Protein and Ageing

Question
Hi,

Would you say that older rabbits (4 plus) should be getting more protein, or less protein.  I know all the food people say less, but I always thought that older rabbits needed a bit extra?

Answer
Dear Sally,

Because an aging bunny's kidneys are also aging, it gets harder for them to process and remove nitrogenous waste.  Protein is very high in nitrogen, and typical rabbit forage is low in protein.  They have evolved to thrive on a diet relatively low in protein.  So that's why an older rabbit probably needs less protein than a younger one.

Protein is important for growth and repair.  Younger animals (including humans) need more protein than older ones for this reason.

Hope that helps.

Dana