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Preparing a
Fuzzy lop for show.
Feed
I feed a good quality rabbit pellet.
There's a debate on whether 16 % or 17% protein content is the best for long haired show rabbits.
I feed 16 % and 17% it depends on what is available.
Manna mills makes a 17% Manna Show pellet.
It encourages flesh on the rabbit and
coat growth.
If the Protein level is too high or the rabbit is eating too much, the rabbit will go into a molt.
It takes a couple months to grow back a show coat.
So once a coat is "in" you need to feed the minimum to maintain it.
You'll want to feed lots of fiber to
prevent wool block. Wool block is a hair ball that is stuck in the digestive
tact and causing a blockage. Rabbits can't regurgitate a hair ball like cats do
so wool block can be a deadly
thing. A high fiber diet helps prevent this. I feed a good quality grass hay,
Timothy / Alfalfa mix or straight Timothy hay (but not pure alfalfa).
Coat Care
Keeping a coat blown out
with a dog blower will help prevent
a rabbit from ingesting a lot of wool. It also keeps the coat in top form
longer. Since it keeps it tangle free without damaging the guard hairs. See Maintaining
Show coats for more information.
Feeding a conditioning supplement is also good for a nice coat. Some Examples are
Show Bloom and Calf Manna.
Most conditioning mixes have brewers yeast and other probotics that help with stress, encourage digestion
, maintain a healthy
appetite and promote the beneficial bacteria that is needed in the rabbit's gut. It helps in preventing bad gut bacteria and improves digestion.
See Rabbit Conditioning Recipes for more info....
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