. Probably just enough to fit in the palm of my hand. How do you weigh your rabbit?

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By caitlinbenosky on 5/05/2017 11:03 AM

Hm, I was told by the breeder not to feed her any fruits or veggies until she is spayed, could that be correct? Honestly, some days she eats more hay than others. Some days she doesn’t eat it at all, some days she won’t touch her pellets because she just wants the hay. Probably on average a good big handful of timothy hay every day. alfalfa is wayy less than that. I say a handful, but its not. Probably just enough to fit in the palm of my hand. How do you weigh your rabbit?

Nope she can have veggies now You could put your bun on a kitchen scale. And then take a photo 

Ooh I wouldn’t give fruits yet, not til she’s developed a good tolerance to veggies. 

[vanessa]

It sounds like she is eating well. I hold my bunny and weigh me and the bunny, then I weigh just me and the difference is the bunnie’s weight. You could provide her with more pellets and keep an eye on her weight and hay consumption. All sorts of opinions on veggies and fruits. Having had 36 kits before I spayed my bunnies, I watched them eat veggies from 14 days – with no ill effect. Each rabbit is different. Some have sensitive bellies. But I don’t think it is necessary to hold off on veggies. Fruit – Yes. In fact I don’t give mine fruit at all as part of their regular diet. Many people do, something like 1/2 – 1 ounce per 4lb body weight. But only after she is eating hay/pellets with no tummy issues.

[cmccorquadale]

thank you guys for the help! i will start her on some veggies, start weighing her, and give her more pellets

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