How much outta cage exercise and feed for polish Bunny's?

Question

Ok I got my buns from a breeeder who is a freind but all they did with the buns is hold them for 10 min a day and back in the cage they went I was told I should give them outta cage exersize is this a good idea sounds like it is but they never did it so......also they feed there bunnys (they show bunnys so weight is a major issue) 1/3 cup pellets and free feed timothy hay well my buns chow there pelets and then have none all day and are always munching there hay I was told they can have up to 1/2 cup pellets from a internet site I found on here but I am conserned I dont wanna do the wrong things I was told to give veggies by my vet but people on here say veggies like carrots have done bad things to there buns *sighs* I don't know just wish I know the real facts any help would be greatfull

Answer 1

First off, good for you for proactively searching for the proper information! Most people don't do this, and it can cost them the life of their bunny.

Exercise: You want your bunny to have at least one hour a day of supervised running time outside his/her cage. This is extremely important for a bunny's health as it gives the bunny a chance to stretch it's legs and to really hop around. Plus it's good for their mental health too. Rabbits are extremely curious little guys, and this allows them the opportunity to explore their surroundings up close!

For diet, the rule of thumb on pellets is no more than 1/4 cup of pellets for every 5 pounds of body weight (this equals out to roughly 1/4 cup daily for small and dwarf breeds-0-5lbs., 1/2 cup for medium breeds-5-10lbs., and 3/4 cup for large breeds-10+lbs.). Most people tend to divide this daily amount in half, and give half in the morning and half at night. You don't want to overdo the pellets. Pellets were designed by people who were raising rabbits for meat. They needed a way to make rabbits gain weight quickly, that was easy to feed. Thus pellets were born. It's becoming a trend to not even use pellets for house rabbits as a result of the weight issue, but it's better to provide at least a little pelleted feed so that you can be sure your bunny is getting all the vitamins it needs.
You do want to provide fresh hay--and hay should always be free fed--the type depends on the age of your rabbit. Rabbits under the age of 6 months, females that are pregnant and/or nursing, and rabbits over the age of 8 years should all recieve alfalfa hay, as it has a higher amount of protein and calcium (something that they all need). If your bunny is over the age of 6 months and under the age of 8 years (and not female, pregnant, or nursing), then you should be offering timothy hay or an orchard grass blend (lower protein and calcium-bunnies in this group do not need higher protein levels, and to feed it to them would give you weight problems, kidney problems, etc.).
As for veggies, this again depends on the age of your bunny. Bunnies under the age of 4 months should not be fed any fresh veggies, and instead should receive all the pellets and hay they want. After 4 months, you need to introduce veggies very slowly--one at a time, and a small amount (try one for a few days, and then introduce another one). This is to avoid any tummy troubles that babies can have. As for what types of veggies to give, a good list is: Alfalfa, radish & clover sprouts, Basil, Beet greens (tops), Bok choy, Broccoli (mostly leaves/stems), Brussels sprouts, Carrot (give as a treat, not as a veggie due to the sugar content) & carrot tops, Celery (cut into small pieces due to stringiness), Cilantro, Clover, Collard greens, Cucumber, Dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides), Endive, Escarole, Green peppers, Kale (!), Mint, Mustard greens, Parsley, Pea pods (the flat edible kind), Peppermint leaves, Raddichio, Radish tops, Raspberry leaves, Romaine lettuce (no iceberg or light colored leaf), Spinach (!), Watercress, Wheat grass---anything marked with a (!) should be fed sparingly, meaning no more than two servings a week to avoid toxicity problems. Once your bunny is over the age of 6 months, it should be getting at least 2 cups of fresh veggies a day (try to offer at least 3 different kinds every day to get a good mix).
Fruits should only be given as a treat, and rabbits should not get anymore than about 1 tablespoon of fruit per 5 lbs of body weight a day. To give them anymore will not only cause weight issues very quickly, but it can also make your bunny very sick.
I hope this helps, and if you have any other questions, please feel free to e-mail me directly at: [e-mail]

Answer 2

Always listen to a rabbit savvy vet. Carrots are a sometimes food because they are high in sugar. Rabbits should be let out to play about two hours a day. MAke sure you bunnyproof, cover wires, etc. You can find everything you need at these websites.

Answer 3

You don't need to excercise your rabbits. Getting them out and handling them doesn't hurt though. What the vet told you about veggies is totally bogus. You risk giving them diahrrea if you follow his directions on that. That veterinarian knows little to nothing about rabbits if they are telling you to feed your rabbit vegetables. For feeding your rabbits, you normally give them what they will just finish up eating in 24 hours. Also, if the people you buy your rabbits off of show rabbits, they probably know a descent bit about rabbits, especially in regards to how they feed them. You have to keep in mind the total amount of food you are feeding them. For a small breed like Polish, 1/2 of a cup will work fine. But if you are giving your rabbits Timothy hay in addition to the feed that 1/2 of cup could be slightly reduced to say 1/3 of a cup because part of their food is the hay. Timothy hay is good to feed your rabbits. It sounds like the people you got your rabbits off of know what they are doing as far as feeding. Talk to them and mimic how they are feeding their rabbits. It's often a good idea to feed the same feed as the people you got your rabbits off of becaue the rabbits were bred to do well on that feed. I personally like Heinold Feeds, but that's just my preference.

I've been raising and showing rabbits for over 24 years. My dad and I have won several Best in Shows and have sold several dozen rabbits to people that have won Best in Shows. One of the ones we sold just beat the Satin that won Best in Show in the youth at the ARBA Convention this past year. It's always nice to hear that the rabbits you've sold people have done well.

Answer 4

I've always heard an hour a day, and that's what we told people at the pet stores. Hard to do I know, but the more, the better!