Hello Rabbit Owner! Welcome to this Rabbit-Food.com Post about How to Feed Pregnant Rabbits!
Pregnant rabbits need a lot of care and attention to ensure a successful pregnancy. They are delicate animals, especially when they are carrying babies.
One of the most important things you can do for them is to feed them well throughout their pregnancy. This means giving them the best and healthiest food. In this Rabbit-Food.com article we will give you some tips and advice on how to feed pregnant rabbits.
After reading this, we recommend that you read our post on the Best Food For Bunnies – How To Feed Baby Rabbits (0-3 Months), a great supplement to what you will learn here. Are you ready? Let’s get started! 🐰🐇
How To Feed Pregnant Rabbits? Everything You Need To Know
Pregnant rabbits need a high quality diet to support themselves and their babies. They should get plenty of alfalfa hay (80%) and fresh vegetables (15%) each day, with some alfalfa hay-based pellets (5%) in moderation. But they should avoid treats as they can cause obesity and digestive problems. They also need plenty of water to stay hydrated and healthy. Next, we will discuss this diet in detail and why it is important for pregnant rabbits.
What Is The Best Diet For A Pregnant Rabbit?
Here are the main foods you should feed your pregnant rabbit:
Alfalfa Hay (80% Daily)
This hay is high in protein, sugars, and calcium, which are good for kittens and the mother. Avoid grass hay (such as timothy hay) as it is not suitable. Give her the equivalent of your pregnant rabbit’s weight.
Fresh Food – Vegetables, Herbs And Leaves (15% Daily)
Your pregnant rabbit can have as much of these fresh foods as she wants: carrot tops, radish tops, arugula, clover, lettuce, romaine lettuce, carrots, basil, cilantro, spinach, and celery. Choose fresh, pesticide-free vegetables and wash them well. Also, pay attention to what she likes best, as rabbits have their own preferences. Give her about 150 grams per kilogram of your pregnant rabbit’s weight.
Alfalfa Hay-Based Pellets (5% Daily)
Pellets are hay-based rabbit foods. They are high in fiber and fortified with vitamins, minerals, and protein. The best pellets for pregnant rabbits are alfalfa hay-based pellets. They have more sugar, protein, and calcium than other pellets. Give her about 25 grams per kilogram of your pregnant rabbit’s weight.
Water (Unlimited)
Give your pregnant rabbit as much water as she wants. Make sure it is always available, clean, and at room temperature.
Food Chart For Pregnant Rabbits
Note: In this table, «Eq» means equivalent, «g» means grams, «Kg» means Kilograms, «wt.preg» means pregnant rabbit’s weight, «temp» means temperature, and «%» means percentage.
This diet will help keep your pregnant rabbit healthy and happy throughout her pregnancy.
What Should I Feed My Pregnant Rabbit?
To feed your pregnant rabbit at each stage of pregnancy, consider that a rabbit’s gestation period lasts between 28 and 32 days and is divided into three stages: early, mid, and late.
How To Feed Pregnant Rabbits At Initial Stage (1-14 Days)?
During the initial stage (from day 1 to day 14), the rabbit needs a balanced and varied daily diet consisting of 80% hay, 15% fresh vegetables, and 5% pellets. The hay should be alfalfa, which contains more protein, sugar and calcium than grass hay. Vegetables should be fresh, pesticide-free and washed and can include carrots, lettuce, spinach, celery, cilantro and basil. The pellets should also be alfalfa based. Feed the pregnant rabbit hay equal to her body weight, 150 grams of vegetables per kilogram of body weight, and 25 grams of pellets per kilogram of body weight daily.
How To Feed Pregnant Rabbits At Middle Stage (15-21 Days)?
In the middle stage (from day 15 to day 21), the rabbit will begin to gain weight and prepare for delivery. You should continue to feed her the same diet as in the early stages, but slightly increase the amount of hay and vegetables. You should also provide her with a nesting box filled with soft hay, old rags, or newspaper in which to build a nest for her babies.
How To Feed Pregnant Rabbits At Final Stage (22-32 Days)?
In the final stage (from day 22 to 32), the rabbit is ready to give birth. You should keep her on the same diet as in the middle stage, but make sure she does not gain too much weight or have digestive problems. You should also avoid disturbing or stressing her, and leave her alone in her nesting box. When the babies are born, make sure they are healthy and clean, and remove any that are dead or sick.
Our Top Picks For Pregnant Rabbit Food – Foods For Expecting Rabbits
In this section, we will share with you our top three choices of hay, vegetables and pellets to feed your pregnant rabbit. We have selected these products based on their fiber, protein, fat, calcium and vitamin content, as these are essential nutrients for pregnant rabbits and their babies. Let’s take a look! 🐰🐇
Alfalfa Hay For Pregnant Rabbits – The Best Products
Fresh Food For Pregnant Rabbits – The Best Products
Pellets For Pregnant Rabbits – The Best Products
Conclusion
Your pregnant rabbit needs good care and nutrition for a healthy pregnancy. She needs alfalfa hay, fresh food and pellets every day. Alfalfa hay contains more protein, sugar and calcium than grass hay. Fresh food is vegetables, herbs and leaves that are fresh, washed and pesticide-free. Pellets are alfalfa-based and have extra vitamins and minerals.
Give your pregnant rabbit alfalfa hay equal to her weight, 150 grams of fresh food per kilogram of weight, and 25 grams of pellets per kilogram of weight daily. She can eat unlimited hay and fresh food, but limit the pellets to avoid overfeeding. And give her enough water to keep her hydrated.
Don’t limit your pregnant rabbit’s water or food. Give her unlimited pellets and alfalfa hay during the last week of her pregnancy.
Check out our recommendations for hay and pellets to feed your pregnant rabbit. But always check with your veterinarian first.
And that’s it! We hope this article was helpful to you and your pregnant rabbit. Thanks for reading! 🐰🐇
Important Note From Rabbit-Food.com
The information on this website is not a replacement or substitute for professional veterinarian advice and/or treatment. Please consult your own veterinarian for your specific questions. Also, you can be sure that the price of the product you choose is the same as on Amazon. The price of the product will not change if you buy it through this website.
Bibliography
- Cómo cuidar a una coneja preñada. WikiHow. Recovered on June 15, 2022 from Cómo cuidar a una coneja preñada
- López, Eva (20 de enero de 2017). Cómo cuidar a una coneja embarazada. UnCómo. Recovered on June 15, 2022 from Cómo cuidar a una coneja embarazada
- Coneja embarazada. Mascotas y más. Recovered on September 06, 2023 from Coneja Embarazada