Update on the rabbit
marilyn_c
6 years ago
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6 years agoRelated Discussions
Update on my natural feeding program for rabbits
Comments (3)Hurrah Maggie. Thanks for sharing. As you know, and thanks to your inspiration, we're on our own journey with rabbits as well. We picked up a breeding pair of NZ's on Easter (by coincidence). We're slowly processing our first litter born two weeks after Easter. Since then, we too have been experimenting with diet and valiantly searching for info - namely, a recipe for homemade pellets (wafers, whatever) to supplement with hay or dried grass. Our ideal is to rid ourselves from a dependence on feed stores, but still have healthy rabbits. We have lots of green stuff here in the Pac NW, but hay is a little trickier to make. It rains A LOT. We managed, but it was a real struggle to dry properly, and I'm not sure it is the best quality, even though its from pasture grass seed sewn this spring. They eat it though! Here's our report: Without a doubt, Mr. & Mrs. Bunny were raised on pellets. Since Mrs. Bunny was pregnant when we bought her (surprise!), we never moved her entirely from pellets, but slowly introduced greens, much to her delight. Mr. Bunny was far less receptive for a long while, but he's rather a cranky sort anyway (honest) and displays his various moods by accepting or rejecting food (and bowls) no matter what we feed him. So no real baseline sample with him! Our first litter was exposed to salad and pellets from day 1. They prefer salad to pellets and grass hay as a slightly distant third. We also treat them with toasted bread ends. I get these from a bakery I work at - no hormones, preservatives etc., just toasted whole-wheat bread. (Inspired, I experimented in the creation of a bread substance specifically for rabbits that could be more easily preserved, but later abandoned the idea). The results from our first litter were that the kits never reached a good weight until much later - even though they always had pellets available! Our biggest - now at twenty or so weeks is finally 5 lbs, though most are averaging 4.5 lbs. On the plus side, no one was ever sick or in poor health. It just took them lots longer - which cost us time, energy (and $$$ for extra housing!) When we brought this topic to the meat rabbit group on Yahoo, it was explained that our feeding program was prohibiting rapid meat development. Were surely not surprised really, but the alternative (for best results), would be a feeding more program which more resembles the "Cornish Cross Rock" practice. We're searching for a happy medium. We were fortunate enough to meet one of our state's most knowledgeable rabbit growers showing at the fair this year. She echoed the meat group and admitted that rabbits will suck down greens "like candy bars" when given the choice. (I'm not so sure this is a bad thing). She DID mention that we should ignore what others say about having to have high grade pellets. Her opinion is that the cheaper brands work just as well as the more expensive ones. As for home made foods, she recommended an old book that lists a recipe for meat production (author - Templton, we have a used copy on order). I'll share the recipe when I get the book. At least we'll know whatÂs IN those pellets - or should be according to Templeton! Mrs. Bunny just kindled 7 more kits last week, so we can make adjustments this time. The meat rabbit group often discusses diet so lots of good info there, thanks to someone here who recommended it. Again, when the book arrives I'll share the info. Thanks, Maggie for your post. How timely! LF RJ...See MoreBest choice of organic fertilizer (pellets/meal) with rabbits?
Comments (15)Thanks for the reply. As I mentioned I've been the hybrid organic guy for a couple years now. Pesticide and Pre-M use when needed but feeding almost exclusively corn-gluten meal during months when it can be used (ie not in the dead of winter when activity is low). So I think going with the 20lb's per 1000 sounds about right. And I can always go and throw some Starbucks grounds down to hide the smell if it gets particularly bad. I hate their coffee but my yard does smell quite nice when I chuck 5-10lbs of used grounds down (always funny to see the people walking their dogs looking around trying to find the barista on my sidewalk!). I'm going to put down the meal tomorrow afternoon and It is going to be really hot and humid here the next couple days (mid 90's and sunny) so hopefully that doesn't really bring out the smell....See MoreBins for Rabbits, Coffee, and Worms
Comments (22)I've been out of town for a while, so I haven't been able to follow the discussion here. Thanks for the encouragement and ideas. We're starting with some red wrigglers that should be arriving next week, and a "Worm Factory" my Jacquie asked for for her birthday. (Not exactly diamond earrings, but hey, she wants it, she gets it.) We've just got our preliminary aquaponics system up and running this past couple of weeks and while we were gone, the only thing we had to do was have a son stop by on his way to work every morning and feed the fish. The "sacrificial" gold fish in the tanks were pooping, the bacteria were converting ammonia into nitrites and nitrates, and the plant grew unbelievably well: tomatoes went from three inches tall to over seven in six days under plain ol' florescent light (and some sun through the window); stevia from under one inch to nearly three; lettuce nearly ready to harvest; spinach getting major leaves from just a few green shoots. We're happy with it. It cost $500, and we already have something approaching $100 worth of food growing and that's without food fish in the tanks. (That's for early April: tilapia.) No worms or Black Soldier Flies yet, but it's only a trial/experiment and we're learning a lot. (My own design: we have five grow beds and two fish tanks.) Learning a lot and getting lettuce, basil, tomatoes, peppers and stevia up and growing. Jacquie figures that we'll be able to feed ourselves all the greens and half the tomatoes we eat beginning three to six weeks from now (two months to four total). And we're still expecting two major frosts/freezes before real Spring gets here, so our standard garden will not be producing anything at all while we'll be eating home-grown veggies and fruit. The greenhouse is sitting in the back yard: we put it up last year, before winter set in. The "basement" is waiting for us to do the concrete and block work. (We have to have warm temps for a while so the underground utilities can go in, and so the concrete and mortar can set well.) As things progress, I'll be sure to let you all know what's happening. If they go as hoped and planned, we will be able to feed ourselves and many of our 27 grandchildren rabbits, fish, veggies, and fruit from our two aquaponics systems and backyard. No grain, takes too much space, but coupled with the literal kitchen garden (sprouts), we could eat healthy for years without ever going to the store for anything (and there are people out there who believe that there won't be anything in the stores anyway--no trucks and nothing for them to haul). All the best, Le Sellers...See MoreDamn Squirrels--a correction
Comments (86)"Coyotes may keep the rabbits in check, but they also eat the native animals and cats and dogs. The Dept of Natural resources said you should also not allow small children out alone in the area. All in all, I'll take the rabbits." Coyotes like to stay away from people; they're shy. If they see people in a backyard, they'll likely stay away. If there's a stray cat or a small stray dog wandering around, well they're more likely to get hit by a car or to be attacked by a rabid raccoon (or fox) than a coyote, simply b/c there are fewer coyotes around. As far as small kids, well I assume they'd be adult-supervised, not actually alone, right? I think coyotes are more likely to raid the trash cans at night, and eat some unwanted rats and mice, than they are to do anything else. The biggest culprits in eating native wildlife are stray cats, by the way. They've put something like 20% of the native birds in the state of Wisconsin on the endangered list. Coyotes are a native predator, at least; they've just been gone from the area for awhile; and they don't eat birds. All I'm saying is, I think people freak out about nature invading their territory and see it as a threat when any threat is much-exaggerated. And, as it happens, we've taken all their territory and they've got no place to go, so we should probably learn to co-exist. (I'd like it if they'd reduce the local rodent population, which is booming.) Now, I don't include home-invading squirrels in the same category; I share your frustration with the squirrels. There's a rodent control co. around here that will put box traps on all the "exits" around your house, and when they think the property is 'vacant' they seal the fascia for you. It sounds like you have a big job; you might want to call them rather than trying to do it all yourself (the one I'm thinking of is Adcock). Good luck!...See More
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