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Watering Your Rabbit
Watering Your Rabbit
The first thing many people usually inquire about is feeding. Obviously, food is a very important aspect of the care of any living organism and should be a concern for the caretaker of any pet. However, the importance of water to a rabbit is a major part of daily care and cannot be overstated.
Water is very, very important to a rabbit. Water should always be available. Rabbits will not eat if they do not have clean water. It is also vital for digestion, nutrition and conditioning of rabbits.
There are various ways to provide water. Automatic watering systems are very popular in large rabbitries and meat producing facilities. However, it may be expensive for one or two rabbits. A more effective means for providing water would be a water bottle or water crock.
A water bottle hangs outside the hutch with a nozzle extending into the hutch. A small ball is in the nozzle and prevents water from flowing out freely. When the rabbit puts its mouth to the nozzle, the ball moves up allowing water to come out. A drawback to water bottles is the time and effort it takes each day when changing the water. And remember: RABBITS NEED FRESH, CLEAN WATER EVERY DAY.
The most popular watering method for small-scale rabbit raisers and pet owners is crocks. A tin can could be used, but it rusts quickly and does not last as long as a crock. A plastic dish could also be used, but after a while it will also be ineffective, due to chewing. Another disadvantage in using a tin can or plastic dish is the light weight allows it to be tipped over easily. A ceramic crock should have enough weight that it cannot be tipped over.
A crock, dish or can allows watering without opening the hutch (unless there is dirty water). A crock sits in the hutch near the front, which allows water to be poured through the wire openings in the front or on the top of the hutch. If the water crock is dirty, it should be emptied, cleaned and filled with fresh water.
Rabbits should have access to clean fresh water daily. Water is the most important nutrient in a rabbit's diet. Rabbits will drink from a dish or a water bottle, but some only drink from the one they were used to when they were young.
Watering Rabbits
Water bottle
Water bottle
Water bottle
Crock
Water bottle
Water bottle
What to feed your rabbit?
Rabbit Pellets
Rabbit Pellets
Rabbit Pellets
Rabbit nutrition has been the subject of much research. Without a doubt, the best feed for your rabbit is commercial rabbit pellets. There are many brands available, and they can be found at any feed mill or store that sells livestock feed. Some brands may not be available in certain areas, but your local feed mill should have some rabbit pellets available. Rabbit pellets have adequate amounts of everything a rabbit’s body requires in a balanced diet.
Pellets even have adequate amounts of salt, which may be an ingredient you would not think about. Therefore, rabbits do not need a salt spool. Of course, they can be given for rabbits to lick, but like anything added to the diet of a rabbit normally on pellets, the digestion system may become irritated.
Do not feed
Rabbit Pellets
Rabbit Pellets
Many people new to rabbit raising commonly think they are being nice when giving their rabbits treats. A lot of “treats” do more harm than they do good for the rabbit. Young rabbits, especially, should not get treats. Their stomachs cannot handle change and their bodies have not developed enough to regulate change.
Lettuce, cabbage, and other “greens” should not be given to rabbits. They cause diarrhea, which can be fatal. Young rabbits are more susceptible and vulnerable to diarrhea. It is very important to know what your rabbit’s body can handle, so your rabbit stays healthy.
Treats that are okay to give include apple and carrot pieces. These should be given in small slices or pieces. Treats are not for nutrition. They are given for mental stiumlation and enrichment. They should be given moderately, if treats are to be served at all. Again, rabbits do not need treats; they get all the nutrition they need from their pellets.
How much to feed your rabbit?
When and how:
Rabbits should be fed on a regular schedule. They need food daily. Their ration can be given once a day. The evening usually works best for the rabbit since they are nocturnal by nature and use more energy during the night. If that does not fit into your schedule, your rabbits won’t mind eating in the morning at all!
It is very important to give proper portions. Rabbits do not need to have pellets in front of them all day or constantly. Overfeeding will result in overweight rabbits. This is not only bad for the show table, but bad for the rabbit itself. Bucks that are fed too much will become lazy and have no desire to mate. Overfed does can develop a build-up of fat, which will prevent breeding and conception. Overfeeding can result in added weight that the body cannot structurally support, which could lead to sore hocks and other health issues. It is generally unhealthy for a rabbit to be overweight.
On the other end of the scale, rabbits that are not fed enough will also be unhealthy. Underfeeding results in poor condition. You should not be able to feel the vertebrates of the spine when you pet a rabbit’s back. When a judge says “poor flesh condition”, it is also a sign of underfeeding or that the rabbit is not eating enough. Bucks that do not have enough food will not have enough strength, stamina or energy for breeding. A doe that is underfed will have trouble raising kits (babies) because her body does not get the nutrients it requires. Therefore, she will not be able to pass nutrients onto her young in the womb or produce enough milk for the kits once they are born.
Limit Feeding vs Free Feeding
Limit Feeding
Limit Feeding
Limit Feeding
Limit feeding is feeding the same amount of feed each day. This can be very helpful to make sure the rabbit grows at a proper rate and doesn't get too fat or too skinny. Breeders often times uses measuring scoops to feed their rabbits each day.
Free Feeding
Limit Feeding
Limit Feeding
Free feeding is filling a feeder. This is giving the rabbits access to more feed than they can consume in a day. By doing this rabbits may eat too much and get fat. Or the feed may go stale and the rabbits decide not to eat it.
Studying Your Rabbits Needs
As a general rule, two Dutch (or any two rabbits of the same breed and age) should eat about the same amount each day. However, one may need more feed, so pay close attention to your rabbit’s individual needs. Take notes about your rabbit. Use these pages for comments and things you notice about your rabbit. These notes can be helpful if there is ever a time when you need someone to look after your rabbit while you are away.
If your rabbit is biting the wire of the hutch door when you approach with feed, you may need to give more feed each day. Another indication could be increased excitement, such as more energy or running, when you approach the hutch with feed. Before increasing the amount of daily ration, first make sure yesterday’s feed ration did not go to waste. Does the feed container (crock, dish, hanging feeder, etc.) have a hole or is it tipped over? Did the rabbit dig in the dish and spill the feed onto the ground or dropping pan? Investigate the issue.
If you answered “yes”, you will need to make some repairs and corrections. If there is a hole, you can either fix the feed container or purchase a new one. If the rabbit is spilling the feed onto the ground, there are two common solutions to the issue.
First, make sure the container cannot be tipped over easily by the rabbit. The container should be large enough for one day’s ration and heavy enough to not be moved by the rabbit. If it is tipped over each day, you probably need a heavier container. Do not go much larger than a crock that can hold one day’s ration though, as this will encourage the rabbit to use it as a toilet. Like the water container, the feed container should be kept clean and sanitary for health reasons.
Second, sometimes rabbits dig in their food and spill it out of the container before they can eat it. If this is the case, there may be some environmental or behavioral issues to address. Something is causing the rabbit to act this way. It may be location or the surroundings. Investigate to discover the cause of this action. You may need to move the hutch to a different location or move something (possibly a dog) away from the hutch. Sometimes a young buck will act like this around a group of does when his hormones are in full effect. No matter the cause, digging in their food is a trait that is usually calling for attention. It may be necessary to try another kind of feeder.
Types of Feeders
Crock
Hanging Feeder
Hanging Feeder
Having a dish in the cage is the way that some rabbit raisers feed their rabbits. Having a dish that is heavy enough so the rabbit cannot flip it over is very important.
Cons: Rabbits can use as a bathroom and the dish gets a lot of germs in it or feed is wasted.
Hanging Feeder
Hanging Feeder
Hanging Feeder
Pros: Easily feed from outside the cage every day
Rabbits only see they have access to a little bit and more comes down the feeder the more they eat.
Cons: Cost more and requires cutting a hole in the cage.
(There is also a two-piece version of hanging feeders these do not require you to cut a hole in the cage.)
What to feed rabbits?
Rabbit pellets
Rabbit pellets
Rabbit pellets
Rabbit pellets from a national or regional feed brand likely have all the proper nutrients for your rabbit to have a healthy, productive life.
Orchard Grass
Rabbit pellets
Rabbit pellets
Orchard Grass is acceptable to feed rabbits in small quantities. Some breeders feed it daily or twice a week.
Straw
Rabbit pellets
Straw
Rabbits may nibble on straw, but it has a very low nutritional value.
Factors for determining the amount
Temperature
Stage and rate of growth
Stage and rate of growth
During winter, it is a good idea to increase feed because the body will require more energy to stay warm and regulate its own temperature.
Stage and rate of growth
Stage and rate of growth
Stage and rate of growth
When a rabbit is born, the mother provides the food. At about 24-30 days old, the kit will begin eating pellets, along with nursing. A half ration can be added to the hutch for each kit; the other half will come from the mother. As early as four weeks of age, a kit can handle a full ration.
Life events
Individual/Breed Characteristics
Individual/Breed Characteristics
After kindling (having babies), a doe will need more feed in order to produce enough milk for the kits. This increase in feed ration will need to be maintained the entire time the doe is nursing. If feed is not increased, the health of both the doe and the babies will be risked.
Individual/Breed Characteristics
Individual/Breed Characteristics
Individual/Breed Characteristics
Some breeds are known to be more active; some breeds are known for being typically docile. Some rabbits are more active, while some are more relaxed. If a rabbit is busy hopping and running around in its hutch all day, energy will be used more rapidly. Thus, more active rabbits (whether individual rabbits or more active breeds, known appropriately as “running breeds”) will need more food.