Hay is a vital component to a rabbits everyday diet and actually makes up over 80% of it! Organic, local, good quality green hay is very important because it encourages gut mobility that will prevent them from having GI. Types of hay safe for rabbits are orchard grass, brome hay, timothy and meadow grass. Some rabbits might be picky on what type of hay they like best, so you might need to dabble around till you find their favorite. When buying hay there are different cuttings; first cut, second and third. All this means is the amount of times the hay has been cut, first being the most corse and third being the most fine .If you don't have direct contact with a local farmer you can buy your hay at the Kelowna Bunny Barn or online at Small Pet Select.
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Sherwood Adult :
These would be my top pick pellets for rabbit owners. Sherwood is the only brand on the market that is soy and gluten free and is completely hay based. Their fomula is known to reduce the urine smell and increase gut mobility which is key! This pellet is formulated with benifictial ingreedents like flax. This pellet is also great if you have tried everything but your rabbit is just not a big hay eater because this is HAY based. Although this pellet comes wiht a higher price attached, it's completly worth not risking your rabbits health and knowing every ingreedent going into your rabbits body. Read their website to learn about the reashearch done behind this formula. This brand can be purchased on Amazon and Zoe&Lilo. |
Oxbow Garden Select:
Oxbow Garden select would be my second pick because it doesn't contain molasses but still has a few ingredient I wouldn't recommend in a rabbits diet. It's a Non-GMO formula that features three varieties of grass hay to support variety and meal enrichment. Remember the Garden Select has a different formula without soy and the Original Oxbow Adult contains soy. For all our Canadian freiands this might be more accesable at your local pet shop or on Amazon. |
Local Feed Store Brands:
For many rabbit breeders like myself we tend to buy in bulk as we have a few more rabbits to feed but, when buying in bulk there tends to be a lot more caution to what is in the pellet. There's a few brands that I've come across in bulk that aren't too bad but, I would not recommend buying in bulk if you own 1-2 rabbits. For pet owners the feed will go stale and loose nutritional vale, also won't taste fresh for the rabbit. Down below I show what to look for when reading the label and what you want and don't want in the feed you provide your rabbit. |
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Safe fruits:
* keep in mind fruit is given as a treat, not fed as a everyday food.
DANGEROUS plants for your rabbit:
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Everyday a rabbit should get a minimum of 2 hours of playtime wether you choose to do that inside or outside. Rabbits are designed to run really fast and jump and twist in the air. Excersise has benifits of a healhty body inside and out. Making a safe choice on where your bunny plays is important and if it's outside making sure it's appropriate, not raining or too hot. Remember rabbits are prey animals so if you decide to play with them outside they need to be supervised at all times and putting them in a dog pen can help.
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GI stasis: This is the most common health issue in rabbits and is something that all rabbit owners should watch out for. This condition is potentially deadly and it's when the rabbits intestines get blocked up with bad bacteria, making their digestive tract slow down or stop completely. When the bad bacteria in the intestines builds up it releases a gas which makes them very uncomfortable and bloated. If this is caught very early on it can be treated at home but if your rabbit stops eating, drinking and is sitting in a "loaf" position not moving then contact your vet right away! Disclaimer, I am not a vet in any way so this information is to educate you but, if you ever have a mager issue please get your rabbit to the vet.
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