Rabbit Questions and Answers Paul: Where Can I Find The HSC Product?   Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 Question: I was told by my local Tractor Supply Store Manager that he could only order feeds that were on his sheet from TSC. He told me that in order for him to carry the Honor Show Chow feeds that it would have to come from TSC management. I was wondering if Honor Show Chow could help get it to where our local TSC store could order the Show Chow line of feeds. Answer: Paul, Thank you for your question and interest in HONOR Show Chow. In Alabama, you can obtain the HONOR Show Chow show products at your local Purina dealer. To find your local dealer, go to our website: honorshowchow.com then click on the Dealer Locater button. You can find this on the yellow bar in the middle of the screen to the far right. Then enter your 5 digit zip code. This will produce your local dealers with phone numbers and addresses. Thanks again, Dr. Kevin Burgoon HONOR Show Chow Nutritionist Brock: Holding   Friday, September 9th, 2011 Question: Does Purina make a product that you can feed to hold rabbits? If not, what can I do to slow their weight gain down? Answer: Brock, The Fibre3 product would be our best holding product but the best method of weight control is to limit-feed the animals. A typical adult New Zealand rabbit needs about 6 oz of feed per day for maintenance. I would suggest that the customer simply feed less of what he is already feeding, and monitor the animals closely to find that point at which they are maintaining but not losing or gaining weight. The best way to do this with rabbits is to get your hands on them and feel them every day so that you have a good sense of when they have an appropriate layer of subcutaneous fat over firm muscling. Mikelle Roeder, Ph.D., P.A.S. Nutritionist, Technical Support Feed Solutions/Companion Animal Business Groups Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, LLC Angel: Feed   Wednesday, May 18th, 2011 Question: I am feeding my English Spot show rabbits the Purina Show Chow along with free choice hay and green veggies. My female is a tiny bit under weight and my male a tiny bit over weight. They are both healthy and worm free. Should I change what I am doing? They get 7 hours of play time each in a 12 ft x 12 ft room. The breeder says they should be on fibre 3 and waiting 1/3 cup with no fresh veggies. I am giving 1/8 cup to the buck of show. Chow and 1/4 cup to the doe. Answer: Hi, Angel. First of all, I applaud you for paying attention to the condition of your rabbits and asking after their health. A few things do concern me, but they are easily fixed. 1) 1/8 cup of any feed is probably not going to provide enough vitamins and minerals to meet your bucks needs. Since he is a little overweight, I would recommend that you not offer him free choice hay. Limit the hay to a handful or two per day, and keep the fresh veggies to a minimum also. This will allow you to increase his feed to at least a quarter cup (about 2 oz) and monitor his weight. The fact that he gets exercise is excellent! Once he reaches the desired weight, you can add a little more hay until he is holding at the proper weight. 2) Since your female is underweight, again I would limit the hay and veggies, but for a different reason. They will not be as calorically dense as the Show feed, so I would gradually increase the Show feed by 50% and cut back on the less dense feed to ensure that she eats all the Show feed. Once she reaches her desired weight, you can offer more hay and veggies, but only if she continues to clean up her pellets. I am assuming you feed them separately. If not, be sure that they receive their pellets while separated, just to make sure the buck is not eating some of the doe food. I do not think you need to switch to Fibre3; you are already feeding some hay, thus providing plenty of long stem fiber, plus these are show rabbits, so they will benefit from the additional oils and more dense nutrient fortification of the Show feed. You just need a little dietary tweaking. English Spots are beautiful rabbits! I wish you great luck in the show ring! Sincerely, Mikelle Roeder, Ph.D., P.A.S. Nutritionist, Technical Support Feed Solutions/Companion Animal Business Groups Land O’Lakes Purina Feed, LLC Tracey: Product   Monday, March 8th, 2010 Question: What is the best feed that purina makes for raising meat pens of rabbits? Answer: Tracey, Our best feed for meat pen/meat rabbits is Rabbit Chow Professional Natural AdvantEdge. It is our highest protein diet (18%) and our highest energy diet. Rabbit Chow Professional will provide for the best lean-muscle weight gains. Also our best option for does on a very intensive (8 cycles/year) breeding program. Thank you very much, Gary Lynch, Ph.D. Companion Animal Business Group Zach: Health   Thursday, January 21st, 2010 Question: I have been raising rabbits for a few years now and every year our rabbits fur looks a little rough. What could I do to get my rabbits fur just right? Is there anything I can put on or in there feed or water? Answer: To get the best fur on a rabbit they really need an adequate supply of the basic nutrients: Protein, trace minerals and essential fatty acids. We find that because rabbits can select out added ingredients, we have the best success with a properly formulated pelleted complete diet. A 16% protein diet that is well balanced in amino acids will be more than sufficient. Likewise a good rabbit diet should have the trace minerals needed to product a quality hair and skin coat. Purina Rabbit Chow Natural AdvantEdge Show Formula has an added vegetable oil blend, which we have found provides extra essential fatty acids, which helps maximize fur quality. This would be a diet that you may want to transition some of your rabbits to and see if it helps hair coat. Another item to consider is are your rabbits being wormed periodically? A parasite load will reduce the absorption of nutrients, and poor quality fur is a potential symptom of parasites. Thank you very much, Gary Lynch, Ph.D. Companion Animal Business Group