When a pet enters the home it is natural to ask many questions about its care and feeding. If you have a bunny, there are some recommendations we can make about how to feed it. It is also highly recommended that you take your new pet to a veterinarian, who will be able to tell you how to feed your rabbit.
He or she may also give you some check-ups to make sure your pet is in good health. Mainly, you have to rule out the presence of intestinal parasites in your rabbit, for which you will have to perform some stool tests. Another thing to keep in mind is vaccination. It will be the veterinarian who will indicate the time and the indicated doses of each vaccine that is necessary.
How to feed a rabbit
One of the most important things to learn to feed a rabbit is to know that they should always have hay and water available. You can feed twice a day, preferably on a regular schedule.
Generally speaking, rabbits need about 150 grams of hay daily, 100 grams of vegetables per kilogram of weight and about 30 grams of feed per kilogram of weight. These measurements are referential and may vary because each rabbit is different. It is also important that you check with your veterinarian what is the ideal weight of your rabbit and that you check it with the scale on a weekly basis.
On the other hand, if your rabbit does not eat feed, you should increase the amount of hay and vegetables you give it every day.
Hay, vegetables and feed
Hay should make up at least 70% of your rabbit’s diet and should always be available. This is because it helps your pet to keep its digestive system in optimal conditions and also helps to wear down its teeth.
In the market there are hay mixed with different flowers or fruits to make them more appetizing. You can find hay with dandelion or rose petals or apples. Experts recommend grass hay, oat hay and even alfalfa hay. It is important that the hay is dust-free, dry and of good quality.
Regarding vegetables, it is recommended that your rabbit receives at least one serving per day. For example, you can make small salads in which they will mix about three types of raw vegetables. Green leafy vegetables usually give very good results, but you can also introduce other vegetables in smaller quantities. Cucumber, artichoke, arugula, watercress, chard, bell bell pepper, endive, Chinese cabbage, clover, carrot and beet leaves are recommended for daily feeding.
In smaller quantities, you can also feed spinach, carrots, green leaf lettuce and cabbage. Potatoes, garlic, onions and cauliflower are prohibited.
Rabbits like to eat fruit, but you can only give them small amounts two or three times a week. This is because they can get fat if you give them more than that amount.
It is important that you give your rabbit feed, but that it is not the basis of its diet.
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