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BABY RABBIT FOOD

By: David Sherwood

Baby rabbits are healthier and grow faster with a specially designed baby rabbit food that is high in fat and fiber. In fact, baby rabbits are accustomed to the doe's milk that is high in fat and low in sugar (Coates et. al. 1964).

Baby rabbits don't produce enough enzymes needed to digest excess starch (sugar) until later in life. Feeding baby rabbits a diet with a lot of grain or grain by-products makes them more likely to get diarrhea. A rabbit feed higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates helps baby bunnies make the switch from the doe's milk at weaning and provides the energy they need for healthy growth.

As baby bunnies get older they still naturally use fat as an energy source. In fact, rabbits need a high fiber diet because good bacteria ferment fiber in the caecum to produce the healthy fats rabbits use.

Scientific studies show that increasing the fat content of rabbit food will improve protein AND energy efficiency as well as improve the feed conversion ratio (easily by 20%) for growing rabbits (Arrington et. al.1974).

Most commercial rabbit feeds don't have near enough fat and fall short of the needs of baby bunnies. Generally, they have less than 3% crude fat when research shows that baby rabbit food should have around 8% fat when balanced with high quality protein.

If you choose a healthy rabbit food that has a higher fat content for your growing bunny rabbits then make sure it is using oil from natural sources and not simply refined vegetable oil or worse, rendered animal fat. This is because when adding fat to a rabbit's diet you should also be adding vitamin E, which whole oil seeds from plants naturally have.

• Whole oil seeds are naturally high in vitamin E.

• Rendered animal fat or refined vegetable oils ARE NOT!

Baby rabbits are healthier when fed a high fat natural baby rabbit food that mimics their mamma's milk.

Arrington, L.R., J.K. Platt, and D.E. Franke 1974. Fat Utilization by Rabbits. Journalof Animal Science 38:76-80.

Coates, M.E., MargretE. Gregory, and S.Y. Thompson 1964. The Composition of Rabbit's Milk. British Journal of Nutrition 18:583-586

About the Author

David Sherwood has grown up raising rabbits for fun and profit. His advanced academic and real world experience have given him extensive knowledge that will help you understand and solve many of the problems that face those who raise rabbits. To learn more about his qualifications and to get 'common sense' answers to rabbit questions, go to http://naturalrabbitfood.com
To learn more about the importance of using a balanced natural rabbit food and to see it's unique and proven formulation (now commercially available), go to: http://naturalrabbitfood.com/baby-rabbit-food/

HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR RABBIT IS OVERHEATED AND HOW TO COOL HIM

By: Adam Greenburg

Because of their fur, rabbits get hot easily. This is especially so during summertime when the air is hotter. It can become so hot that a lot of rabbits get sick. To prevent this from happening, the rabbit cage should be placed somewhere cool and they should be given plenty of fresh cool water.

Having air conditioning is an advantage but if this is not available, cool air can be provided through the use of an electric fan. If there are no signs that the rabbits have cooled down, then it is better to have them checked by a doctor. Watch out for the following signs of overheating in your rabbits.

Taking the rabbit's temperature by using a thermometer is still the best way to know if the rabbit is overheated. It is easy to use and you can always ask instructions from your veterinarian if you encounter problems in using a thermometer. You will need another person to hold the rabbit while you take the temperature by inserting the thermometer one inch into the rabbit's rectal area.

Thermometers made of glass usually need to be left inside the rectum for a minute while a digital thermometer takes much lesser time. A digital thermometer is better to use because it is safer and easier to handle. Remember that the normal rectal temperature of rabbits is 100 degrees Fahrenheit and if goes beyond that then your rabbit is experiencing too much heat and should be taken to the doctor.

By watching your rabbit carefully, you can see whether he is overheated or not. If he experiences difficulty in breathing and tilts his head, then he is feeling very hot and must be cared for and given medication immediately.

You need to alleviate your rabbit's condition before transporting him to the animal clinic because air inside the car is hotter and will add to the rabbit's misery. Pat his ears with a wet cool cloth and sprinkle him with a little amount of water without drenching him.

For a gravely ill and severely overheated rabbit, a cool bath is suitable but do not submerge him completely into the water. Be very careful in handling the rabbit because he is probably in pain and too much difficulty. Your immediate and proper emergency care can mean a lot to the survival of your rabbit that is suffering from overheating.

About the Author

To find a suitable rabbit cage for your pet rabbit, visit The Rabbit Hutch Blog for quality rabbit hutches and homes and also more tips on keeping rabbits.

BREEDING RABBIT TIPS

By: Brandon Lucero

Breeding rabbits is a very fun hobby and some even do it as a business, job, or career. You can profit from and there are many reasons to breed rabbits. You can breed them for profit, meat, fun, money, or hobby. Whatever your reason there are always guidelines you should follow and you should always put the rabbit's safety first. You want to be responsible about it and take care of the rabbits because the healthier they are the better outcome you get. You should always find a good guide or book on how to breed rabbits if this is your first time, a good resource is www.BreedingRabbits.net [http://www.breedingrabbits.net]. They have some guides, and a lot of tips for breeding rabbits successfully.

The first tip to breeding rabbits successfully is feeding them the appropriate food. You always want to take care of you doe and feed her properly because she is the one raising the babies. If she is eating bad food the babies can develop some birth defects and her milk may not be filled with the proper nutrients that the babies will need in order to survive after birth. It is best to find a guide or ebook that will cover the proper food for the breeding process.

Another tip is to bring the doe to the buck when starting the breeding process. Doe's can get pretty protective of their homes and they may hiss and become aggressive when the buck arrives. The buck should just be around for the breeding process and then separated from the doe. They do not need very much time to breed.

You should also keep the doe's cage or hutch very clean. You want to eliminate any chance of your doe becoming sick. A sick doe can lead to the death of your baby rabbits or to the mother rabbit herself. A clean environment gives your rabbits the best chances of survival and the best chance to remain healthy. This means making sure they have clean water, you clean up their dirty cage items such as feces, and urine.

These are just some tips to help you along your way of breeding rabbits and bunnies, but this is by no means a complete guide on what you need to do to raise and be successful at breeding rabbits. In order to raise and breed rabbits you should get a guide or eBook that will cover all subjects and processes.

About the Author

You can find excellent information, guides, and ebooks on Breeding Rabbits at www.breedingrabbits.net