# Pick Your Pellet...



## Carolyn (Nov 16, 2004)

What brand of pellets do you feed your rabbit(s)?

-Carolyn


----------



## pamnock (Nov 16, 2004)

Buckeye 16%


----------



## blossombunny (Nov 16, 2004)

oxbow pellets...Tracy


----------



## Fergi (Nov 16, 2004)

Purina complete 16%, supplemented with calf mana for the extra protein.

Fergi's mom


----------



## Gabby (Nov 16, 2004)

Blue seal bunny 16


----------



## rabbitgirl (Nov 16, 2004)

Purina standard rabbit chow


----------



## Buck Jones (Nov 17, 2004)

Purina Advanced Show Formula...blue bag.

Buck


----------



## Spiced77 (Nov 17, 2004)

martin brand.. but i dont have a whole lot of choices here


----------



## mygrl2k3 (Nov 17, 2004)

I use purina.. its in a green bag. My bunnieshave a much prettier coat and now that i am measuring out their foodLuv no longers has a dirty butt. I am feeding them 1/4 cup of pellets.is that enough? They are about 7 lbs i beleive.

Cristy


----------



## Brandy (Nov 17, 2004)

*Spiced77 wrote: *


> martin brand.. but i dont have a whole lot of choices here




Is Martin food not good? Thats what I feed Harley to ,,itsbetter than the Hartz crap,. thats the only other thing I canget!!


----------



## pamnock (Nov 17, 2004)

*lanna21974 wrote:*


> I *think* I recall someone posting that the larger breedsrequire less feed? I feed my bunnies an ounce of feed per pound of bodyweight....approximately 1/3 cup....but theyre netherland dwarfs....2 to3 lbs.
> 
> Lanna




Larger rabbits have a slower metabolism and require less feed per poundthan small rabbits. So, the "oz. per pound" ruleonly applies to the smaller breeds.

Pam


----------



## mygrl2k3 (Nov 17, 2004)

When refering to a smaller breed. Do you mean thedwarfs who weigh 2 to 3 lbs and mine who weigh about as much as a smallcat. There are so many sizes of Rabbits. I wouldnt call minesmall but not a big breed like the cute adorable Flemish Giants who arebigger than some dogs.

The bag says 1/4 for smaller breeds and 1/2 cup for larger breeds, is1/4 not enough?? I dont want to go from over feeding to underfeeding. 

Cristy


----------



## bluebird (Nov 17, 2004)

Purina,green bag,,my show rabbits also get sunflower seeds.bluebird


----------



## Jems (Nov 17, 2004)

My vet recommended Timothy pellets as opposed tothe alphafa(sp?) She said if I could not find them local to buy themonline at oxbow. 

No matter to them what I feed them. They know when it'stime.In the morning they get fed when the dogs do and atnight they get fed when the guina pig does. Even if theystill have food in thier dish they get all excited when they see mefeeding the other animals.


----------



## m.e. (Nov 17, 2004)

Oxbow Basics/T


----------



## u8myhouse (Nov 17, 2004)

Oxbow


----------



## bunsforlife (Nov 17, 2004)

I feed my buns Big Red Rabbits Choice since I havent been able to find Purina near me.


----------



## luna21 (Nov 17, 2004)

My bun eats Martin pellets!!


----------



## SunnieBunnie Rabbitry (Nov 17, 2004)

*I feed Purina Rabbit Chow (green bag). 1/2 cup per rabbit.*

*I used to feed Oxbow Bunny Basics/T, but at the supplier Iwas getting it from, it was costing me $39.95 for a 50 pound bag... WAYto expensive! That was one reason for switching to PurinaRabbit Chow... $10.40 for 50 pounds. I have noticed however,their condition has improved greatly being on Purina thanonOxbow. But that's just me.*


----------



## mygrl2k3 (Nov 17, 2004)

I pay 6.00 for a 10 lbs bag but i just dont thinktwo bunnies would go through 50 lbs of food fast enough. I know you canfreeze some but just not alot of freeze space either.

Cristy


----------



## SunnieBunnie Rabbitry (Nov 17, 2004)

*mygrl2k3 wrote: *


> Ipay 6.00 for a 10 lbs bag but i just dont think two bunnies would gothrough 50 lbs of food fast enough. I know you can freeze some but justnot alot of freeze space either.
> 
> Cristy


*For 1, 2, or even 3 bunnies it would be fine, no problem fora 10 pound bag to last a while... but I have 32 rabbits with 3 of them*hopefully pregnant*. 50 pounds of food lasts me a week atbest.*


----------



## MyBabyBunnies (Nov 17, 2004)

I just buy what the feed store in town has.:?No one around here sells anything but that and Hartz whichI refuse to feed because of high sugar content. The stuff does have theminimum requirements for rabbit nutrition though and it's the stuffthey have been fed since they started eating pellets at a few weeks oldso at least it's consistant and they like it.


----------



##  (Nov 17, 2004)

hi there 

i feed my 11 week old bummy 

supa rabbit excel junior and dwarf


----------



## Spiced77 (Nov 17, 2004)

brandy: i dont think martin is a bad brand, fromlooking at the ingredients etc.. i just wish that we had a largervariety up here. i'd like to try the oxbow, or purina brands! i knowpurina rabbit food isnt available at all up here, and i'm stillchecking around for oxbow but havent found it.


----------



## mambo101 (Nov 17, 2004)

I feed Stephie Kay-Tee Forti-diet pellets. She loves em.


----------



## Brandy (Nov 17, 2004)

you normally have to go through your vetto get Oxbow, the closest I can get here is an exotics vet in Quebec,but shipping is a killer!!


----------



## Paulo (Apr 7, 2005)

Im starting to feed my buns a Fori-Diet Kaytee bag, it only has the one colored pallet in, anyone know if its any good ?


----------



## bluevelvet (Apr 7, 2005)

I feed mine Hagen 16%


----------



## Jenniblu (Apr 7, 2005)

Purina Rabbit Chow in the green bag.


----------



## mambo101 (Apr 7, 2005)

Since my post in November, I have switched Stephie to the Oxbow Bunny Basics T. I can get Oxbow at the local pet store now.


----------



## DownEastFarMiniLops (Apr 7, 2005)

I feed my Blue Seal Bunny 16. Thatswhat I use for my show bunnies and almost everyone I know who can getit uses it. It's been fed to many GC'S buns that my friendhas, and I have been using it for 14 years. Its recommendedby many ARBA Judges inculding my Uncle. I have used Purina inthe green bag before, and I hate it, I makes my bunnies really sick.


----------



## ttrkyra (Apr 7, 2005)

When I raised rabbits, I gave them Purina.. (green bag..)

Now, since I only have one... Keehani gets whatever they have at the grocery store in the little 5 lbs bag... he he..

She doesn't mind, though... that girl'll eat ANYTHING!! lately it'sbeen the sides of her litterbox... hmph... I give her all these toysand toilet paper tubes... and she chews on her litter box... Ah well...


----------



## samandshawn (Apr 7, 2005)

I feed Burgess supa rabbit excel, they both love it


----------



## JimD (Apr 7, 2005)

*DownEastFarMiniLops wrote:*


> I have used Purina in the green bag before, and I hate it, Imakes my bunnies really sick.


That's kind of like saying Wonder Bread is a terrible product, becauseyou bought some that was moldy or stale, and it made you sick.

It sounds like you may have gotten some of their product that may have gone bad. 

Did you contact the facility that sold it to you? Improper storage orfreshness can be an issue. I have one small supplier in my area thatI'm really not to keen about, but it's close by. I only buy acessories(bottles, bowls, etc) because of the good prices. But he doesn't sell alarge ammount of pellets. In fact I marked a bag in the store about 6months ago and the bag is still there.

Did you contact Purina? They have one of the more extensive qualityassurance programs for retail products. They also have good customerservice policies.

We have been using Purina products as long as I can remember (more than14 years, but I won't say how many more  ). In fact Purina was one ofthe few retail manufactures of animal foods at that time.



Here's a link to the HRS data comparision of pellet foodhttp://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-4/pellet-info.html


----------



## cirrustwi (Apr 7, 2005)

My buns get Kaytee Timothy Complete.The ones who are still growing, get Mana Pro mixed with Mazuri (Iremove the seeds).

Jen


----------



## dajeti2 (Apr 7, 2005)

I am changing Apollo over to Purina inthe green bag from Big Red. It looks and smells better and he seems tolike it.

Tina

Paulo, that's fine.


----------



## Bramble Briar86 (Apr 7, 2005)

I feed our rabbits the Farm and Fleet brand, it's the best hting besides SmallWorld, and i personally don't like SmallWorld.

Ellie


----------



## SweetPeasMommie (Sep 13, 2005)

Right now MeatHead is eating Big Red with Manna Pro that Dan gave me.

I will be switching MeatHead to BlueSeal show hutch along with Mannapro once I order them and stock up for the winter this year. We aregoing to get hit and I want to prepare.


----------



## cirrustwi (Sep 13, 2005)

My buns food has changed. They all noweat a mix of Blue Seal Show Hutch Deluxe and Purina in the greenbag. But when the new TSC opens just down the street, we willswitch to Manna Pro if they don't carry Blue Seal because most of themin my area don't. On the advice of a few breeders, Sampson,Anissa and Delilah (Flemish), Corky (Flemish Mix) and Cedric (EnglishLop) get 1 Tbsp. of Calf Manna daily.

Jen


----------



## mambo101 (Sep 13, 2005)

I am feeding Dante' Blue Seal Bunny 16 rightnow. He loves it. I will probably switch him to Rabbit 15 when he getsa bit older. Many breeders seem to have high praise for the Blue Sealproducts. And it's very economical.


----------



## holland (Sep 13, 2005)

We feed our hollands Blue Bonnett 15% along witha conditioning mix* made up of calf mana, barley, oats, black oilsunflower seeds, and wheat germ oil. Our minis get 17% along withconditioning mix, and everyone gets a handful of hay per day, andconstant supply of fresh water.



*1 to 2 tsp. on top of the pellets


----------



## JBC (Sep 13, 2005)

Brandy,

Are any of these locations closer to you:

*The Canadian Pet Connection 
*_Servicing Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan_

1500 Upper Middle Rd West,
Unit 5B,
Oakville, Ontario 
L6M 3G3
Canada 
Phone: (866) 812-3430
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.canadianpetconnection.com

*Corico, Inc.
*_Servicing Quebec and Eastern Provinces
_
Succursale N.D.G
C.P. 306
Montreal, Quebec H4A 3P6
Canada 
Phone: 514-865-5328
Fax: 450-226-5355
Website: http://www.corico.ca

*Retail andVeterinarian Locations:*

*Global Pet Foods
*2019 Yonge St.
Toronto, Ontario M4S 2A2
Canada 
Phone: 416-487-6267

*Global Pet Foods
*314 Harwood Ave S.
Ajax, Ontario L1S 2J1
Canada 
Phone: 905-428-7387

*Calgary Avian &amp; Exotic Pet Clinic
*3118 - 17 Ave. SW
Calgary, Alberta T3E 0B2
Canada 
Phone: 403-240-3577

*Westhill Veterinary Clinic
*276 Stewart Green SW
Calgary, Alberta T3H 3C8
Canada
Phone: 403-242-9612

*Associated Veterinary Clinic
*4204 4th Street NW
Calgary, Alberta T2K 1A2
Canada
Phone: 403-277-0135

*Scenic Acres Veterinary Clinic
*126 - 8060 Silversprings Blvd 
Calgary, Alberta T3L 5K1
Canada
Phone: 403-286-6557

*Vancouver Rabbit Rescue &amp; Advocacy
*P.O. Box 45039, Dunbar R.P.O 
Vancouver, BC 
Canada 
Phone: 604-873-6709


Hope this helps ... I used to order them ... yes, costis definitely an issue and it took a couple of weeks for it to arrive.I found a Vet Hospital/Clinic close by, but now I can purchase themfrom area Pet Food Express stores.

My bun loves the Bunny Basic/T ... truth be told he just loves to eat. LOL


----------



## Bunnybarn123 (Sep 13, 2005)

Purina Show Advanced Nutrition-Blue Bag, used touse regular green bag Purina rabbit chow. My rabbits just struggled tokeep condition on it. No problems since the switch.

Pam


----------



## naturestee (Sep 14, 2005)

Oxbow Bunny Basics/T. I loveit. The new girls are eating mostly Small World which isawful. Don't ever buy this stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Lynda (Sep 14, 2005)

Oxbow Bunny Basics/T for me!


----------



## lucylocket (Sep 14, 2005)

lucy has supa rabbit excel light as she is trying to shed the pounds 

varna xxxx


----------



## Nicky Snow (Sep 14, 2005)

Kweli get Nutriphase pellets, and Rue is being weaned off Bonanza and onto Nutriphase.


----------



## Snuggys Mom (Sep 14, 2005)

Oxbow/T for us, too! Great stuff.

Laura


----------



##  (Dec 16, 2005)

:bunnydance:bump for Flops and Wills


----------



## SweetPeasMommie (Dec 16, 2005)

MeatHead is off of Big Red. Big Red really makeshis urine and poop smell extreamly bad. Ever since he has been eatingBlue Seal Show Hutch his poop and urine does not smell at all. WE onlysmell his night poops which is normal.


----------



## Pet_Bunny (Dec 16, 2005)

*JBC wrote: *


> *Retail andVeterinarian Locations:*
> 
> *Calgary Avian &amp; Exotic Pet Clinic
> *3118 - 17 Ave. SW
> ...




The above places in CalgarycarryOxbow. I recently got Bunny Basic/T fromthere as Edmonton doesn't have any. It's a 3 hour driveoneway.

Rainbows! :?


----------



## Carolyn (Dec 16, 2005)

gypsy wrote:


> :bunnydance:?bump for Flops and Wills


----------



## cirrustwi (Dec 17, 2005)

My babies food has changed again. Theyare eating a 50/50 mix of Blue Seal Show Hutch Deluxe and MannaPro. I can get Manna Pro much easier in my area, but I likethe nutrition in the Blue Seal much better. My larger rabbitsget Calf Manna daily.

Jen


----------



## FlopsnWills (Dec 17, 2005)

thank you so much gypsy and carolyni really appreciate it! ive been wondering what themajority out there really was when it came to pellets and i can now seethat it really is mixed up!! the reason im switching from the purinagreen bag to oxbow is because i always have to order ahead for thepurina at the feed store and if i switch to oxbow, it will be moreexpensive but i can just order it online. (i know, im horribly lazy!)thanks again!!

carolyn and gypsy.. what do you feed??


----------



## slavetoabunny (Dec 17, 2005)

Sparky and Scooter eat American Pet Diner Timothy Pellets.


----------



##  (Dec 17, 2005)

*FlopsnWills wrote:*


> thank you so much gypsy and carolyn i reallyappreciate it! ive been wondering what the majority out there reallywas when it came to pellets and i can now see that it really is mixedup!! the reason im switching from the purina green bag to oxbow isbecause i always have to order ahead for the purina at the feed storeand if i switch to oxbow, it will be more expensive but i can justorder it online. (i know, im horribly lazy!) thanks again!!
> 
> carolyn and gypsy.. what do you feed??


I feed Heinhold 16/18 to my crew , its a bitmore expensive as it only comes in # 40lb bags , where as most other feeds come in # 50's . I payfor # 40 what most pay for #50 , but theresults are remarkable . 

My Rabbits keep condition , and only gainwhat fat is needed nothing more. I coulddo comparison photos of one particular rabbit butwill spare everyone that , If you want tosee the amazing difference it makes Go totheTank Train thread and Look at Tank beforeshe came here , then Go to my home thread and seethe picture of her I posted today . She has gone from Fat to Stocky andin supurb condition . 

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=10423&amp;forum_id=1

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=9422&amp;forum_id=1&amp;page=16


----------



## FreddysMom (Dec 18, 2005)

The two spoiled brats over here get Oxbow BunnyBasics/T ... The only pellet, the pet store we got them from would selland the only pellet, my vet vocally recommends.

I remember the first time I went to the vet with Freddy, I couldntremember the name of the pellet when she had asked...not that the vetfreaked out, but nicely stressed to stay away from Kaytee Bonanza andanything that looked like it LOL


----------



## doodle (Dec 18, 2005)

All the feed stores around here carry the samekind of rabbit feed because it's manufactured here. It'scalled Prime Quality and is a "grower" formula because the market isfor breeders, not pets. There are a few other brands, butthey have even higher protein. This one is 16% minimumprotein and 16-18% fiber. 

Wish I could at least get Purina Rabbit Chow, but nobody has it. 

There are the pet store brands like Kaytee, but it costs about 5 timesmore. I've thought about switching to Oxbow or something thatI would have to order online (and would cost like 8 times more), but Idon't know if it's worth it. What do you all think?

Some of you mentioned better ingredients - what are things to look for?


----------



## FreddysMom (Dec 18, 2005)

*doodle wrote:*


> All the feed stores around here carry the same kind ofrabbit feed because it's manufactured here. It's called PrimeQuality and is a "grower" formula because the market is for breeders,not pets. There are a few other brands, but they have evenhigher protein. This one is 16% minimum protein and 16-18%fiber.
> 
> Wish I could at least get Purina Rabbit Chow, but nobody has it.
> 
> ...



Doodle, 

here are a list of the %'s on OxBow's ingredients..so if you wanted tosearch for something you have something to compare by. Besides justbeing comparable in ingredients i would make sure that if the pelletyou are buying, especially if they are a small independent company, arefresh. Not to the fault of the pellet, but some stores dont changetheir stock out until almost all is gone. So I would just besure tocheck that in addition.

Oxbow bunny basics/T

Crude Protein (min) 14%

Crude fat (min) 1.5%

Crude Fiber (min) 25%

Crude Fiber (max) 29%

Moisture (max) 10%

Calcium (min) 0.35%

Calcium (max) 0.85 %

Phosphorus (min) 0.25%

Salt (min) 0.50%

Salt (max) 1%

Vitamin A IU/kg 20,000

Vitamin D IU/kg 880

Vitamin E IU/kg 140

Copper mg/kg 20


oh oh and here are the ingredients list:

Timothy grass meal, soybean hulls, wheat middlings, soybean meal, canemolasses, salt, limestone, yeast culture, vitamin a acetate, vitamin d3supplement, vitamine supplement (tocopherol), vitamin csupplement (abscorbic acid), collodal silica, menadionesodiumbisulphate complex (vitamin K), riboflavin, niacin supplement, vitaminb12 supplement, pantothenic acid, biotin, thiamine, choline chloride,DL-methionine, pyrodoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, sodium selenite,magnesium sulfate, ferrous sulfate, cobalt carbonate, manganese oxide,zinc oxide, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, mineral oil, calciumiodate,potassium chloride.


----------



## SweetPeasMommie (Dec 18, 2005)

*FreddysMom wrote:*


> *doodle wrote: *
> 
> 
> > All the feedstores around here carry the same kind of rabbit feed because it'smanufactured here. It's called Prime Quality and is a"grower" formula because the market is for breeders, notpets. There are a few other brands, but they have even higherprotein. This one is 16% minimum protein and 16-18%fiber.
> ...


Holy crap Freddy the ingredience is similar to Blue Seal forrabbits and guinea pigs. The only differnce is that guinea pigs are abit lesser than buns.


----------



## ratmom (Dec 19, 2005)

I actually use hartz now, I use to use thepurina until I found bugs in the last half of the bag and I had it in acontainer. I figured that it was way too much for one bun tobe storing. Plus one of the feed stores closed down thatcarried it and the other feed store never has it in. Is hartzbad? I did compare the ingredients and they looked the sameto me, I like that it had the good bacteria in it and it was a smallerbag


----------



## peapoo_bunny (Dec 19, 2005)

i use vitakraft...ive tried others, but my bunnywon't eat anything else. i recently tried purina and she stopped eatingcompletely and lost a few pounds.


----------



## FlopsnWills (Dec 19, 2005)

ive heard hartz is actually one of the worstbrands out there, someone correct me if im wrong. when i checked it outa few years ago with my first bun, i saw that it had meat in it, whichis disgusting! does it have all that colorful stuff in it like thedried carrots and seeds? if so, those are very unhealthy for buns andjust causes obesity. im surprised your purina had bugs in it, it musthave been the feed store you got it from because they're a very highquality pellet. i was thinking about switching from purina to oxbow,but shipping is a KILLER! i think my boys are going to stick to purina,i am however switching them from the green bag to the complete plus,with the higher fiber.

kim, im sending you a pm.

gypsy- tank is a BEAUTY! wow shes really gorgeous, and im in love with that dewlap.


----------



## bunnydude (Dec 19, 2005)

I feed Devon and Amber Oxbow Bunny Basics T. Itwas reccomended by our vet because of its high fiber, and the bunnieslove it too.


----------



## ariel (Dec 20, 2005)

We use CopRice here, it's a local feed, our bunnies are thriving on it.

Crude Protein 18%
Crude Fibre 15%
Crude Fat 3%
Calcium 1%
Max salt 0.60%
MIn Phosophorus 0.70%

we now buy it in 40KG bags.


----------



## Bunnys_rule63 (Dec 20, 2005)

My two eat supa rabbit excel light, it helps Ruby on her diet and it has higher fibre than normal supa rabbit excel.


----------



## KatsMeowTree (Dec 20, 2005)

I use Nutrena and I would strongly back it whenasked. We get much better results than any other feed we've usedbefore. Put it this way, I tracked every one of my rabbits from aswitch from Blue Seal to Pen Pals. There was an improvement. And then Iswitched from Pen Pals to Nutrena and WHOA! Big difference! 

Just My Opinion

Kat


----------



## ratmom (Dec 21, 2005)

*FlopsnWills wrote:*


> ive heard hartz is actually one of the worst brands outthere, someone correct me if im wrong. when i checked it out a fewyears ago with my first bun, i saw that it had meat in it, which isdisgusting! does it have all that colorful stuff in it like the driedcarrots and seeds?


The one we buy is just pellets the Original Recipe no meat in it Iwould never buy anything with meat in it, meatisbadFor buns and people I always checkthe ingredients on everything, and when I compared hartz and purina italmost had about the same ingredients in it. Maybe I shouldfind another pellet, it's just hard having one bun and I can't buy agiant bag he doesn't go through it that fast. Unless I can freeze itdoes anyone know if I could do that?


----------



## babbs (Dec 21, 2005)

Does anyone have any opinions on Dumor Showformula? I got my first show bun this past weekend and would love tokeep her on the feed she was on but the nearset vendor is 1 1/2 hoursaway. So I am going to be gradually switching her oversoon. She is a broken blue tort AFL!


----------



## JimD (Dec 21, 2005)

*ratmom wrote:*


> *FlopsnWills wrote: *
> 
> 
> > ive heardhartz is actually one of the worst brands out there, someone correct meif im wrong. when i checked it out a few years ago with my first bun, isaw that it had meat in it, which is disgusting! does it have all thatcolorful stuff in it like the dried carrots and seeds?
> ...



Hartz no longer includes meat or animal by-products in their rabbitfood. At one time they did and I have heard of people getting oldoutdated stock that should have been pulled from the shelves. I alwayscheck for freshness/manufacture date marks.

ratmom* wrote: *


> Unless I can freeze it does anyone know if I could do that?


Yes, you can freeze pellets. I use Purina, but go through a 25# bag inabout 2 weeks...so I really don't have to worry to much about it goingbad before I use it.


----------



## ratmom (Dec 22, 2005)

I'm going to see if I can find that purina againfor him then and just freeze it, because I really liked thatfood. His hartz is almost gone so I will still have to buyanother bag to slowly switch him back to purina again. Thanks for yourhelp


----------



## jyrenze (Dec 22, 2005)

I use Hagen. Its the only rabbit pellet thatswidely available where I am. Others are either the no brand, cheapvariety packed in plastic bags or the super expensive imported type.


----------



## nikodee713 (Dec 24, 2005)

I fed my show netherlands Martins for years withgreat results. I just bought some breeding stock(I haven't had bunssince 2001) and they are being fed pellets from Co-op and Peavy Mart.OK if you're raising meat rabbits,but I can't wait to get themMartins(or something better!) I like the fact that the Martins pelletsare extruded. My problem is the only two plces that might sell 10kgbags or bigger are 2-3 hrs away..........


----------



## bunnydude (Jan 9, 2006)

*bump* for petkeeper


----------



## Tx_BunnyMoM (Jan 10, 2006)

I feed my Rabbits Purina Show in the Big BlueBag, it cost $10.50 for a 50 lbs bagand my 3 Show DwarfHotots have been on Petrus since they were little so they get that. andI get it from a lady here in Tx and it cost for a 50 lbs $9.20 and Igot the bag I am on now in Nov 05 and I still have a half bag I feedall my Rabbits a 1/4 cup a day and lots of hay.

Shawnda


----------



## bunnydude (Jan 22, 2006)

*bump* for Dutches_Rock


----------



## HollynRabbits (Feb 14, 2006)

I feed mine Small World Rabbit Pellets.... is that a good or bad brad...


----------



## thor (Feb 14, 2006)

bunny gets "Pet Valu" pellets, and she has no problem eating them.


----------



## Boricua_bunny (Feb 15, 2006)

*HollynRabbits wrote: *


> I feed mine Small World Rabbit Pellets.... is that a good or bad brad...


 I think that Small World Rabbit Pellets is not a very good brand. I used to buy that for my rabbit because it was cheap, but then I realized that he wasn't getting all of the nutrients that he needed. Try looking around to see if you can buy Purina Rabbit Chow or Oxbow Bunny Basics. Those two are very good brands.

~Josh


----------



## bojay (Feb 15, 2006)

I'm sorry I haven't been able to read through all the responses, has anyone mentioned *Manna Pro*? (Or Manna Gro, Manna Sho).

My rabbits absolutely LOVE IT! So much less waste.


----------



## TinysMom (Feb 15, 2006)

*HollynRabbits wrote: *


> I feed mine Small World Rabbit Pellets.... is that a good or bad brad...


 I mix Small World w/ another brand....its made by Manna Pro and if you read the list of ingredients....well...its better than others I've seen.

Peg


----------



## naturestee (Feb 16, 2006)

*Boricua_bunny wrote: *


> *HollynRabbits wrote: *
> 
> 
> > I feed mine Small World Rabbit Pellets.... is that a good or bad brad...
> ...


 
I've had major issues with it, and I know several others on the forum had bad experiences too. When I got Fey and Sprite, all they were being given was Small World Animal Pellets. They had very large, soft, icky poops that took a long time to fix. My vet did a fecal test and said they didn't have parasites or an infection, it was just from the food.

I love Oxbow, but if you can't get that can you get to a feed store? Most brands that are marketed for show and breeding rabbits are pretty good, if high in protein and calories. I've heard Manna Pro's other pellets- the ones actually called Manna Pro- are good, same with Blue Seal, Purina, etc. If you can, go for high-fiber "maintenance" pellets that have less protein. Unless you're breeding, of course.

If you can't find one good brand of pellet, you can do what Tinysmom does which is mix brands. Sometimes our choices are limited by our location, and ordering pellets online is usually way more expensive than buying the same brand in a store- I've checked.


----------



## doodle (Feb 16, 2006)

Is Small World a Wal-Mart brand? Is it made by Manna Pro? I'm wondering because my foster rabbit is on a brand made by Manna Pro that came from Wal-Mart (it came with him when I took him in). I already poored the pellets into a container and threw away the bag, so I can't remember the name of them. 

Sure wish I could get Purina Rabbit Chow here. I'd love to get Oxbow, but it's a fortune to order it online.


----------



## TinysMom (Feb 16, 2006)

*naturestee wrote: *


> If you can't find one good brand of pellet, you can do what Tinysmom does which is mix brands. Sometimes our choices are limited by our location, and ordering pellets online is usually way more expensive than buying the same brand in a store- I've checked.


 Tiny's Mom mixes pellets because using onebrand of rabbit food killed her rabbits when she got a bad batch. I was so mad too because I had switched to that brand a couple of months earlier thinking "it's a national brand....I ought to use it". 

The same night that another breeder and I diagnosed the problem as being the food - another lionhead breeder in a completely different area of the country said, "Hey...is anyone having problems with ___? We've lost TEN juniors..". 

I felt like saying, "Get in line buddy.....I've lost 3X time that in babies and a buck."

Since then....two other breeders that I know of have lost babies too.

SOOOO......TinysMom is now PARANOID! onder: She will never again feed only one brand of food....

BTW - we think what saved my rabbits was the fact that I mixed calf mana, sunflower seeds, oat groats and I forget what else right off....into my food. I think barley. 

I came close to losing all of my bucks...and my does were having stillborn babies or unable to nurse.

Peg

P.S. I'm not saying that one brand is good and one brand isn't - ok? I'm just saying that after my experience - because I feed so many rabbits (I go through over 150 pounds of food per week - and that's just the basic pellets - not counting calf mana and other stuff)....I won't use only one brand ever again.


----------



## LessThanAnNa (Feb 16, 2006)

I don't know how I managed to neglect researching pellets, when I was doing all the reading up on rabbits, before getting one. I read all kinds of things on care, housing, behaviour, and even diet.. but it somehow never clicked in that I should look into different pellets and brands ahead of time. So, on the morning that we were going to pick up our bunny at the shelter, (the end of last month) there I was standing at the petstore, reading the ingredients and descriptions of different kinds of pellets, and picking up some hay, a large water bottle, and somem toys for my birdies. I ended up going with Martin's, and Moo Shoo loves it.


----------



## tailof2rabbits (Feb 17, 2006)

I use Hagen. Is this a good brand? It's the only one readily available that isn't crumbly. The fiber and protein are up to standard but it's alfalfa-based and "suitable for dwarf rabbits" which my rabbits are definitely not.I have options: Sluis / Puik / VitaKraft rabbit mixes but I'd rather stay off the multi-colored, tutti-frutti stuff. It gives Marbles diarrhea.


----------



## JimD (Feb 17, 2006)

*LessThanAnNa wrote: *


> I don't know how I managed to neglect researching pellets, when I was doing all the reading up on rabbits, before getting one. I read all kinds of things on care, housing, behaviour, and even diet.. but it somehow never clicked in that I should look into different pellets and brands ahead of time. So, on the morning that we were going to pick up our bunny at the shelter, (the end of last month) there I was standing at the petstore, reading the ingredients and descriptions of different kinds of pellets, and picking up some hay, a large water bottle, and somem toys for my birdies. I ended up going with Martin's, and Moo Shoo loves it.


 
Hi LTAN! Welcome to the forum!!!

First, I just wanted to say the we also have a female bunnie named MooShu (a bit different on the spelling). How did you pick the name? We got it from the movie "Mulan".

I try not to get too involved in this topic, because there are soooooo many different pellets and even more opinions.

Availability is a big factor as well,taking in the consideration that this is a world-wide forum.

If I could afford Oxbow I would use it. I have 8 bunnies and the cost is just too much. 

I use Purina Rabbit Chow Complete Blend (green bag). I buy it in 25 lb bags that last appox 2 weeks. I'm aware of the incident with contaminated product, however that can (and has) happen to any manufacturer. Even the Hubble Space Telescope got messed up....remember? Don't get me wrong...I'm not saying to throw caution to the wind. I'm putting a lot of trust in Purina's quality control. They took care of the problem and I'm sure hoping they are being more vigilant in the inspection and control in order to avoid the same problem again. I really don't want to get into any debate over this and my intention is not to prompt one, either.

For one of my buns I use KayTee Timothy Complete. She's are oldest at about 3+ years. She has a problem getting soft poops from high protein pellets. I must say that I'm very satisfied with their pellets. Cost is also a factor here or I would buy it for the rest of my herd. I pay $7.50 for 25lbs of Purina. The KayTee costs $8.50 for 10lbs. 

Iuse KayTee timothy hay and buy it in the 6lbs mini bales.

My suggestion is to get the analysis of Oxbow and try to buy a pellet that is as close as possible. I found that the KayTee Timothy Compltet is actually 1% lower in protein and this was an important factor when we had to switch S'more over from Purina.


~Jim


----------



## Krissa (Feb 17, 2006)

Kaytee Timothy Complete cause Merry cant take anything with alfalfa, so Kaytee is the only non-alfalfa that my Petsmart carries.


----------



## LessThanAnNa (Feb 18, 2006)

Hi Jim! Moo Shoo actually already came with that name when we adopted him, and I loved it so we kept it. I think the spelling the shelter had was like yours, but I changed that part because I liked the double O's. Our Moo Shoo is a male tortoiseshell Rex, and he's about one. I'd love to hear more about your Moo Shu! Everyone seems to love the name, I've seen it in various places. I thought it was from Mulan, but wasn't sure. A random whale on Futurama was also called Moo Shoo. Heh. It's a great name, and really suits my bun. He's rambunctious, friendly, and extremely silly. Nice to meet you and yours.


----------



## FlopsnWills (Feb 18, 2006)

i feed my boys purina rabbit chow in the green bag.. but i was wondering if i should switch to kaytee timothy complete. the only thing holding me back is i heard one of the preservatives they use (Ethoxyquin), is actually a carcinogenic. has anyone else heard anything about this? i would use oxbow but i don't have any dealers near me and shipping is a small fortune.


----------



## Tatum (Feb 18, 2006)

Before I got on this, I went to the medical site and posted that i just went out and found one of my three minilops dead! I came to the conclusion that it was the food. Looking through the pellets left in the dish, i found a piec or two that was grayish in color so it looks like mold. I assume this was the cause of death...tears....

I also have 5 indoor rabbits and all seem fine. I was at the bottom of the old bag which lasts me oh.. about 5 weeks so it wasn't old. 

I saw no one listed my brand of pellets, which is "Tradition". I have used these for over 8 years now with no problem. They always smell so sweet and fresh.Guess maybe i will switch to Purina? 

Has anyone lost a rabbit due to mold? i am going to email the company about it, any other suggestions? 

Thanks in advance...sad day..very sad day..


----------



## VNess2010 (Feb 18, 2006)

Oxbow Basics/T


----------



## tclarkpprr (Feb 18, 2006)

I have just switched from something called LM that she was being fed at the pet store to Oxbow's Bunny Basics T.


----------



## Akkatia (Feb 19, 2006)

I use Purina show formula, and sometimes use breeder formula for my Dutches. I give them two ounces of food twice a day.


----------



## bunnylover78642 (Feb 19, 2006)

Either something called Blue Rabbit (I think... something like that) or Kaytee. I pretty much have to buy something that is sold at either Walmart, HEB, Target, or Georgetown Farm Supply (where I get Blue Rabbit and the usually have other brands that are better).


----------



## tclarkpprr (Feb 19, 2006)

Kaytee has a preservative in it that has been found harmful to birds and I lost a few hamsters that were on Kaytee. I don't know if they use it for the bunny food but they probably do so you might want to read into it more in depth. This is new news to me as well but I will pass along some links if you like.

Kaytee's defense: http://www.kaytee.com/ask_the_experts/faq/paragraph 5.

Comment about the toxic claims: http://www.parrothouse.com/ethox.html


----------



## bunnylover78642 (Feb 19, 2006)

Thanks for the info.. I will look into it. I guess I am going to have to stop buying from Walmart, HEB, or Target since thats all they sell here!!


----------



## tclarkpprr (Feb 19, 2006)

Maybe you have a feed store or petstore around? I order my oxbow online at the rabbitstop.com now but not everyone is able to do that.


----------



## peapoo_bunny (Feb 19, 2006)

i was just wondering what everybody thought about fiesta rabbit pellets?onder:


----------



## tclarkpprr (Feb 19, 2006)

Isn't Fiesta a Kaytee brand?


----------



## FlopsnWills (Feb 19, 2006)

thanks for that link about the preservative.. i think i'll stick to purina's green bag for my boys. i got them the complete plus once, with more fiber.. and it was a lot older than the green bags i usually get. just because that preservative is ok'ed by the FDA, does not mean it's ok for them!

peapoo- fiesta is pretty bad for them.. it has all the bad crap in there possible.


----------



## tclarkpprr (Feb 19, 2006)

No problem. I like to give both sides so everyone can make their own choice but yeah I always have to roll my eyes when I see that something is FDA approved...big woopty doooo.


----------



## naturestee (Feb 20, 2006)

Kaytee Fiesta? The stuff with all the extra junk in it? The extra stuff in there is sugary treats- more than I would feed my buns on a daily basis. Plain pellets are best.


----------



## peapoo_bunny (Feb 28, 2006)

i havent seen any purina food yet, but what about just plain hartz?


----------



## sharky1 (Oct 22, 2007)

:?



Kaytee supreme??? that is what the bunny was feed 



thoughts on Zupreem??? by reading the bag it sounds great ...



:shock:Mom Keeps saying she doesnt want him... it has been 24 hours... adjustment time?? 7-10 days??


----------



## AngelnSnuffy (Oct 22, 2007)

Whoa, you dug this sucker up.

We actually had someone ask the other day about Zupreem, and it looks pretty good.

Your mom doesn't want the bunny? Adjustment can take up to a couple months. Buns don't like change at all, so they're adjustment time varies and can take awhile. 

I didn't see a thread on your new bun:?. *rushes off to find it*


----------



## tonyshuman (Oct 22, 2007)

oxbow bunny basics T!


----------



## tonyshuman (Oct 22, 2007)

*sharky1 wrote: *


> :shock:Mom Keeps saying she doesnt want him... it has been 24 hours... adjustment time?? 7-10 days??


adjustment time like 2weeks! and a bunny isn't going to be as affectionate as a cat. hang in there!


----------



## Benjamin08 (Mar 7, 2012)

I read one post in this thread of a member feeding Nutrena NatureWise. Does anyone else feed if or have heard of it? Everyone in the 4-H rabbit show circuit fed it including me. 
Would like any thoughts please. I can not find the ingredients or G/A online, but I have the bag.


----------



## CantDutchThis (Mar 7, 2012)

I feel Martins timothy. I have some generic walmart brand junk that I picked up in a pinch and Im switching Stew off it shortly to the martin. Heard good things about it. If not, the barn I work in orders purina rabbit food for the rabbit in the barn and I can get it ordered if I'm not happy.


----------

