I am getting a Flemish Giant that is about 4 months old from a friend who just can’t care for it any more. (A buck) I would like to get some good pointers on how much to feed him now & when he reaches adulthood. So he is as healthy as can be, and not over weight.
-How much Pellets should he get per day? (Average for young and adult age?)
-How much Hay should he get per day? (Average for young and adult age in pounds/hand fulls?)
-What type of Pellets are better? “American Pet Diner Timmy Rabbit Food” or “Oxbow Bunny Basics 15/23”
-What type of Hay is better for him? “American Pet Diner Mount Grass Hay” or “High Fiber Timothy Hay”
-What kinds of wood are safe for him to chew on that I can get from a hardware store etc?
-Any vitamin/supplements needed for his total health?
-How Much Greens per day?
-What is the best but also not really expensive litter to use for him?
Links with info on the care of Flemish Giants & places to buy the supplies inexpensively would be great!
2007-01-04 01:41:29 · 13 answers · asked by Steph 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Listen to the above advice AND contact a Flemish Giant breeder to confirm the amount of pellets. Pellets with hay only as a supplement. No extras.
A good responsible breeder will be able to tell you the exact amount the need.
You can do so by visiting the American Rabbit Breeders Association at http://www.arba.net
2007-01-04 04:31:16 · answer #1 · answered by Tater Salad 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Flemish Giant Care
2016-10-05 10:20:34 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He should get about an ounce of pellets for every pound in body weight. So if he weighs 14 lbs, then that would be 1 3/4 cups of feed. Some rabbits are more "feed efficient" than others so give him more if you can feel his spine, and less if he starts to look fat. Of the pellets you mentioned I would choose the Oxbow brand. I feed Purina which can be found in smaller (i.e. under 50 lb) bags in some stores.
As far as hay, a small handful every day should be all right. Pellets are the main source of nutrition, and hay is for some fiber and "snacking." Timothy or grass hay is good, but alfalfa hay is a little too rich.
Untreated wood from fruit trees is always good. We just break off branches from our mulberry tree, they like to toss them around and play with them.
If he is getting a good quality pellet he shouldn't need any vitamins or supplements. Pellets are a balanced diet.
He doesn't NEED greens. If you want to give him treats, I would suggest small pieces of apple or banana instead. Greens have a high water content and can cause diarrhea in some rabbits.
Gentle Touch Pet Litter is the best as far as odor control, but not great on the feet. Aspen would be my pick if he is sitting in the bedding. Don't use cedar or pine because the fragrant oils can be irritating to his respiratory tract. You can also use plain old newspaper although he may shred it.
2007-01-04 09:51:16 · answer #3 · answered by BB 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Feed him strictly pellet feed and Hay, NO GREEN VEGETABLES... People make the common misconsuption that a rabbit should have fresh greens every day, but in reality, this could give him diarhea and could, in time, actually kill him... Feed him based on protein percentages of the feed you use... 16% is the best for older bucks, but you may want to start him out with an 18% version of the same feed until he turns about 8 months old...
As far as the brand of feed you should use.... I prefer the ADM Alliance Feed called "Pen Pals" You can get this in 50lb bags at a nearby Purina or ADM dealer... (Feed Store).... Feed him about 3 cups of feed per day...
Hay should be timothy hay (no alphalfa) and should be a greenish yellow color... make sure it has no dust or debris in it and that it is not molded... Put the hay in a raised hay rack so that he can not stand on it and poop or pee in it.... First of all, it's a waste of hay, and second, it can cause health issues...
He needs plenty of room in his cage (if you keep him in a cage) to move around...
For litter, i use pine shavings, although there is some health risks associated with using wood shavings... there is a wheat based pellet litter called "Swheat" that is supposed to be really good, but I'm not sure of the cost....
I hope this helps!!!
2007-01-04 04:28:28 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
The big special care requirement for any giant breed, and Flemishes especially, is a solid or slatted-floor hutch. They can't take the wire. With a smaller rabbit, you might get away with just a resting board in a corner, but a Flemish should probably have wall-to-wall foot support. You should leave narrow gaps for urine to pass, but you'll still have to sweep out the droppings. (A Flemish's droppings might not fall through a normal cage floor, anyway.) He'll also need a giant cage: tall and long, so he can stand up all the way and run around a bit.
2007-01-04 06:58:39 · answer #5 · answered by Rachel R 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
A well-balanced dry rabbit mix will contain all the necessary nutritional requirements that a rabbit needs. They can live healthy lives on a diet of the dry mix and hay. They do not need to be fed fresh fruit and vegetables. Rabbits have quite delicate stomachs so if you do feed these make sure they are limited as too much can cause diarrhoea. An earthenware bowl is the best type of feeding dish to use, as they are harder to knock over than the plastic ones, also they are not chewable. A water bottle fixed to the outside of the cage, with the water tube going into the cage, ensures a fresh water supply is available. (read on)
2007-01-04 02:03:43 · answer #6 · answered by TurnMeOut 3 · 4⤊ 2⤋
You already got a great site for feeding (www.carrotcafe.com) which will answer many of the questions you have asked and includes reviews on many of the rabbit pellets brands. Just be sure to get plain pellets without treats, corns, nut, and/or seeds.
Rabbits need unlimited access to hay all day. As a baby (under 1 year) your bunny should get alfalfa hay as well, but as you bunny gets older, switch to grass hays like timothy, broome, orchard. Any food changes should be done gradually.
You'll find that it is good to feed your rabbit pellets (limited as he gets older) and greens, but fruit and carrots are treats, and should be limited. This is a comprehensive list of what and how much to feed your bunny. There are links too to toxic plants.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Food/feeding_en.pdf
Here are some links to good sites on rabbit care:
House Rabbit Society: http://www.rabbit.org Also check chapter websites as top rabbit professionals advise chapters in their cities.
Rabbit References: http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabrefs.html [all sorts of good info including links to where to buy rabbit supplies, feed, hay]
The Language of Lagomorphs: Very amusing and good insight into why your bunny does what he does
http://www.muridae.com/rabbits/rabbittalk.html
House Rabbit Adoption and Rescue (H.A.R.E.) http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/rabbithealth.html [many excellent articles on rabbit health and care.]
We find the cheapest and best litter is just to line the litter box with newspaper and top with hay. It is easy to clean and keeps there is no smell. Added advantage is the bunny tends to eat more hay this way.
Here is one link I found about caring for large bunnies like a Flemmie:
http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/giantrabbits.asp
And when he is old enough, it is good to have him neutered. You can check any of the links I sent on general care to find out the benefits and you can also find links to rabbit savvy vets.
Have fun!
2007-01-04 05:39:26 · answer #7 · answered by Martha G 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
In the superstore, fruits are usually selected far too soon. Some are rocks, many are wrong. Some of the fresh vegetables are generally right (zucchini, onions, garlic, lettuce, greens, and a few others) so I'd have to go with vegetables.
2017-02-18 16:53:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anthony 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds interested
2016-08-08 23:05:57 · answer #9 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to the library and get a book about rabbits or go to the book store and buy a book.. I did that when I bought my first Mini Lop 8 yrs ago.
2007-01-04 03:04:16 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋