Sunshine Bunnies

                                    Feeding                                  The key is to select one feed and STICK TO IT! All rabbit pellets are not created equal! Change of diet can cause diarrhea and death overnight!  make sure to mix the starter feed witch the breeder gives you with the new feed that you buy, adding dry Quaker Oatmeal to minimize stomach upset. Never feed more pellets, than they will consume in 8 hours. Once the feed is exposed to daylight and air, it begins to loose nutrients and absorb moisture which makes it less healthy.                                                                                                                 I feed my bunnies twice a day in the morning with there pellet mix witch is vella stock pellets and a mix I make up myself which has the following added. oaten chaff, Lucerne chaff, wheat bix, sun flower seed mix the same as you would give a parrot, econamix  rolled oats with fruit mix only during winter helps keep bunnies worm in side & it also helps with molting             During the day they get a nice run on the grass in there play pens. Make sure there is shad over it.                                                                                                                             At night they get oaten hay, this is very vital Rufage for a rabbit’s digestive system & teeth.       I also give Fresh fruit & vegetables in moderation about every 2^nd day for adults & once a week for kits (as it can cause diarrhea).

With kits please start them at about 12 weeks old very slow as it can upset there tummies once a week until about 20 weeks old.

Fruit & vegetables that are good in moderation cauliflower,parsley,spinach,asparagus,broccoli,brusselsprouts,celery,corn on a cob, carrots ,apple (not seeds),artichoke(jers),arugula, banana with skin, beet tops, blackberry(leaves,steams,fruit),clover,grapes,blueberry,cantaloupe,caraway,carrots(tops & roots),chard,cilantro,collard greens,cucumber,dandilion (leaves,steam,flower), dill,endive,escarole,fennel,green pepper, honey dew melon,kale,lemon balm, lettuce(romaine, red &green leaf),lilac,marigold,marjoram,mint,mustard greens, papaya no seeds),parsley,peach,pear,pineapple (helps clear any blockage in bows),radish tops, raspberry(leaves,stems,fruit),sage,savory,spinach,strawberry, tomato very good for sick bunnies(fruit only: greens are toxic), watercress, watermelon, zucchini. With dried multigrain breed.            Water                                                                                                                            A rabbit can live for quite a while without food but it cannot live without water. Lots of fresh water should always be available. I check there water bottles both morning & night for water level & any blockage if needed I clean with worm salty water & refill with fresh water with added vitamins. I sterilize bottles once a week with baby sterilizer.                                               On hot days I check them 3-4 times a day & change if needed I also add ice cubs on hot days to help them stay colder as hot water is a killer for our cute buns.                                   I also will put a frozen bottle in there cages. A normal water bottle that we would drink from with the lid on LOL. Buy doing this the bunnies will lye on them & also like the cold water from the sides as it melts I call it the bunny ice block.                   cage                                                                                                                               Any rabbit hutch whether inside or out should be large enough for your rabbit to stretch out to lye flate down atleast.   Things to keep your bunny

                                        happy & healthy!

                           equipment that is keep in my rabbitry

All these things are not all nessasery for pet owners but i like to add everything for those new breeders who this may help out.

1. Water bottle - stops anything getting in. example stool, fly’s, urine most important can not be spilled. Easy to clean with worm salty water each change. & sterilize once a week.    2. Nice size wooden hutch -covered with fly screen does not collect heat keeps mosquitoes & flies out witch helps prevent myxomatosis & calicivirus.                           3. White vinegar -clean hutch out regular about 3 times a week.                               4. Vanodine -sprayed after good cleaning kills any unwanted germs.                         5. Citronella oil -3 drops in a spray pray bottle with water helps with fly control.              6. Toys -to chew & play with wooden blocks, balls, straw keeps bunny from being bored & teeth correct size & clean.                                                                                7. Kitty litter trays -in chosen corner helps clean cage change daily rest of cage every 3 days.                                                                                                               8. sun- Bunnies does love the sun but not to much you don't want to cook them LOL.         9. Nail clippers -trim nails regularly. You can use even the ones you use on your self 10.Coccivet - (bird coccidiostate) at 5 weeks for 7 days in water then every 3 months after that.                                                                                                         11. Rescreened -for traveling very good for showing long distances helps calm bunny down does not stress.                                                                                                    12. Pink eye powder- for cuts, sneezing watery eyes.                                       13. Vanadine -for cleaning cages, sneezing bunnies, sterilizing water bottles food dishes, kills bacteria, viruses & fungi witch courses a lot of diseases.                                    14. Ivomec - used every 3 months 3 drops on kits 4 drops on adults behind there ears this is done for the control of intestinal worms, lice & fleas mites.             15. digital scales -I have two of them one small one for my kits another one for my adults  Max weight for mini lops are 1.6kg Ideal weight 1.5KG.              16. Aristopet -small animal wormer with 6 drops at 8 weeks before they leave then every 3 months after that.                                                               17. Vaccination- available all times to be given once a yr                                             18. Iced bottles  & ice trayscubes allot of them on hot days                                   19. show dust -keeps help keep bunnies urine smell down & bunny also loves to lye in it add allot more then normal on hot days helps keep bunny cooler 20.Vitamins- add this to the water  for extra vitamins just incase does not get enough from the food.                                                                                                                       21. Diary for births names events                                                                               22. Cleaning equipment, scrapper, broom, dust pan & broom a bin with smelly bag gives a nice aroma                                                                                                        23. Di-vetelact _ this is a milk supplement for baby bunnies that have been tacken off mum for what ever reason could be mum dyed giving birth, mum is not feeding them                                                                                                                            these links are very informative on the health of our bunnies. 

http://www.islandgems.net/medical.html