Too much info, please help my baby mini lop

[Petris_Mum]

 

Hello,

I am new to this forum and to the bunny world.

I seem to endlessly searching for info on how much food to give my baby mini lop but I can never seem to find specific answers.

Petri always has fresh quality hay and water, as I know this should be the main bulk of his diet.

But exactly how much (in measurements) should I be feeding a 2.5 month old mini lop in terms of pellets/veggies. At the moment I give him a very small handful in the morning and early evening along with a small handful of veggies and then perhaps a couple of treats a week in the form of a slice of apple.

I’m really worried that I am not feeding him enough but then when I do give him more servings of pellets, he eats them all very excited but then doesn’t eat his cecotropes (possibly because he produces too many due to the high calories of the pellets?)

I know all about the percentage rules with hay/pellets/veggies but if you don’t know measurements, it’s hard to apply that rule.

I just want to make sure that my baby bun is getting enough food to grow big and strong but not so much that he grows to be obese.

 

Hope you can help. I may be doing the right thing already but when I wake in the morning and his cage has cecotropes laying around uneaten, I get really paranoid

 

Thanks

Leanne

 

 

[Roberta]

Hi Leanne,
It is very very normal for babies to produce extra cecals simply because their diet at a young age needs to be very nutrient rich… Pellets should also be unlimited at this age… PROVIDING they are a good quality pellet without any seedy fruity junky bits. As to veg… If they have had it from the beginning they should have good leafy greens unlimited too… If they have not had it before best to hold off and start introducing it slowly from about 4 months… Babies need food to grow so don’t feel bad about giving him unlimited healthy food at this age… The cecal situation will start to settle as he transitions onto an adult diet but right now it is actually a good sign that he is making a few too many.

[Deleted User]

Roberta knows a great deal more about baby rabbits then I do so I’ll leave the things she addressed.

However, I will emphasize that you want a plain pellet. Also at this age you can be feeding him alfalfa in pellets or mixed with the hay.

When you are ready to transition to an adult diet (around six or seven months) you can use the article and lists (please do read the article) on this page as a guide: http://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetables-and-fruits-for-a-rabbit-diet/ It has the kind of measurements you were requesting. You can also check the FAQs page on that site (it is The House Rabbits Society’s site) for more information on the care and diet of baby rabbits. Its information is presented in a straight forward user friendly manner and is reliable.

So in the mean time fill up your little one’s pellet dish and enjoy your growing baby! Best of luck!

[Beka27]

Unlimited pellets are recommended under 7 months, but if he’s overproducing cecals regularly, it’s okay to cut back to a more measured amount. Try giving a portion several times per day rather than just “fill up the bowl” at the first sign of it being empty. Maybe get a 1/4 cup scoop and feed that amount throughout the day, but keep track of how many scoops he gets in a 24 hour period. If he has excess cecals, you’ll know that he’s getting a bit too much.

It is fine that he’s eating veggies now. Keep it to very basic, mild ones like romaine, parsley, etc…

[Sarita]

I think Roberta is right – this is normal for young rabbits on unlimited pellets – as long as the cecals are perfectly formed it is not a problem – well, it may be a messy problem for you but as far as health, it’s not a problem.

[Isabel]

Just as a quick note, my rabbit vet (who’s recommended by the HRS) told me it was totally fine to stop feeding unlimited pellets at 4 months and to start cutting back. I have a smaller breed (holland lop), and I think they finish their growth more quickly than other, larger breeds (just extrapolating). Right now your bun is still growing and needs the pellets, but if he’s still producing extra cecals past 4~ months (when he’s not really a baby anymore and should be eating them), I would cut back. My two cents!

[Petris_Mum]

Thank-you so much for all of your replies. It has definitely put my mind at ease and I will give him much more pellets until he is older. I will just have to deal with the messy consequences for now haha I use the Burgess Excel pellets and don’t give him museli type feed based on all the bad things I’ve heard. In terms of veggies, he is just on Parsley at the moment.. he absolutely loves it. I think I will stick with that until he gets a bit older then.

So glad that I joined this forum and asked you guys.

I’m sure it won’t be the last post I make in a panic haha It can be quite daunting looking after an animal that you’ve never had before. I just want to ensure I’m doing right by him

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m glad you got things figured out. We are always here to help.

[Author]

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