My 1-year-old rabbit won't eat adult food. Is young rabbit food safe?

Rabbits should be eating adult food by 6-7 months of age. Discontinue feeding alfalfa at that time also. Feed unlimited amounts of timothy hay, oat hay and similar grasses. Limit commercial pellets to no more than 1/8 to 1/4 cup daily for adults.

Thanks for your follow up questions about Julius. It sounds like there are a lot of unsuitable baby foods around that would not be good for Julius, so I am glad that you asked! Ideally, if you are going to feed a vegetable baby food, it should ONLY contain the vegetable and no additional sugar or dairy, and we don't want any sugary vegetables (i.e. carrots). Therefore, I would not recommend any that contain corn, sweet potato, milk, or carrots. This may limit your options to spinach or green beans. An alternative would be to grind up pellets (in a coffee grinder for example) and add water to them. This can then be syringe fed to Julius. This will provide more fiber than baby food, which may result in less GI upset than the baby food will. I hope that this answers your question, and please feel free to ask others if needed!

Thanks for reaching out about your rabbit. A veterinary visit is recommended anytime a rabbit stops eating. Ingested foreign bodies, GI stasis, metabolic disorders (liver, kidney), infections are all possible. Yogurt and crackers are not a good food item for rabbits as they do not digest dairy or carbohydrates well, and can lead to additional GI upset. Even if obstructed, they can continue to pass feces for 1-2 days. Try syringe offering water. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Iola. Alfalfa hay is a good source of calcium and protein, and will be a good hay for the kits to eventually start eating for bone growth. Keep vegetable offerings in check, as can be sensitive to the delicate intestinal tracts of young animals. Good luck.

Pellets can predispose a rabbit to obesity. They may not provide the amount of fiber needed to maintain a healthy gut. You don't need to feed just produce. Ellie should be fed as much timothy hay, oat hay or similar grasses as she wants to eat. These grasses are relatively inexpensive. You can feed alfalfa until she is about 7 months old then discontinue feeding it. Supplement the diet with a cup or two of fresh, dark, leafy greens and vegetables daily. Up to 1/4 cup of commercial pellets can be offered daily.

If she will allow, check her teeth for overgrowth or misalignment. If necessary, you can your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits correct any dental issues. If she is less than 6 months old, offer alfalfa. This may get her to eat higher fiber and healthier diet. Lettuce has very little in the way of nutritional value. You can offer dark, leafy greens and vegetables as well as commercial pellets. Oxbow Critical Care for Herbivores can also be used to supplement her diet. Always have timothy hay, oat hay or similar grasses and fresh water in the cage or hutch at all times. If she stops eating, have her seen immediately by your veterinarian.

A rabbit as young as Orro should still be with his mother. Bunnies should not be separated until they are at least 8 weeks of age. They will start nibbling solid food at 2 weeks of age but still require mother's milk and nursing. Orro should be examined by a veterinarian experienced in treating rabbits to make sue there is no illness or injury. Follow this link for information regarding the care of domestic bunnies: http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/orphan.html