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What do rabbits eat? - Gazapos, adults and the elderly

What do rabbits eat? - Gazapos, adults and the elderly

domestic rabbits they are mammals that belong to the order Lagomorpha , that is, they are not rodents, as it had been considered until the beginning of the 20th century, they are a different order.The rabbits are sociable and intelligent animals, which They can accompany us for more than ten years.As with dogs, we currently find a wide variety of types and breeds of rabbits.

If you have a rabbit, you have decided to adopt one or you will do so soon, It is very important that you properly inform yourself about the diet of rabbits , to ensure an optimal quality of life and a positive state of health.Are you wondering what rabbits eat? How to feed a newborn rabbit?

In this Animal Expert article we will inform you about rabbit feeding in all its stages, let's talk about rabbits, adults or the elderly.Find out below the keys so that your rabbit is healthy, happy and well cared for.Take note!


Feeding newborn rabbits

Rabbit pups, also known as " rabbits ", are especially delicate and require special care to survive.In an ideal situation, it is the parent who should feed all their rabbits with breast milk , however, if the female rejects her offspring or dies, we must take care of their food to ensure their survival, being usual to ask what rabbits eat babies.

It is important to point out that the chances of survival of a young rabbit breeding are few if it is far from its parent, so if you are in charge of a newborn baby rabbit, we recommend go to a veterinarian to ensure their state of health and receive concrete guidelines as appropriate.

The nest of the gazapo, essential for its survival

Before entering the feeding of rabbits recently born, it will be very important to focus on the care of Newborn rabbits.We will begin by highlighting the importance of creating a "nest" or "safety zone" for the little gazapo.You can make a cardboard box, which you will accommodate with a soft, fiber towel of coconut, goat hair or hay.You can even combine several of these materials to make it more comfortable and fluffy.

We will place the nest in a quiet area , without drafts or air direct light.Also, if it is winter in your country, you must ensure the heat of the nest with a thermal blanket .That is, the blanket should never come into contact with the newborn rabbit.You should wrap it in a towel or thick blanket and, above, you will place the nest.

The feeding of newborn rabbits

You should know that feeding newborn rabbits is not a simple task, for that reason, It may be highly recommended to go to an exotic animal veterinarian to show us the procedure.We must have a bottle with a very small nipple (for example, for puppy kittens) or a small syringe without tip and specific milk for rabbits, that is, infant formula for rabbits , of sale in veterinary centers, pet products stores or online stores.

The amount of milk is around 3 milliliters during the first week of life.At this stage it will be It is advisable to feed it about three times a day and monitor it regularly to ensure that everything is going well.We will gradually increase the amount of milk, until we reach 15 milliliters during week 6 or 7.From the third week, approximately, we will leave Small portions of fresh hay are available to the gazapo, so you can start experimenting with it.

Some tips key to feeding a newborn rabbit are:

  • Always bet on specific formulas for rabbits
  • Alime Note your gazapo always horizontally, never like a human baby
  • Weigh the gazapo daily to ensure it gains weight
  • Do not force it to eat, you could cause pneumonia by aspiration
  • Go to the veterinarian if you notice that it does not defecate or any symptoms of disease
  • Do not overestimate them, let them rest the necessary hours
What do rabbits eat? - Gazapos, adults and the elderly


Young rabbit feeding

The weaning age is around 8 weeks, however, it is important to note that each rabbit has its own rhythm and that some will start eating solid food before or after of the eight weeks.At this time we can transfer you to a cage for rabbits of adequate size.To comply with a minimum of animal welfare we must ensure that the minimum measures of the cage are between 1 meter and 1.5 meters, yes, it can be greater if you wish.Do not forget to place a nest inside the cage so that your rabbit can take refuge.

From weaning and Until 6 months of age, the rabbit should have in its cage unlimited hay , which will ensure an active and healthy intestinal transit.It is important that you always have hay at your disposal, since if the transit bowel stops, it could suffer serious health problems, and you should also offer unlimited pellets of good quality , that is, those that are composed of 18% fiber.

You can complete your diet with oatmeal and start adding new foods to your diet, paying special attention to the fruits and vegetables recommended for rabbits.Because of its high sugar content, we will reserve the fruits to use as prizes, but we can start offering daily green leafy vegetables, such as arugula, escarole, carrot or kale leaves.Without the food, you should always have fresh, clean water .


Feed of adult rabbits

Around 6 or 7 months of age our rabbit will reach adulthood and, at that time, its diet should be modified slightly to prevent obesity in rabbits.Any change in their diet should be made in a way Gradual, never sudden, as that can cause gastrointestinal disorders.

If you wonder what rabbits eat, unlimited hay will remain the basis of their diet to ensure adequate motility Gastrointestinal, which should always remain active.Make sure that it is a fresh and quality hay.If your rabbit does not seem interested in eating hay or stops doing so, you should go to a veterinarian to rule out health problems, but you can also try to encourage you with different types of hay and herbs, such as Timothy's hay, alfalfa, clover, etc.

At this stage you should limit the contribution of pellets , therefore, it will be convenient to review the d osis that indicates the nutritional table of the container.Generally they vary according to the age and weight of the rabbit and they are represented in grams.Make sure that the amount that you offer is adequate and, if you have doubts or observe that your rabbit decreases or increases in Weight, contact your veterinarian.

You will continue to offer your rabbit daily green leafy vegetables and, as in the previous stage, you will limit the fruit.It is important to enrich your diet By varying the food, of course, pay special attention to the food prohibited for rabbits to avoid possible poisoning.

It is important that you monitor on a daily basis that the rabbit is fed properly and that it drinks water.In the case of observing lack of interest in food, lack of droppings, diarrhea or dental overgrowth in the rabbit, go to your veterinarian for an evaluation.On the other hand, droppings too small, dark or showing irregular shapes may be i indicating a lack of fiber.

What do rabbits eat? - Gazapos, adults and the elderly


Feeding old rabbits

Around the six years , rabbits begin in their old age.It is important to devote more time and pay close attention to their behavior, habits and excrement to detect Prompt any problem and ensure the daily interaction they need so much.

When they become elderly, rabbits continue to maintain the same diet as rabbits adults , however, in this case, a increase of the pellets will be carried out to maintain the weight.Especially if you begin to observe a notable weight loss, it will be highly recommended to assess the dose of I think together with the veterinarian, who will advise us in a personalized way.

Make sure you provide all the necessary affection.Remember that a rabbit can exceed 8 years of life, although it will depend directly on its feeding, on care that you receive and socialization.Care it as it deserves, for all the moments it has given you.


What should rabbits NOT eat? Food not indicated

Finally, we will show you a list with some toxic, poisonous or poorly indicated foods for rabbits:

  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Azucar
  • Sal
  • Fruit in syrup
  • Fat
  • Starch
  • Iceberg lettuce
  • Potato
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Avocado
  • Chocolate
  • Tea leaves
  • Bambu
  • Poinsettia
  • Belladonna
  • Fungi
  • Orchids
  • Ivy
  • Fern
  • Cactus
  • Geraniums
  • Muerdago
  • Daffodils
  • Cannabis
  • Aloe vera
  • Juniper

Likewise, it is not advisable to offer human food or any animal derivative, remember that the rabbit is a herbivorous animal .The food, if it is fresh, will be much better accepted by your body and he will enjoy much more eating it.Always be on the expiration date.

Now you know what rabbits eat and what fruit Ace and vegetables should be included in the diet of rabbits.What else would you add to this list? Excluding the feeding of the wild rabbit or the feeding of the farm rabbits, any type of rabbit will benefit greatly from its tutor offering an adequate diet.

Do you know more vegetables for rabbits? Some cereals for beneficial rabbits? What is the ideal food for your rabbits? Leave us your comments so that other members of the Animal Expert community can benefit!

What do rabbits eat? - Gazapos, adults and the elderly

If you want to read more articles similar to What do rabbits eat? , we recommend that you enter our section of balanced diets.

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