Bird Seed

Question
My 2 month old rabbit broke into my bag of Songbird blemd of milo, sunflower, white millet.  He really seem to enjoy it.  Should I start feeding him that?

Answer
Hi Tom,

absolutely not.

Your rabbit will become obese.  Seeds are extremely high in fat.  You should never feed your rabbit seeds.  They love them, but wild rabbits hardly get any, and domestic pet rabbits will because of lower exercise levels and all the other calories we give them, will get fat.  He could have serious gi tract problems from eating seeds all the time, even in regular, small quantities.  Then suffer any number of complications and illnesses related to that.  And so, it will cost you money to get your rabbit well.

He is 2 months old, please watch him carefully over the next few days to make sure he eats and drinks his normal diet of hay, food pellets.  Do not give greens or fruits at this young age.  His gi tract is very immature right now so just watch him carefully the next 1-3 days.  He could wind up having a stomach ache from this and stop eating.  If that occurs you have to get him to your regular, good rabbit vet right away (it's either trapped gas or gi stasis occurring).  ANY negative change in his eating habits, get him to the vet.  If he stops movign around and sits 'tight' hunched and compact, get him to the vet right away.  They will need to give him gas drops and possibly a gi motility drug, to get the gi tract movign again.  Also they should give him pain meds (ie metacam).  Rabbits are much more sensitive to diet changes than dogs or cats, and stuff that a dog or cat may get over in a day or two of not eating can kill a rabbit.  

What he should be eating now at his age.  Unlimited hay.  Timothy hay, alfalfa hay.  Food pellets - timothy pellets, alfalfa pellets, mixed together, 3/8 cup max per day, 1/4 cup if he is less active.  They should only be pellets, no extra crap in them.  Oxbow pellets are excellent and every rabbit I've known loves them.  No greens or fruits until at least 6 months old, then introduce one at a time, in very small amounts, very slowly.

Read more about rabbit nutrition and other topics at the House Rabbit Society web site - www.rabbit.org. YOu can also find good rabbit vets there:

www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html

to finf a HRS-recommended vet near you.

Lee

Lee