How to Prevent Gastrointestinal Stasis in Rabbits
Feed your rabbit quality grass hay., Give your rabbit fresh grass., Choose nutrition-packed pellets., Provide leafy greens for your rabbit., Avoid feeding your rabbit certain foods., Keep your rabbit’s water bowl filled.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Feed your rabbit quality grass hay.
The primary way to prevent GI stasis is to feed your rabbit properly.
A rabbit’s diet needs to consist of foods with the right amount of fiber along with moisture to keep the digestive tract functioning properly.
The most important part of the diet is to always keep clean, grass hay available to your rabbit at all times.
Timothy or other grass hay is the best hay to feed a rabbit.Alfalfa and clover hay is too high in protein and calcium to feed to a rabbit daily and should only be used as a treat. -
Step 2: Give your rabbit fresh grass.
Fresh grass is also a good food for a rabbit.
You can set up a pen outside on your lawn where your rabbit can graze, or you can clip grass with a scissors and give it to your rabbit to eat.
Clip fresh grass with scissors and make sure that you don’t use lawn mower trimmings.
Make sure that fertilizers or herbicides have not been used on the grass or you may make your rabbit very ill. , You will also need to feed your rabbit fresh nutritionally balanced pellets daily.
Make sure your feed your rabbit the right amount of pellets.
Young rabbits can have unlimited pellets; adult rabbits need from 1/8 to ½ cup daily depending on their size.
If you don’t limit the pellets, your rabbit may become obese.
Throw out any uneaten pellets after a day and replace with new pellets. , Leafy green vegetables are good food choices for your rabbit because they provide both fiber and moisture.
Feed your rabbit anywhere from one to three cups each day depending on the rabbit’s size.
Good leafy green vegetables to feed your rabbit include salad greens, bok choy, arugula, broccoli stems and leaves, and carrot tops.
Make sure to slowly introduce any new greens to a rabbit so it doesn’t cause your rabbit to develop diarrhea. , There are some foods you should never feed to your rabbit.
These foods can mess up your rabbit’s digestive tract or cause a problem that might lead to gastrointestinal stasis.
Never feed the following foods to rabbits:
Human foods other than the above mentioned vegetables.
You can also give your rabbit small amounts of starchy vegetables, like carrots, and small pieces of fruit.
These are considered treats not a main part of the diet.
You should limit the amount of these foods.
Corn, other grains, or seeds.
Corn hulls can hurt the rabbit. , Do not forget to always keep fresh water available for your rabbits.
Provide a couple of options for your rabbit for the best results.
You can provide your rabbit with a sipper bottle and a ceramic dish both filled with fresh, clean water.
Change the water daily.Choose a ceramic dish over plastic because they are less likely to be knocked over.
Plus, your rabbit won’t be able to chew on a ceramic disk. -
Step 3: Choose nutrition-packed pellets.
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Step 4: Provide leafy greens for your rabbit.
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Step 5: Avoid feeding your rabbit certain foods.
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Step 6: Keep your rabbit’s water bowl filled.
Detailed Guide
The primary way to prevent GI stasis is to feed your rabbit properly.
A rabbit’s diet needs to consist of foods with the right amount of fiber along with moisture to keep the digestive tract functioning properly.
The most important part of the diet is to always keep clean, grass hay available to your rabbit at all times.
Timothy or other grass hay is the best hay to feed a rabbit.Alfalfa and clover hay is too high in protein and calcium to feed to a rabbit daily and should only be used as a treat.
Fresh grass is also a good food for a rabbit.
You can set up a pen outside on your lawn where your rabbit can graze, or you can clip grass with a scissors and give it to your rabbit to eat.
Clip fresh grass with scissors and make sure that you don’t use lawn mower trimmings.
Make sure that fertilizers or herbicides have not been used on the grass or you may make your rabbit very ill. , You will also need to feed your rabbit fresh nutritionally balanced pellets daily.
Make sure your feed your rabbit the right amount of pellets.
Young rabbits can have unlimited pellets; adult rabbits need from 1/8 to ½ cup daily depending on their size.
If you don’t limit the pellets, your rabbit may become obese.
Throw out any uneaten pellets after a day and replace with new pellets. , Leafy green vegetables are good food choices for your rabbit because they provide both fiber and moisture.
Feed your rabbit anywhere from one to three cups each day depending on the rabbit’s size.
Good leafy green vegetables to feed your rabbit include salad greens, bok choy, arugula, broccoli stems and leaves, and carrot tops.
Make sure to slowly introduce any new greens to a rabbit so it doesn’t cause your rabbit to develop diarrhea. , There are some foods you should never feed to your rabbit.
These foods can mess up your rabbit’s digestive tract or cause a problem that might lead to gastrointestinal stasis.
Never feed the following foods to rabbits:
Human foods other than the above mentioned vegetables.
You can also give your rabbit small amounts of starchy vegetables, like carrots, and small pieces of fruit.
These are considered treats not a main part of the diet.
You should limit the amount of these foods.
Corn, other grains, or seeds.
Corn hulls can hurt the rabbit. , Do not forget to always keep fresh water available for your rabbits.
Provide a couple of options for your rabbit for the best results.
You can provide your rabbit with a sipper bottle and a ceramic dish both filled with fresh, clean water.
Change the water daily.Choose a ceramic dish over plastic because they are less likely to be knocked over.
Plus, your rabbit won’t be able to chew on a ceramic disk.
About the Author
Gregory Wood
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in pet care and beyond.
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