As far as I'm aware the actual reason rabbits are meant to have so much timothy hay in their diet is not because of problems like GI stasis. There are plenty of other fibre food sources and you can even get timothy hay pellets for them. The real issue is that rabbits need to be chomping on hay to avoid dental issues since their teeth always grow and if there isn't the action of eating hay to wear down their teeth, they will eventually overgrow. If molar roots overgrow then your rabbits will be in pain whenever they eat and you'll be in the realm of needing to remove molars which i think can be problematic.
The info on their teeth is absolutely correct, however the GI stasis thing is true as well. Timothy pellets aren't an adequate substitute because they're processed and processed food travel through their gut slower. It might not cause a problem with some rabbits but others it will. Depends on how sensitive they are.
@@SarahLucy-ds5bf Yeah that makes sense, different rabbits definitely have differences in sensitivity to gi and dental issues. I have a rabbit who has a rather minor dental issue that's caused him to be unable to eat hay, due to dental malocclusion, which we've been trying to deal with for months. He's very sensitive to it. In the mean time we syringe feed him Emeraid Sustain which gives him the nutrition and fibre he needs to avoid stasis, and even with that we still have to be on the lookout for stasis and tackle it when it occurs which it maybe has twice in the past 4 months or so. However we will more than likely be removing the problematic teeth soon because without being able to eat proper hay, he will end up with more roots being overgrown and that will cause the same issue again over time. The idea of removing long stem hay from a rabbits diet for the sake of your own convenience is mad to me. Rabbits on these kinds of diets will have health issues, if they don't get gut issues because you were lucky enough to get a bunny or bunnies who can handle a pellet based diet, they will eventually get painful dental issues and live a shorter life.
Rabbit needing hay is not a myth at all. But this was only from my rabbits that ate a Pellets are literally hay that has been chopped and grounded up. There is a difference between pet rabbits that live 8 to 15 years and meat or livestock rabbits that almost neve make it to 6 to 15 years. I have had great success on pellets as well but when rabbits reach 5 and up then the side effects will start to show. Most farmers Will simply cull their rabbits once they reach the point that they start to lose weight and stop breeding. I have had rabbits breed and live to 12 without any issues. This was only happening with my rabbits that got mainly good quality hay, pellets and clover. My meat rabbits that ate only pellets would never live past 8 without having teeth issues and other health issues. Now my pet rabbits were the same breed and even from the same litters, yet they lived and produce longer. Yes you can raise meat rabbit on pellets only. I would recommend feeding the kits pellets up to slaughtering day.
how about when the doe is pregnant? do you give her hay for her to build her nest? I am trying to save my money, my bunny is pregnant and not sure if i should buy hay or not.
Please don't. One person's anecdotal experience doesn't negate years of scientific research. Just because their rabbits didn't get super sick and die doesn't mean they're healthy. I also have hay allergies. I use orchard hay instead of Timothy which works for me and the majority of people with hay allergies. If you can't take proper care of an animal, whether it be because of space, budget, or allergies, don't get it. Even if raised for meat it still needs to be taken proper care of while it's alive.
I mean this in the nicest way possible, but putting information like this out there is irresponsible. You absolutely can feed rabbits only pellets and they are unlikely to drop dead (some can live long lives on pellets), but its not whats best for them. Rabbits are fragile animals with sensitive digestive systems and improper diet DOES increase the risk of health issues. However, that doesn't guarantee that they will get sick. Thats not how these things work. Saying that you fed your rabbits all pellets for a bit and they didn't die, doesn't really prove anything. Its like saying you had an uncle who smoked and still lived to be 90. Only about 10-20% of smokers will get lung cancer, meaning 80-90% won't. That doesn't mean we should encourage smoking. People raising livestock have different priorities than people keeping rabbits as pets, and thats fine. Everyone can handle their own animals whichever way works best for them. But encouraging something that all the research says increases health risks, without acknowledging or explaining those risks is irresponsible. Lots of rabbits will do fine on a pellet only diet and I'm glad yours are thriving. That being said, a pellet only diet increases the risk of gi stasis, intestinal blockages, dental disease, obesity, ect. People should know about those risks so they can make an informed decision. And again, an increased risk is an increased risk, not a guarantee something will happen. That doesn't make it a myth
Don't take rabbit advice from someone who is (based on the photos) ignorant (or cruel) enough to keep rabbits in tiny wire bottom cages and feed them yellow/brown "hay".
Yeah the whole rabbits need hay thing is a myth. I thought this also, but now i feed pellets and it’s sooo much easier than feeding hay and pellets give the rabbits complete nutrition
My Bunny DOES NOT EAT PELLETS. She is free roam and only eats real food and she is the most beautiful HEALTHY BUNNY. I just been looking for others who GET IT. By, the way her Mother is 16yo NO PELLETS OR HAY OBSESSION 😅😅😅
Rabbits fed a complete, pelleted diet do NOT require hay. A diet of pellets with an occasional treat is all they need. I’ve raised over 100,000 rabbits over the past 35 years. And many of them have lived 12+’years.
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As far as I'm aware the actual reason rabbits are meant to have so much timothy hay in their diet is not because of problems like GI stasis. There are plenty of other fibre food sources and you can even get timothy hay pellets for them. The real issue is that rabbits need to be chomping on hay to avoid dental issues since their teeth always grow and if there isn't the action of eating hay to wear down their teeth, they will eventually overgrow. If molar roots overgrow then your rabbits will be in pain whenever they eat and you'll be in the realm of needing to remove molars which i think can be problematic.
The info on their teeth is absolutely correct, however the GI stasis thing is true as well. Timothy pellets aren't an adequate substitute because they're processed and processed food travel through their gut slower. It might not cause a problem with some rabbits but others it will. Depends on how sensitive they are.
@@SarahLucy-ds5bf Yeah that makes sense, different rabbits definitely have differences in sensitivity to gi and dental issues. I have a rabbit who has a rather minor dental issue that's caused him to be unable to eat hay, due to dental malocclusion, which we've been trying to deal with for months. He's very sensitive to it.
In the mean time we syringe feed him Emeraid Sustain which gives him the nutrition and fibre he needs to avoid stasis, and even with that we still have to be on the lookout for stasis and tackle it when it occurs which it maybe has twice in the past 4 months or so.
However we will more than likely be removing the problematic teeth soon because without being able to eat proper hay, he will end up with more roots being overgrown and that will cause the same issue again over time.
The idea of removing long stem hay from a rabbits diet for the sake of your own convenience is mad to me. Rabbits on these kinds of diets will have health issues, if they don't get gut issues because you were lucky enough to get a bunny or bunnies who can handle a pellet based diet, they will eventually get painful dental issues and live a shorter life.
hay must
So true! I have 8 breeders! I give pellets daily. And hay Maybe once a week. Been doing this for 3 years. No issues. ❤
Rabbit needing hay is not a myth at all. But this was only from my rabbits that ate a Pellets are literally hay that has been chopped and grounded up. There is a difference between pet rabbits that live 8 to 15 years and meat or livestock rabbits that almost neve make it to 6 to 15 years. I have had great success on pellets as well but when rabbits reach 5 and up then the side effects will start to show. Most farmers Will simply cull their rabbits once they reach the point that they start to lose weight and stop breeding. I have had rabbits breed and live to 12 without any issues. This was only happening with my rabbits that got mainly good quality hay, pellets and clover. My meat rabbits that ate only pellets would never live past 8 without having teeth issues and other health issues. Now my pet rabbits were the same breed and even from the same litters, yet they lived and produce longer. Yes you can raise meat rabbit on pellets only. I would recommend feeding the kits pellets up to slaughtering day.
how about when the doe is pregnant? do you give her hay for her to build her nest? I am trying to save my money, my bunny is pregnant and not sure if i should buy hay or not.
Thanks! I am so relieved to hear this! I am allergic to hay and I m considering the possibility of a pellet based diet. What pellets did you use?
Please don't. One person's anecdotal experience doesn't negate years of scientific research. Just because their rabbits didn't get super sick and die doesn't mean they're healthy. I also have hay allergies. I use orchard hay instead of Timothy which works for me and the majority of people with hay allergies.
If you can't take proper care of an animal, whether it be because of space, budget, or allergies, don't get it. Even if raised for meat it still needs to be taken proper care of while it's alive.
Nice to learn especially from you.
Is the goat okay
Yes, thankfully Daisy is doing okay. A full update video will be coming out soon
@@HappyHarvestHomestead happy to hear she’s doing good!! I hope she makes a full recover id give her antibiotics if she’s not getting any
I mean this in the nicest way possible, but putting information like this out there is irresponsible. You absolutely can feed rabbits only pellets and they are unlikely to drop dead (some can live long lives on pellets), but its not whats best for them. Rabbits are fragile animals with sensitive digestive systems and improper diet DOES increase the risk of health issues. However, that doesn't guarantee that they will get sick. Thats not how these things work.
Saying that you fed your rabbits all pellets for a bit and they didn't die, doesn't really prove anything. Its like saying you had an uncle who smoked and still lived to be 90. Only about 10-20% of smokers will get lung cancer, meaning 80-90% won't. That doesn't mean we should encourage smoking.
People raising livestock have different priorities than people keeping rabbits as pets, and thats fine. Everyone can handle their own animals whichever way works best for them. But encouraging something that all the research says increases health risks, without acknowledging or explaining those risks is irresponsible.
Lots of rabbits will do fine on a pellet only diet and I'm glad yours are thriving. That being said, a pellet only diet increases the risk of gi stasis, intestinal blockages, dental disease, obesity, ect. People should know about those risks so they can make an informed decision. And again, an increased risk is an increased risk, not a guarantee something will happen. That doesn't make it a myth
Do you give them unlimited pellets?
Don't take rabbit advice from someone who is (based on the photos) ignorant (or cruel) enough to keep rabbits in tiny wire bottom cages and feed them yellow/brown "hay".
what pellet type do u feed hay pellet?
with out hay it's not possible to live long for a rabbit
I believe you
Yeah the whole rabbits need hay thing is a myth. I thought this also, but now i feed pellets and it’s sooo much easier than feeding hay and pellets give the rabbits complete nutrition
My Bunny DOES NOT EAT PELLETS. She is free roam and only eats real food and she is the most beautiful HEALTHY BUNNY.
I just been looking for others who GET IT. By, the way her Mother is 16yo NO PELLETS OR HAY OBSESSION 😅😅😅
Rabbits fed a complete, pelleted diet do NOT require hay. A diet of pellets with an occasional treat is all they need. I’ve raised over 100,000 rabbits over the past 35 years. And many of them have lived 12+’years.