1 Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery What’s the best diet- myths and truths Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery Origin of the domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) • Originated in Iberian peninsula – hot, dry and arid for some of year • Rabbits can exist in these conditions Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery All there is to eat in September Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery Introduction of rabbits to other countries • Domesticated and kept in captivity for meat and fur • Spread around the world by settlers who took and released them in new countries • ‘Wild’ rabbits in Europe are descended from introduced rabbits Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery Worldwide distribution of Oryctolagus cuniculus Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery Effects of rabbits on landscape • Eat virtually everything • Destroy natural habitat • Happened in UK before myxomatosis • Even worse in Australia
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Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
What’s the best diet- myths and truths
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Origin of the domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
• Originated in Iberian peninsula – hot, dry and arid for some of year
• Rabbits can exist in these conditions
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
All there is to eat in September
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Introduction of rabbits to other countries
• Domesticated and kept in captivity for meat and fur
• Spread around the world by settlers who took and released them in new countries
• ‘Wild’ rabbits in Europe are descended from introduced rabbits
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Worldwide distribution of Oryctolagus cuniculus
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Effects of rabbits on landscape
• Eat virtually everything
• Destroy natural habitat
• Happened in UK before myxomatosis
• Even worse in Australia
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Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Control measures in Australia
Killed all rabbits on one side by various methods
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Including poisons
• Dropped by helicopters or planes in baited food
Didn’t use poisonous plants
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Supreme’s list of poisonous plants
Acokanthera fruit and flowersAconiteAfrican rueAgapanthusAgave (leaves)AlmondAloeAlsike cloverAmanita
Amaryllis belladonnaAndromedaAnemoneAngel's TrumpetAnthuriumAntirrhinumsApple (seeds)Apricot (all parts except fruit)Arrowgrass
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Burgess website
Some common plants that are harmful to rabbits: autumn crocus, begonia, black nightshade, busy lizzie, buttercup, carnation, chrysanthemum, clematis, cowslip, geranium, hemlock, laburnum, laurel, poison ivy, poppy and yucca.
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
An easy way to control rabbits?
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Is plant toxicity a problem?
• No- rabbits are either resistant to toxin or they don’t eat the plant
• Finding plants they don’t eat is a problem
Cannabis
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Reports of plant toxicity
• Reports of plant toxicity are in situations where rabbit has had nothing else to eat
• Could happen with houserabbit and houseplant
• Can worry about plant toxicity in that situation
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
What rabbits like to eat
?? Ground Elder
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Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Must rabbits have hay to eat?
Wild rabbits prefer grass
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Is there anything that does poison rabbits
• Lead and heavy metals• Herbicides• Moulds- aflatoxins
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Which of these is most likely to have been sprayed with chemicals
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Which of these is most likely to go mouldy
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Food for pet rabbits
• Lots of brands• Big variation between quality and suitability for pet rabbits
• Lots of competition between companies
• Lots of claims
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Some advertising claims are hard to take…..
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Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Complete v complementary foods
• Complete foods are meant to fed on their own
• Complementary foods are meant to be fed with another food
• Rabbits need hay/grass• Muesli mix with no other food is the worst option
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
How commercial rabbit food is formulated
Information about nutritional requirements is taken from data about growth and reproductive performance of farmed rabbits
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Pelleted food
• Are the way that most commercial rabbits are fed
• Easy to change analysis for life stages
• Give control of cost and efficiency of production
• Easy to store• Convenient• Can be medicated
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Pellets and pet rabbits
• Superseded by muesli mixes
• Some good quality grass based pellets are available
• Mostly in US• Better than muesli mix
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Nuggets
• Cooked, palatable biscuit• Stores well• Can incorporate long fibre strands- partially denatured by cooking
• Meant to be fed alongside hay• Nutritionally balanced• Fattening
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Hay
Type and quality of hay depends on species of grass, soil, weather conditions when it was cut and how it is dried
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Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Hay for rabbits
• Lots of choice• If the rabbit eats it, then it is Ok
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
What about probiotics and prebiotics?
• Are in some brands of commercial rabbit food that contain prebiotics and probiotics
• ? Value• Supporting literature ahs shown they may improve
growth rate in commercial rabbits
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Vitamin and mineral supplements and blocks
• Not necessary if rabbit is on a good diet
• Amount of calcium that is in them could be a problem for rabbits with urinary tract disease
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Grass
• Grazing outside is perfect for rabbits
• Expensive to provide secure space
• Have to sacrifice any idea of growing flowers or veg
• Not an option for most people
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
?Poisonous plants
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Foraging for rabbits
• Lots of free food, including grass on verges and alongside foot paths
• Won’t have been sprayed
• May be mowed, which is inconvenient
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Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Some examples of plants that my rabbits enjoy:
Dandelions Young docks Wild chervil
Ground elder Groundsel Hogweed
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Foraging for rabbits
• Excellent book describing plants
• Available from Rabbit Welfare Association
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Plants from veg garden
Fallen fruit, strawberry leaves, pea plants, artichokes, maize
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Diet for healthy rabbits
NO MUESLI MIXES
Wild plants
Grass
Hay
Leaves
Branches
Tiny amount (or no) pellets or nuggets
Small amount fruit & root vegetables
Leafy greens
Herbs
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
BUT.. Surely you shouldn’t feed too many vegetables
• Breeders are worried about enteritis in juvenile rabbits
• Not surprising because enteritis is a problem
• Change of diet can trigger problems
• Breeders sometimes tell owners not to feed vegetables to their rabbit
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Do plants and vegetables cause diarrhoea?
• ??? Maybe in rabbit colonies• Change of diet can cause
problems in young rabbits• Introduction of new veg can stop
an adult rabbit eating caecotrophs• Caecotrophs may be soft and
sticky • Owner thinks it has diarrhoea• So they stop feeding vegetables• Feed more nuggets instead
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Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
What happens next?- A fat rabbit
• Too many nuggets and no vegetables ends up with obesity
• Main reason for not eating caecotrophs
• Not diarrhoea• Need to eat more vegand less (or no) concentrated food
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Obesity
• Have to convince owners that there is a problem
• Try to get the to feel bad about feeding the rabbit instead of not feeding it
• If it has good teeth, it won’t starve on a diet of hay/grass and leafy greens
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
What about lettuce?
• I’ve never seen a problem with it
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
NO MUESLI MIXES
Wild plants
Grass
Hay
Leaves
Branches
Tiny amount (or no) pellets or nuggets
Small amount fruit & root vegetables
Leafy greens
Herbs
Diet for rabbits with no incisors- may need food shredding or cutting up
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Diet for rabbits with early dental disease (apical elongation)
Wild plants
Grass
Hay
Leaves
Branches
Tiny amount (or no) pellets or nuggets
Small amount fruit & root vegetables
Leafy greens
Herbs &
Rabbits with apical elongation can’t/won’t eat hay
NO MUESLI MIXES
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Wild plants
Grass
Hay
Leaves
Branches
Pellets or nuggets
Fruit & root vegetables
Leafy greens
Herbs
Rabbits with apical elongation can’t/won’t eat hay
NO MUESLI MIXES
Diet for rabbits with advanced dental disease
Rabbits with deformed crowns can’t chew fibrous foods‐ could shred it
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Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Wild plants
Grass
Hay
Leaves
Branches
Pellets or nuggets
Fruit & root vegetables
Leafy greens
Herbs
Rabbits with apical elongation can’t/won’t eat hay
NO MUESLI MIXES
Rabbits with deformed crowns can’t chew fibrous foods‐ could shred it
Diet for rabbits with endstage dental disease
Rabbits with no crowns struggle to eat
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Rabbits with endstage dental disease
• Some rabbits eat very slowly
• Can live on nuggets• May need to be soaked• Nutritionally complete• Fibre content OK but not as good as hay/grass
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Diet for obese rabbits with good teeth
Wild plants
Grass
Hay
Leaves
Branches
Tiny amount (or no) pellets or nuggets
Small amount fruit & root vegetables
Leafy greens
Herbs
NO MUESLI MIXES
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Diet for obese rabbits with endstage dental disease
Wild plants
Grass
Hay
Leaves
Branches
Tiny amount (or no) pellets or nuggets
Small amount fruit & root vegetables
Leafy greens
Herbs
NO MUESLI MIXES
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
Obese rabbits with endstage dental disease
• Very difficult• Struggle to eat fibre- can choke
• Live on toast and banana
• Light diets are still fattening
• Shredded leafygreen plants and herbs
Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery
What about amount of calcium in diet?
• Amount of calcium in urine is related to amount of calcium in the diet
• This has been extrapolated to say that too much dietary calcium causes urinary tract disease
…. Not that simple
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Frances Harcourt‐Brown BVSc FRCVS, RCVS Recognised Specialist in Rabbit Medicine and Surgery