I get many questions about what the best feed for a rabbit is--and the honest answer is there really is not one answer. 

For new breeders, the word "condition" refers to the firmness of muscles and amount of fat on the animal. In a Mini Lop, you don't want to feel bone and you really don't want the solidness and muscle definition you can feel on an animal specifically bred for its meat. We're somewhere in between. In the fashion show of rabbit fur coats, our models should be known as the "real girls". Not the anorexics that is the Britannia Petites or the Mr. Olympia's that is the New Zealands. We have curves, baby.

For my herd, I'm currently using Blue Seal, but there are certainly many other brands that you can choose from: Purina, Heinhold, etc. A Mini Lop over 3 months old should be fed between 1/2 - 3/4 cup of pellets per day. You want a pellet with a protein level between 16% and 18%; 2 - 4% fat and 15 - 16% fiber. Which pellet that is entirely up to you and what you deem your rabbits like and works.

To promote the best condition, you should give them regular treats of hay, oats or even a tablespoon of Calf Manna. Stay away from carrots and lettuce, but greens such as dandelions and kale are great for their immune system.

A little secret about my barn--my Mini Lops are on a rotating top feed (treat) schedule. They receive a treat every day, but exactly what that treat is changes daily. I've found that this gives them a good mix of nutrients and vitamins and keeps them in a consistent condition longer than feeding the same feeds every day. But this isn't true of every herd!

You need to experiment and decide what works best for you. Genetics plays a huge part in conditioning animals... and because each of us has a herd with their own genetic traits, what works for my herd, may not work for yours.
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