# What kind of pellet feed do you feed your bunnies?



## Bunnymom,K (Jul 6, 2009)

I was just wondering what kind of pellet feed everyone feeds their bunnies. I have noticed over the last couple of years that there are getting to be more and more brands of bunny food available (at least in our area). I buy Nutrena Premium Rabbit pellets- a couple of years ago that was the only pelleted rabbit food available in our area.


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## Flashy (Jul 6, 2009)

I feed Supa Rabbit Excel, but that's probably only available in the UK.


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## dootsmom (Jul 6, 2009)

I buy two different pellets. Purina (Green bag) gets fed to all the buns that have no digestive issues. Timothy pellets (from Sweet Meadow Farms) gets fed to all the buns that have digestive issues....like: not eating hay, "cow flop" syndrone,
getting on in years.


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## Nancy McClelland (Jul 6, 2009)

Timothy Complete from Petsmart


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## hartleybun (Jul 6, 2009)

my little gastronauts eat Science Selective, tho this could possibly be UK only:?


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## elrohwen (Jul 6, 2009)

Oxbow. He's currently on the 15/23 because he's still young, but when this bag starts to run out I'll transition him to the Bunny Basics T.


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## maherwoman (Jul 6, 2009)

*dootsmom wrote:*


> "cow flop" syndrone,


I, too, feed ours Oxbow Bunny Basics T. I only have full-grown buns right now, but if I adopt any youngins in the future, they'll be on Oxbow 15/23 until they're grown.

I have to ask, though...I've never heard of "cow flop" syndrome...what is it?


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## Happi Bun (Jul 6, 2009)

I feed Oxbow Bunny Basics to my boys.


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## anneq (Jul 6, 2009)

Purina Blue bag at the moment.
All the buns seem to enjoy it - have also fed the SweetMeadow brands also, and those were well accepted also.


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Jul 6, 2009)

Purina Blue Bag and I LOVE IT!!! It's so fresh and the rabbits are in excellent condition. They dive into their bowls every night.


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## undergunfire (Jul 6, 2009)

Oxbow BBT (timothy based). The only other food I'd buy is Sweet Meadows timothy based pellet, but it costs about $10 more per 50lbs to get it here then Oxbow.


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## mardigraskisses (Jul 6, 2009)

Purina Rabbit Chow. I'm pretty happy with it.


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## Erins Rabbits (Jul 6, 2009)

Purina, show formula. Best feed there is, no doubt. 
When I had the commercial breeds I'd feed the advanced formula (It's a darker green bag) one during litters. It really helped put weight on those babies.


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## Maureen Las (Jul 6, 2009)

*maherwoman wrote: *


> *dootsmom wrote:*
> 
> 
> > "cow flop" syndrone,
> ...



cow flop is most likely a messy big wet poop ???:expressionless

I think it's very descriptive....LOL


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## Maureen Las (Jul 6, 2009)

I feed kaytee timothy complete but it took years for me to get these guys off alfalfa and on timothy pellets

OOPS forgot Beau who eats a sloppy mix of critical care, oxbow BBT and katee timothy complete


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## SweetSassy (Jul 7, 2009)

Oxbow 15/23


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## ani-lover (Jul 7, 2009)

i used to use purina green bag but it kept making my buns sick then i switched to blue seal bunny 16 which my buns dig into except for now i use big red rabbits choice because thumper prefers it over blue seal


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## Korr_and_Sophie (Jul 7, 2009)

Korr and Penny are on Oxbow BB/T. Sean is on Martin alfalfa stuff.


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## Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears (Jul 7, 2009)

My 2 get Oxbow BBT as well.


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## cheryl (Jul 7, 2009)

I really do wish that wecould getthe good pellet's here like you guy's can get....it's not fair!....here in Australia all pellet brandscontain lucerne....what you guy's call alfalfa we call lucerne...i would love to have my bunnies on nice healthy pellet's


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## Gordon (Jul 7, 2009)

Oxbow BBT, mail order from The Busy Bunny.


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## irishbunny (Jul 7, 2009)

You guys don't know how lucky you are, I have searched high and low in my town and I cannot find a pellet food  
I have to feed mine a mix! I give them loads of hay and veggies though to make up for it.


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## okiron (Jul 7, 2009)

Um..generic feed store pellets lol.


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## BethM (Jul 7, 2009)

I just switched to American Pet Diner Timmy Pellets, and couldn't be happier. My chubby girls seem to have trimmed down a bit, but Nick hasn't lost weight.

Ben finally started eating his pellets at the end of last week.


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## dootsmom (Jul 7, 2009)

"Cow flop" is what I call it!! I went to a HRS "Meet-Up" last year where there were Vets, as speakers. They called it something else (something that I can neither spell, nor pronounce!) but, suggested Probotic supplements to correct this digestive disorder. Basically, the rabbits that are prone to having it are black and white, floppy eared, buns. Their poops are very large and rather soft........not like diarrhea. I gave my buns that have it the Probotics and nothing really changed......my Vet kind of laughed and said it would help if the ones that had it also ate hay.....which, oddly enough, they don't!!! The Timothy pellets do help, quite a bit.


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## FlickeringHope (Jul 7, 2009)

I feed Honey Manna Pro Rabbit Pro-Formula; we get 50 lb bags of it for 15 bucks at our TSC, and as we don't have the leisure of getting out often, yeah.. Along whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh(lol, the kitten just walked across the keybo55556..ard.... lol....) But along with the Manna Pro, I feed Honey every other day like 1/8th cup of my guinea pig's food: Oxbow Benne Terre Organic Guinea Pig. I think this gives her a sweet touch to her food somedays, so she doesn't get bored.


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## slavetoabunny (Jul 7, 2009)

I've been feeding American Pet Diner timothy for around 6 years now and have been very happy. I've considered changing to a less expensive quality pellet, but hate to "fix what isn't broken". I just worry a switch would upset the buns. Expensive, but my divas are worth it!


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## Rayen (Jul 10, 2009)

Mine are on the Martin's Little Friends food right now, slowing but surely switching over to Oxbow Bunny Basics T. I may just keep them on Martin's if they don't take a liking to Oxbow stuff, they have a timothy-based pelleted food and it's easier for me to get.


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## Bunnymom,K (Jul 10, 2009)

I did some looking into whats available at all the feed stores within 50 miles home and today while I was in town I picked up a bag of Purina Show Rabbit formula for only a few dollars more than the Nutrena I've been feeding. The Purina Show formula has papaya (helps prevent wool block) and yucca (supposed to help neutralize the ammonia odor in the urine) in it.


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## tonyshuman (Jul 10, 2009)

I feed Oxbow BBT, but Tony and Muffin only get 1/16 of a cup each a day, and Frida and Ben only get 1/8 of a cup each a day.

The shelter uses Purina Hi-Fiber Lab Diet, and I'd have no problem feeding this to my guys if I couldn't get or afford Oxbow. It's alfalfa based but is very high in fiber and lower in protein. They also use Purina Green Bag for younger bunnies.


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## Blaze_Amita (Jul 11, 2009)

Nutrena Naturwise since I first started with bunnies, and I've been incredibly happy with it, they get hay and alfalfa cubes to chew on as well. Though my mommy's that start to drop too much weight with kits, they get oatmeal in their grain as well, the babies adore that stuff and it helps momma too.
The lone bunny at the horse barn I keep my horses at gets Big Red, I wasn't as happy with that with the condition and coat of her rabbit(Nethie doe) so I wouldn't even think about using that on my bun buns


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## CKGS (Jul 11, 2009)

I have been feeding MannaPro. Can anyone tell me if this is a 'good' feed?


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## Flick (Jul 12, 2009)

When searching for a pellet for adult rabbits check the nutrition information on the bag. What you're looking for is HIGH fiber and LOW protein. The fiber should be at least 18%, higher is better. The protein should NOT be over 14%. Also check the list of ingredients. The first ingredient should be Timothy hay. If the first ingredient listed is anything else, put the bag down and walk away. And don't buy a bag if it has junk food in it, like dehydrated apples, sunflower seeds, etc.

While Oxbow makes a very good pellet, Pixel HATED it! Would not eat Oxbow, at all. I spent alot of time and money looking for a pellet she would eat. Finally, I got some Zupreem, and she loved it! 

So, high fiber, low protein, and what tastes good to them.


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## Erins Rabbits (Jul 12, 2009)

*Flick wrote: *


> When searching for a pellet for adult rabbits check the nutrition information on the bag. What you're looking for is HIGH fiber and LOW protein. The fiber should be at least 18%, higher is better. The protein should NOT be over 14%. Also check the list of ingredients. The first ingredient should be Timothy hay. If the first ingredient listed is anything else, put the bag down and walk away. And don't buy a bag if it has junk food in it, like dehydrated apples, sunflower seeds, etc.
> 
> While Oxbow makes a very good pellet, Pixel HATED it! Would not eat Oxbow, at all. I spent alot of time and money looking for a pellet she would eat. Finally, I got some Zupreem, and she loved it!
> 
> So, high fiber, low protein, and what tastes good to them.



Okay, okay, I have something to say about this statement-

We're taught in 4-h that rabbit feeds should have a 16-19% protein content to keep the rabbits healthy and in shape conditionwise. I feel GOOD about feeding purina show for this reason. My rabbits have thrived on it! They are all healthy and happy, even considering that, (oh no) it's an ALFALFA pellet. 

Now, consider the millionsof show and breeding rabbits kept happy and healthy on Purina pellets. Consider the Millions of rabbits raised on an alfalfa diet, and doing just fine. Now can you tell me, exactly why it is so awful to feed an alfalfa pelleted feed, and one high in protein, because everyone I've asked doesn't seem to know the answer.

I'm not going to argue too extensively. I find it hard to believe that timothy is the way to go, for several reasons, most of which being that it seems to be HRS propagated, as is an all veggie diet,which seems to increase a rabbits chance for GI Stasis.When I was on Bunspace, it seemed like every other topic on the bunny ER area was about GI Stasis, and this was a site that hugely pushed for an all veggie diet. This is the kind of information people get from the HRS. 

So, correct me if I'm wrong, I just need to hear exactly WHY lower protein is so much healthier.


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## FlickeringHope (Jul 12, 2009)

I've looked into Zupreem - as knowledgable as their site may seem, their rabbit product contains corn ingredients, corn is absolutely unnecessary ingredient in rabbit pellets, and it's been proven to lead to digestive health issues.


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## Flick (Jul 12, 2009)

*Erins Rabbits wrote: *


> *Flick wrote: *
> 
> 
> > When searching for a pellet for adult rabbits check the nutrition information on the bag. What you're looking for is HIGH fiber and LOW protein. The fiber should be at least 18%, higher is better. The protein should NOT be over 14%. Also check the list of ingredients. The first ingredient should be Timothy hay. If the first ingredient listed is anything else, put the bag down and walk away. And don't buy a bag if it has junk food in it, like dehydrated apples, sunflower seeds, etc.
> ...



I reached the above conclusions by researching a large variety of books and respective web sites, as well as discussing it with several exotic vets. If you disagree with my findings, fine. If you want an answer to your question, do your own research, as I have. I will not be sucked into an argument about it.


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## tonyshuman (Jul 13, 2009)

There are different requirements for show rabbits than pet rabbits. Show rabbits are usually young and growing, or breeding. These rabbits need the added protein and calcium that older rabbits don't. Alfalfa provides extra protein and calcium. An adult house rabbit doesn't do a lot of physical activity and isn't breeding or growing, so they end up with extra protein in their diet--more than they need. 

What usually happens is that when the diet has too much protein, the rabbit gets fat. Protein isn't excreted very well, so all that goes in to the body gets used by the body. Also, when a rabbit has a lot of protein in the diet, they don't eat their cecal pellets, which contain vitamins and protein. They are getting enough protein in the normal food that they don't want to eat their cecal pellets. This means that they don't get all of the vitamins that are also in the cecal pellets.

In addition, the extra calcium in alfalfa isn't good for a rabbit that isn't growing, because rabbits metabolize calcium differently than humans. They excrete it in the urine as salts, and high levels of Ca can lead to bladder stones and sludge. This is another reason alfalfa isn't recommended for adult bunnies.

There is at least one alfalfa-based pellet that I would consider feeding my adult house rabbits, but it has high fiber and low protein (Purina Hi-Fiber Lab Diet) like many Timothy pellets. Not all alfalfa pellets are bad for every rabbit, and you can't lump breeding or growing rabbits into the same group with sedentary adult house bunnies whose only stress in life is when the vacuum cleaner comes out. If I had baby bunnies, I'd absolutely feed them an alfalfa pellet, until they reach 8-12mo of age.


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## Erins Rabbits (Jul 13, 2009)

*tonyshuman wrote: *


> There are different requirements for show rabbits than pet rabbits. Show rabbits are usually young and growing, or breeding. These rabbits need the added protein and calcium that older rabbits don't. Alfalfa provides extra protein and calcium. An adult house rabbit doesn't do a lot of physical activity and isn't breeding or growing, so they end up with extra protein in their diet--more than they need.
> 
> What usually happens is that when the diet has too much protein, the rabbit gets fat. Protein isn't excreted very well, so all that goes in to the body gets used by the body. Also, when a rabbit has a lot of protein in the diet, they don't eat their cecal pellets, which contain vitamins and protein. They are getting enough protein in the normal food that they don't want to eat their cecal pellets. This means that they don't get all of the vitamins that are also in the cecal pellets.
> 
> ...



Thank you for your answer- I really wasn't trying to argue. That makes a lot of sense. 

I'm not exactly a nutrition buff, but I like to think I'm learning.. Again, I appreciciate your answer.


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## ratmom (Jul 14, 2009)

We feed small world pellets


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## CKGS (Jul 14, 2009)

Hmmm... soooo I'm still wondering... and confused about my feed. Is MannaPro okay? I don't want to feed them something that isn't to par..


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## undergunfire (Jul 15, 2009)

*ratmom wrote: *


> We feed small world pellets


Aren't these from Walmart? If so, I would change their pellets ASAP. Small World is a very terrible food...pretty much the worst of the worst . I had a foster rabbit who came to me on these pellets and she was in such poor health....I switched her to Oxbow and she was in amazing shape.


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## ratmom (Jul 15, 2009)

*undergunfire wrote: *


> *ratmom wrote: *
> 
> 
> > We feed small world pellets
> ...


Well it is made by manna pro. Yes one of my buns has poopy butt, but that happens with any food I give him. Other than that he's in perfect health so is my other newest bun. He came to us on hartz with all that crap in it. Once I switched him over to the small world his smell went down and his fur got better. My oldest has been on it for probably 2 years.


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## FlickeringHope (Jul 15, 2009)

*CKGS wrote: *


> Hmmm... soooo I'm still wondering... and confused about my feed. Is MannaPro okay? I don't want to feed them something that isn't to par..


I feed Manna Pro Pro Formula.  I don't know if it's the best out there - but you can pick up a 50 lb bag of it at your local TSC for under 16 bucks. And as we can't afford to go out much, that's what we get. 

I haven't had any issues with the Manna Pro; Honey seems to like it.. I've tried tossing in a few cavy pellets to sweeten her meal a few times a week, and she completely ignores the cavy pellets and eats her rabbit pellets. So... I'd just go based on how healthy your rabbit looks/acts. 

There's really no "Best" food out there. It's all relative in my opinion. Sure, you have the HORRID brands, like Sunseed, and L&M Animal Farms, Hartz, etc etc.... 

In fact, I fed "small world" a WHILE ago to my rabbit, Flicker. It was a 10 lb bag at Walmart for under $10, couldn't pass that up. Actually, from the package itself, is where I learned corn is a bad ingredient to have in your rabbit's pellet. The Small world did nothing horrible to Flicker at all, he seemed to like it, his fur shined, his eyes sparkled, so I had no complaints.


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## undergunfire (Jul 15, 2009)

*ratmom wrote: *


> *undergunfire wrote: *
> 
> 
> > *ratmom wrote: *
> ...



Okay, but do keep in mind the long term effects of feeding an extremely low quality food. No food at Walmart is a good food....for any animal.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Jul 15, 2009)

*FlickeringHope wrote: *


> I've looked into Zupreem - as knowledgable as their site may seem, their rabbit product contains corn ingredients, corn is absolutely unnecessary ingredient in rabbit pellets, and it's been proven to lead to digestive health issues.



I feed Zupreem also and storm loves it. I bougth ox bow for the first time and spent 4 weeks trying to get storm on it he would not touch it for the life of him.

Storm does not get vegy we found out in the past months that they cause him to go into Stasis. He can eat them once in a while but everyday he kept getting sick so Zupreem is his main diet now.


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Jul 15, 2009)

*CKGS wrote: *


> Hmmm... soooo I'm still wondering... and confused about my feed. Is MannaPro okay? I don't want to feed them something that isn't to par..



Are your rabbits healthy? Is their fur shiny and soft? If you pet them backwards, does it fall right back down into place? Do they have good condition?

If the answers are yes, it's an excellent food for you.

For the same reason, I would never put down a food just beause it comes from Walmart. IMO, Small World is actually a pretty decent food. And if the rabbit is healthy and in condition on it, it's perfectly fine for you. What it does to another rabbit is a different story.

Feeds are VERYindividual. Don't let anyone tell you that something is bad (and believe it!) if your rabbit is thriving on it.


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## tonyshuman (Jul 15, 2009)

*OakRidgeRabbits wrote: *


> *CKGS wrote: *
> 
> 
> > Hmmm... soooo I'm still wondering... and confused about my feed. Is MannaPro okay? I don't want to feed them something that isn't to par..
> ...



This is true. However, there are things you can't tell about health just by looking at the rabbit. Things like fatty liver disease, urinary tract problems, etc. Granted, a rabbit with fatty liver will probably be fat looking on the outside as well. That's why annual checkups with blood work over the age of 3-4 are so important for house bunnies. 

I just know there are so many pelleted feeds for rabbits at the farm store that are better than Small World, and may even be cheaper. That's why I think something like Purina or Manna Pro is much better than Small World. Also, if you're only feeding a small amount of pellets, which I think is best for non-production rabbits, it really doesn't matter what's in them, as long as it's not toxic.

I'm considering switching my Holland to Purina Hi-Fiber Lab diet, which is alfalfa-based, but high in fiber, from Oxbow BBT because she is always in a molt.


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## whaleyk98 (Jul 16, 2009)

I have always used Purina Show in the blue bag but my ELs never seem to keep weight on. I am now switching them over to the Purina Professional (Gray Bag) with the higher protein content and see if that helps. What else could I add to get them to gain weight??


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## SunnyCait (Jul 16, 2009)

Choosing the right rabbit pellet is a very involved process... Something I am not used to. In the rat world, you basically have three "top" foods, Harlan, Oxbow, and Mazuri. People bicker about which formula in each brand is better, but really all three are WAY better options than most commercial rat mixes, so it's really an individual thing past that point.

Rabbit pellet is confusing. I started off with some plain Purina rabbit chow, and then they had this Fibre3 come out, and I switched MJ to that. It has a higher protein (17%) but because she is young I figured that would be fine. The fibre is between 20-25%, also good. It's an alfalfa based pellet. Now I'm wondering if when she gets older she will have to be on a different type of pellets. Ho hum. Rabbits.


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## ratmom (Jul 19, 2009)

*undergunfire wrote: *


> *ratmom wrote: *
> 
> 
> > *undergunfire wrote: *
> ...


Well that's your personal opinion & we'll just have to agree to disagree


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## ratmom (Jul 19, 2009)

*SunnyCait wrote: *


> Choosing the right rabbit pellet is a very involved process... Something I am not used to. In the rat world, you basically have three "top" foods, Harlan, Oxbow, and Mazuri. People bicker about which formula in each brand is better, but really all three are WAY better options than most commercial rat mixes, so it's really an individual thing past that point.


I know what you mean I wish I could make my own mix for the bunnies like I do for the rats. it would be so much easier lol.


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## Becknutt (Jul 22, 2009)

I use Purina blue bag, and I belive it is 16% protien and 21% fiber...


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## JimD (Jul 22, 2009)

Everybun at my place gets Kaytee Timothy Complete, except for Chippy.
Chippy gets Kaytee Supreme.


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## Kel4mum (Jul 23, 2009)

After reading this thread i have been left a little confused. I feed both of my rabbits Supreme Science Selective,it is 19% Fibre, 14% Protein and is Alfalfa. Is this ok? I also give my rabbits fresh veg everyday and they always have Hay. Is this ok?


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## tonyshuman (Jul 23, 2009)

It depends on how old they are, and how much of the pellet they eat. Younger bunnies are fine on a pellet like that, and I think an adult would be ok on it if they ate enough grass hay. Alfalfa pellets are ok for adults if they have 14% protein (usually they have more than that), and the rabbit is still getting enough protein. I previously mentioned an alfalfa pellet that is pretty good for adults that has 14% protein, 1.5% fat, and 25% fiber, called Purina Hi Fiber Lab Diet.

It seems that the most important thing is that your pellet has protein, fat, and fiber numbers of 14%, less than 2%, and 20+% respectively, for an adult. For young bunnies (under a year), it is different. For adults, I also don't think you should feed more than 1/4c per 5lb of bunny. I start my guys out at that amount and reduce the amount if they gain weight until we find a good balance.

So, if they eat hay (I'd say a handful a day is a good amount), and don't get more than 1/4c pellet per 5lb of bunny, that's a fine diet. Dwarf breeds may need more pellets as well because they are so hyper.

edit: I want to qualify this by saying I'm an Infirmary mod, not a Nutrition and Behavior mod, so my statements are based only on what I know from reading, from my own bunnies, and from the bunnies at the shelter. My guys get Oxbow BBT, except Muffin who gets half that and half Purina Hi Fiber Lab Diet (a recent change). Tony and Muffin are 4-5lb and each get a tablespoon a day (1/16 cup). Frida and Benjamin are 2-3lb and each get 1/8c a day (as dwarves).


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