Practical Matters

I thought I would talk a little bit about how I manage my rabbitry. Now, this is not the best way to do this nor the only way to do this. This is just the way I am doing it right now. I always learn and am willing to read more and take suggestions.

Food - I have read a lot of comments on the type of feed, how much to feed, brands, mixes etc. I have to admit that I have found the Wal-Mart has the best prices and where I live they carry feed. I use Animal World (I think that is the name of the brand) for rabbit pellets. Whatever is the cheapest calf manna and black sunflower seeds. I use two bags of the rabbit pellets, one bag of calf manna and 1 bag of sunfower seeds mixed together. I keep it in a big tub and can tell by looking at the mixture what I need to add next. Right now, it is sparse on sunflower seeds so will add that. Now, I have two angora bucks who are a year old and underweight and I have been adding sweet feed to their diet. As to how much I give them, it depends on the rabbit. I have a small herd so it is not that hard to do. If they are dumping their feed and wasting it, I give them less. If they are eating it all I give them a bit more the next day.

I recently added a day of pellet fast a week after reading about how that helps with wool block. I do watch the poop of the rabbits when I clean the cages. (I worked as a school nurse and would ask kids who presented with abdominal problems what their poop looked like. I got a lot of weird looks ;)). So, on the fast day I give them a mixture of oats, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and garlic powder. Just 1/4 cup. The first week I did this none of the rabbits ate it enthusiastically. Today, which is the 4th week they chowed down immediately. I also give them a pinecone and hay. At first they eyed the pinecones distrustfully but today they dug right in. I have seen less pearls of poop and some really nice big ones over the last four weeks. I gather the pinecones (ponderosa pine) in the mountains just a few miles away from my house.

I give them alfalfa hay or fresh alfalfa in the summer 3 or 4 times a week. And, of course, fresh water is available at all times. I have found some yogurt treats that I give after grooming. Thor loves them. As do most of the other rabbits.

Well, I think this is long enough for today. I am always open to what others do that work for them and will give it a try.