Will rabbits over eat on pellets and or vegetables?

[B&A]

Hi , 

  I have a general question as a new rabbit owner about whether rabbits can over eat? I know they should have unlimited hay, but I am also providing a bowl of pellets and a bowl of fresh vegetables which is always available. He hasn’t been ‘over eating’ pellets, from what I can tell, he has a few here and there through out the day. When I read the guide though it’s very specific about the amount of pellets a rabbit should have each day. Is it dangerous to allow them to eat what they want? I know a lot of dogs will over eat if given the opportunity, are rabbits the same? 

[Wick & Fable]

Heyo. Rabbits are very food-oriented creatures, and overweight rabbits are a problem. Many vets warn against over-feeding pellets, because pellets should only make a fraction of a rabbit’s diet. Your rabbit is probably overlooking the pellets because he’s realized they’re always gonna be there and there’s always the fresh veggie bowl. I would suggest only having unlimited hay, and presenting the pellets at a separate time, then the bowl of veggies twice per day. Other people may suggest alternative feeding schedules, so this is by no means a declaration.

The age/weight of your rabbit determines pellet portions as well. Could you provide that information?

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Luna]

You are correct with the unlimited hay, and if your bun is a juvenile (under 6 months) then he can have unlimited pellets too. Usually once a bun reaches adulthood, the healthiest option for them is to be fed limited pellets. It depends on your bun (size, diet and health history), but it seems like the norm is anywhere between 1/4-1/2 cups per day. Luna is 4.13 lbs. and she gets 1/8 cup of pellets a day (a little less than the norm because of her digestive history). As far as overeating stuff like veggies/fruit, if given the chance, any bun would probably choose veggies/fruit over hay. But hay is the most important part of the diet, so eating too much of something else will cause your bun to eat less hay. Veggies aren’t really an issue, but fruit is a very high sugar treat for buns, and should be fed sparingly. As far as overeating to the point that a bun will feel sick, well buns can’t regurgitate, it just comes out the other end . So in that sense, I don’t know if overeating can really occur. And it is not really a concern as long as your bun is not eating a lot of something unhealthy or something that should be fed sparingly like treats.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By B&A on 3/06/2017 6:54 AM

Hi , 

  I have a general question as a new rabbit owner about whether rabbits can over eat? I know they should have unlimited hay, but I am also providing a bowl of pellets and a bowl of fresh vegetables which is always available. He hasn’t been ‘over eating’ pellets, from what I can tell, he has a few here and there through out the day. When I read the guide though it’s very specific about the amount of pellets a rabbit should have each day. Is it dangerous to allow them to eat what they want? I know a lot of dogs will over eat if given the opportunity, are rabbits the same? 

Rabbits can definitely over-eat pellets, if they eat so much that their hay consumption goes down, that’s not good. You can give unlimited pellets if your bunny is still growing however you’ll need to make sure they’re still eating plenty of hay. I limited my bunnies to just 2 tablespoons of pellets whilst they were growing because they weren’t eating enough hay and they’re absolutely fine. If you’re limiting pellets whilst they’re young you need to make sure they are still gaining weight as they should. 

Some rabbits do self regulate so to speak but some don’t have that kind of restraint 

[princessbookworm]

I don’t know about all rabbits but I know my Jake (my 11mo old mini lop) would DEFINITELY overeat on pellets and veggies if he could ?. He would probably turn into a little ball and roll around! So to keep him maintaining his healthy 6.5lbs, I limit his pellets to a fourth cup in the morning and his veggies (leafy greens…mostly romaine but I’ve recently begun to include green and red leaf) to 3-4 big leaves or approx 3 cups chopped.

[Lib]

My rabbit is barely eating her pellets. I slowly switched to a healthier kind( one with out all the seed and dried fruit). This one is strictly pellets and it’s made by Kaylee. I’ve tried hiding her favorite treats and vegetables in the pellets, but she picks over it still. Any suggestions?

[Limit]

Posted By Lib on 3/08/2017 7:32 AM
My rabbit is barely eating her pellets. I slowly switched to a healthier kind( one with out all the seed and dried fruit). This one is strictly pellets and it’s made by Kaylee. I’ve tried hiding her favorite treats and vegetables in the pellets, but she picks over it still. Any suggestions?

I’d ditch the treats and lessen the vegetables, she’s obviously being very picky as she’s used to having the not healthy one! If she really isn’t liking it you could try a few different healthy pellet brands to see if she has a preference (assuming this can be costly though).

[Lib]

So should I just give her the pellets and hay for a while? And if so, how long should I do that for before I try switching to a new kind?

[Author]

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