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Pregnant rabbits require food with a more energy than normal pet food to be able to support their growing baby bunnies. This is especially important during the last two weeks of pregnancy. The type of food should be different than one that is made for pet rabbits. Most commercial rabbit feeds will work fine as a pregnant rabbit food but some brands are far better than others.

 After your rabbit gives birth to a new litter of baby bunnies it is best to switch her to a high-fat rabbit food. This is important to stimulate the milk production needed to support the health of growing bunnies (Fortun-Lamothe L. 1997). Research shows that you'll see major improvements in the health of growing baby bunnies and improved feed efficiency when using a high-fat rabbit food.

 Most commercial rabbit feeds have very little fat. Additionally, those that claim to have added fat for "show rabbits" are simply adding a little "natural" vegetable oil. Two things are wrong with this scenario. First, these types of rabbit foods still have less than 4% fat when growing rabbits should be getting at least twice that amount! Second, vegetable oil is refined and and lacks the natural vitamins needed. Plants that use oil to store energy in seeds also package vitamin E with it. Feeds that use cheep refined soybean oil will not have the same amount of vitamin E as feeds that use whole natural oil seeds like flax, canola (rape), and others as an oil source. This is important because when adding fat to any diet you should also add vitamin E.

 Following these dietary recommendations for feeding pregnant rabbits will improve their health. If you plan on breeding more rabbits then it is also important to learn how to rear Does before they become pregnant. The information found in the website below is guaranteed to improve your success and reduce the culling rates of nursing and pregnant rabbits and the mortality rates of their growing bunnies. It also details what you should feed your rabbits months before breeding them and how to find the best kind of pregnant rabbit food.


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BABY LOVE

Baby rabbits are healthier and grow faster with a specially designed baby rabbit food that is high in fat and fiber. In fact, they are accustomed to the doe's milk that is

high in fat and low in sugar (Coates et. al. 1964).

Baby rabbits don't produce enough enzymes needed to digest excess starch (sugar) until later in life. Feeding them a diet with a lot of grain or grain by-products makes them more likely to get diarrhea. A rabbit feed higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates helps baby bunnies make the switch from the doe's milk at weaning and provides the energy they need for healthy growth.

As baby bunnies get older they still naturally use fat as an energy source. In fact, rabbits need a high fiber diet because good bacteria ferment fiber in the caecum to produce the healthy fats rabbits use.

Scientific studies show that increasing the fat content of rabbit food will improve protein AND energy efficiency as well as improve the feed conversion ratio (easily by 20%) for growing rabbits (Arrington et. al.1974).

Most commercial rabbit feeds don't have near enough fat and fall short of the needs of baby bunnies. Generally, they have less than 3% crude fat when research shows that baby rabbit food should have around 8% fat when balanced with high quality protein.

If you choose a healthy rabbit food that has a higher fat content for your growing bunny rabbits then make sure it is using oil from natural sources and not simply refined vegetable oil or worse, rendered animal fat. This is because when adding fat to a rabbit's diet you should also be adding vitamin E, which whole oil seeds from plants naturally have.

• Whole oil seeds are naturally high in vitamin E.

• Rendered animal fat or refined vegetable oils ARE NOT!

Baby rabbits are healthier when fed a high fat natural baby rabbit food that mimics their mamma's milk.

Questions? Go Here for answers!!!

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Hey!!! Is Hay Really Good For Your Rabbit?

Many people have read on-line that they should feed timothy hay to their adult pet rabbit instead of alfalfa hay. However, this is based upon some common misconceptions that are not true!
Feeding rabbits Timothy hay is a great way to provide them with a low-energy dietary fiber. Timothy hay grown in the western part of the USA is often a better quality because quickly cures in the desert air so it's green.
If you feed timothy hay to your bunny be careful to not feed it too much because it is likely to cause nutritional deficiencies. Timothy hay doesn't provide enough vitamins and minerals that rabbits need to stay healthy. To support long-term health it is important to provide a balanced diet that is fortified with phosphorous, chelated minerals, and essential amino acids.

For example many people have read online that alfalfa is "too high in calories" and can obesity in rabbits. This simply is not true. Although alfalfa has slightly more calories than Timothy hay it is important to understand that the calories in alfalfa are mainly from protein, which your rabbit needs to eat to be healthy.

The types of calories that can make your rabbit fat are from carbohydrates that come from grain and grain by-products. This is why adult pet rabbits will be healthier when they are fed a grain-free diet. Rabbit food that is made for "rabbits of all ages" will cause your rabbit to gain unhealthy weight because it has too many calories. This is why it is important to feed a properly balanced rabbit food that has the right protein to energy ratio. Although it isn't clearly listed on the feed label it is important to read the ingredient list and avoid rabbit food that has a lot of grain and grain by-products or soy products.

Also many people have read online that they should avoid feeding alfalfa to their rabbit because has more calcium than timothy hay. In reality the amount of calcium in hay greatly depends upon the amount of calcium that is in the soil that it was grown in. Also, hay naturally has a lot more calcium than grain! So the only way to lower the calcium content of your rabbits diet is to feed less hay and more grain... but that is definitely not recommended!

Nutritionists know that the digestible phosphorous content and the phosphorous to calcium ratio of the diet are the most important factors that influences calcium metabolism. Phosphorous is a limiting nutrient and is expensive but adding it to the diet of your rabbit is important for long-term health. Baby rabbits need a phosphorous content of around 0.6% (adult rabbits need above 0.3%).

For these reasons it is best to feed your rabbit a balanced pelleted diet that includes all of the minerals and vitamins that your rabbit needs to stay healthy. When you do you'll see a real difference in the quality of their fur coat as well as their playfulness and overall activity level.

Buy now you know...more info. can be found here!!





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To Oat or Not to Oat?

Rabbits can eat oats and other grains when fed as a part of a balanced diet. However, don't feed them too much because it can cause digestive troubles that lead to diarrhea and bloating. Generally rabbits should not be fed a diet that has a starch content higher than 11% to 14%. The starch content of every grain is different and varies between 57% (oats) to over 70% (corn). This means that if you feed your rabbit oats or other grains that it should only be a very small part of their total diet. 
 Diarrhea and bloating occurs when too much undigested starch passes into the caecum which is then quickly fermented by bacteria. While a small amount of starch can help to speed the fermentation (digestion) of fiber, too much starch can actually cause a change in pH which results in a change of bacterial populations. These "bad" bacteria thrive on the easily fermented starch and cause digestive troubles.
 For additional information about rabbit diets go here. 


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Pet Rabbit Food

The nutritional needs of rabbits change as they grow up and so should their pet rabbit food. Baby pet rabbits require a diet that is low in starch, sugar, carbohydrates, and protein supplements because they can't digest it. If your rabbit has diarrhea then you are probably feeding a food that is too high in these things which include grains, wheat middlings, grain by-products and soybean meal. Check the feed label before buying your pet rabbit food.
 As a result many people suggest feeding baby rabbits timothy hay to prevent diarrhea. However, they do not realize that this grass hay lacks the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that baby bunnies need for healthy growth. Feeding it will prevent your baby rabbit from getting the nutrients found in a balanced pelleted diet.
 The solution is to feed your baby pet rabbit a balanced diet that is high in fat and fiber instead of starch. This type of diet mimics "mamma's milk" that is high in fat but low in sugar. Take care to make sure that the fat comes from whole oil seeds that are high in vitamin E instead of refined vegetable oil or animal fat. Baby rabbits should continue to eat this style of food until they are "teenagers" or somewhere between 10 to 12 weeks of age. Then you should gradually switch to feeding them a low energy rabbit food that is high in fiber (containing timothy hay) that is designed to meet the nutritional needs of adult pet rabbits.
 It is important to continue feeding an adult pet rabbit food that is balanced and designed to provide the minerals and vitamins they need to maintain a healthy immune system, bone health, and an active lifestyle. If you skimp and just feed grass and vegetables they may develop mineral and vitamin deficiencies that lead to muscular dystrophy (meaning they will become partially paralyzed) or other nutritional diseases. Feeding treats is OK as long as they are not high in calories and they are only fed in small quantities.
 It's really that simple! Feeding the right type of pet rabbit food will ensure that your pet rabbit grows and lives an active, healthy and long life. You will avoid nutritional deficiencies and prevent costly vet bills. Furthermore, appropriately feeding these two styles of a balanced pet rabbit food will significantly reduce odor and messes as well as promote a healthy and shiny fur coat.
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The Dangers of Soy In Rabbit Food

There are many more reasons why soy is bad for you and your bunnies. A better source of protein for rabbits is alfalfa because it has higher levels of many essential amino acids and vitamins without any of the ant-nutritional factors found in soy. Balancing it with the proper amounts of other nutrients will promote long-term health for your rabbits.
 Most rabbit food has soy products in the list of ingredients because it is cheap and considered a good source of protein (soybean meal). Ironically soy is also loaded with trypsin inhibitors that bind to the enzyme trypsin and deactivates it. This enzyme is required to digest the protein that your rabbit eats. If the protein can't be digested then it can't be absorbed. This can lead to digestive problems when the undigested soy reaches the end of the digestive tract where bacteria begin to ferment it. This changes the pH and promotes the growth of bad bacteria that then cause diarrhea or bloating. It is best to avoid rabbit food made with soybean meal and other soy products.
For more reasons why you should avoid soy in your rabbit's diet-read the rest of the article HERE 




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