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my rabbits food

22 10:59:03

Question
Hi! In a week, the Jewish holiday Peasach begins. This holiday forbids me (and my animals) to eat anything made of wheat, barley, spelt, oats, or rye. As rabbit food contains one or more of these ingredients, I can not feed it to my rabbit until the holiday ends(8 days). I wanted to know if I could replace my rabbits usual food with alfalfa, sunflower seeds, and corn. If this diet is not healthy or doesn't contain enough nutrients, could you please give me an alternative diet which does not contain any of the ingredients stated above? Thank you soooooooo much!

Answer
Dear Leah,

Sunflower seeds, corn, and alfalfa are all very unhealthy for rabbits.  But fortunately, a healthy rabbit diet should not interfere with any of the holiday rules you describe above.  Please read this:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

for information on proper rabbit diet.  You may be surprised to learn that the only items that might interfere with the observance of your holiday would be commercially prepared rabbit pellets.  You could withhold those for eight days without too much trouble, as long as you provide unlimited timothy hay, lots of fresh water, and lots of fresh greens and other salad for them to munch.  We give very little pelleted food to begin with, using it primarily as a treat and to provide trace nutrients.  So they should be just fine with *unlimited* fresh grass hay and lots of fresh vegetables.

I hope this helps.  Have a blessed holiday.

Dana