| New Zealand's Nature & Science Discovery Centre |
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| A good brand of rabbit pellets will provide all the vitamins, minerals and salt that your rabbit requires on a daily basis. Pellets containing an anti coccidiosis will prevent this disease from occuring. Approximate guide to pellet quantity (some will eat more or less than this): Small breeds: 1/2 cup per day Medium breeds: 1 1/2 cups per day Large breeds: 2-4 cups per day Heavy earthenware bowls are excellent food containers and are not easily overturned. Plastic D feeders or stainless steel 'coop cups' are also useful. Greens introduced gradually and in moderation are a tasty treat that your rabbits will love. Fruit and veggies must be fresh and may include the following; puha, dandelions, dock leaves, cauliflower, carrots, swede, turnips, cooked potatoes and cooked peelings, apples and pears. Do not feed lettuce or cabbage as these can cause bloat and 'the runs' and in serious cases may cause death to pets. Some commercially available 'treat mixes' may be of limited nutritional value so must be fed sparingly or not at all. Good quality hay is an important part of the diet and is best kept in a hayrack to prevent soiling. Hay must be stored in a dry place for 3 months for any possible RCD to diebefore it is fed to rabbits. Fresh water must be available at all times. A drip feed bottle is preferable to an easily soiled bowl. Refill bottle daily and check that it is working. The metal ball that lets water drip out can become blocked preventing water from coming out or allowing bottle to quickly drain. Rabbits can drink up to 2 litres of water in a day and will die in a suprisingly short time with no access to water. Avoid sudden changes of diet as this can cause digestive upsets. A gnawing block must be provided to prevent overgrown teeth. A block of tea tree with flaky bark, fruit tree branch or commercially available chew toys are all useful for this purpose. Do not feed plants that are poisonous to rabbits such as rhubarb leaves, raw potatoes, potato tops, roots and seeds of dock, or grasses from the roadside where there is the possibility of contamination from pesticides or car fumes. |
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