Maintain Dietary Consistency

Transition between feed brands or types gradually over 7-10 days by mixing increasing proportions of the new feed with decreasing proportions of the old. Never switch feeds abruptly.

Why It Works

Rabbits depend on a specialized cecal microbiome to ferment fiber and extract nutrients. Sudden dietary changes disrupt this microbial balance, which can trigger enteritis -- a potentially fatal form of diarrhea that kills rabbits within 48-72 hours, especially in young stock.

Tips

• Start with 25% new feed / 75% old feed, then shift by 25% every 2-3 days
• Monitor droppings during any transition; soft or mucus-coated fecal pellets indicate the change is too rapid
• Keep a small reserve of the current feed on hand before opening a new bag or brand