When and how much to feed bunny?

[Fromper]

So it's been almost a week that Flash has been with me, and we just finished his first full day in a real cage instead of a cardboard box. We're starting to get into a little bit of a routine, with him coming out for play time for a couple of hours every evening, and sometimes earlier in the day if I have time to stay with him.

Now I'm trying to determine how much and how often to feed him.

I was giving him pretty much unlimited pellets, hay, and water, with some greens every evening. That was the "I just want to make sure he doesn't starve" temporary diet. According to a site on bunny nutrition that was recommended to me (http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html), he should get unlimited hay and water, lots of greens, and only a little bit of pellets.

I have no problem filling the water bowl and hay bin twice a day, knowing that he'll never empty either one, so that's easily covered.

The site says that he should get 4 heaping cups of greens daily. Do you think I should give that to him all at once, or maybe half in the morning and half in the evening?

As for pellets, it says baby bunnies can have unlimited amounts, while adults should be limited to 1/8 of a cup per day for a 4 lb bunny. I'd guesstimate he's about 4-5 lbs, but I have no clue about his age. He's old enough for me to be able to tell that he's male and needs to be neutered, but I don't know if he's still growing or if he's already an adult. I have a checkup with a vet scheduled for Wednesday morning, so I think I'll keep overfeeding him pellets for the next two days, just to be safe. For two days, I can err on the side of not starving him.

I just worry that he's chowing down on pellets and not eating nearly enough hay, though he does finish his veggies every day.

So how often do the rest of you feed your bunnies? Once per day? Twice? More often?

--Fromper

[Fizz]

I took Hagrid to the vet yesterday and she said that normally for an adult bunny she recommends no more than 1/2 cup of pellets per day and unlimited greens and hay.

What I've been doing is putting out fresh hay and 2 stalks of collard greens every morning + the cup of pellets. Then if he finishes the greens I'll put out more, but if he finishes the pellets he doesn't get more until the next day.

I think it's best to put out a little bit of greens at a time, because you don't want them to wilt, but that's just my personal opinion.

I'm sure the vet will be able to answer all your questions - as long as your bunny is eating, I don't think you'll do him any harm by feeding him as many pellets as he wants for just 2 days. Good luck!

[Angelnstuff]

We usually feed our bun pellets twice a day.. and honestly we dont measure them out anymore, she gets a handful in the morning, and a handful at night.. and sometimes a handful sometime during the day if she begs well enough


When you say unlimited pellets, do you know about how much hes eating in a day? more or less than 1/2cup? i dont think i would allow anymore than that. You bunny wont starve as long as they have plenty of hay to nibble.. Heres website i've been using as a feeding guideline.. http://rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html

[Luckybunny]

My bunnies get a loose handful of pellets two times a day...(1/8 cup). They also get a handful of salad (usually romaine, cilantro and radicchio) twice a day. Our vet recommended feeding the bunnies a fresh handful of hay every morning (because they are so hungry) before they get their salad. She wants them filling up on hay instead of the greens. Unfortunately that does not work...they just wait longer for the salad to come. I make sure there is plenty of hay at all times.

[Fromper]

He hasn't been eating much hay, just a nibble here and there, usually while using the litter box. He's pretty good about eating his veggies (carrots, parsley, and endive so far), but he really goes nuts for the pellets. I think he's eating about two good handfuls per day, which is probably half a cup or more.

[MattMouse]

My bunnies get about half a cup of pellets per day, I'd say. I don't measure exactly because their previous owner gave me a bag of pellets with an orange scoop that she said seems to be the best measure of how much they'll eat. I've noticed they munch the pellets throughout the day, and as long as it's empty (or mostly empty except for maybe 4 or 5 pieces), it's about right. They also get unlimited hay in a wheel attached to the side of the cage so it's fun to spin and eat out of, and a good helping of greens every night. I don't think they get 4 whole cups, though. I give them a handful of parsley, a handful of dandelion leaves, and some baby carrots or celery tops. Baby carrots are so easy because I just throw in about 6 of them and don't have to cut anything. I usually find a few left over bits of stem they don't want to eat when I check on them in the morning, so that's why I've always figured it's enough.

[kathydip]

My buns get thier pellet dishes filled twice a day. The problem is the scoop I use was a measuring cup - but the end that said how much it was broke off. I have a bad feeling that it's a 1/4 cup. Ollie and Ophelia's dishes are empty in the evening and sometimes in the morning.
I give them fresh timothy grass hay twice a day in their litter boxes. Enough so they don't run out during the day.
They get about 2 cups of fresh veggies every night. It's usually romaine, green leaf lettuce and red leaf lettuce. Escarole when it's nice and sometimes kale, dandelion leaves...it really depends on what looks decent at the store. I top it off with a bit of fruit such as a few raisins or one baby carrot per bunny or a bit of fresh pineapple.
I have also given mine canned pure pumpkin. They LOVE it. So does my kitty and puppies.
I know I fed Teddy whatever he would eat at first. He was rather skinny after he was found. It took 4-5 months before I thought he felt like he was finally a good weight.

[kathydip]

Oh and I meant to say - it probably also depends on how much activity they have during the day.