Rabbit & Guinea pig food?

Hi,

I'm not a 100% sure about this so that's why I'm asking for your professional advice and knowledge!

My aunty owns a rabbit and guinea-pigs and they are now separate due to fighting. Anyway the rabbit is used to eating guinea-pig pellets (burgess excel) because he used to live with them. He doesn't like any other rabbit related food!:shock:

So it is a worry if he eats guinea-pig foods or not? What should my aunty be aware of?

Or is there any food brand that is designed for rabbits and guinea-pigs?

Thanks

The difference I think is the vitamin C so the rabbit should really be on rabbit food.

I would get rabbit pellets.
Rabbits and guinea pigs are very different animals originating from practically different ends of the world and thus they eat different foods.

There are some 'rabbit and guinea pig' types but I think you are better to get seperate food as each will be specifically designed for each animal.

Hello there

I used to have a rabbit and guinea pig, who both ate Burgess Excel Guinea Pig food. Our vet told us this was fine and that in fact both the rabbit and guinea pig Burgess pellets had the same ingredients, apart from the vitamin C. We never had any (food related) problems and my bunny lived to be nearly 7. I've never compared the ingredient list though and this is just our personal experience. On Wednesday we're getting our new rescue bun and she is on SS which we will continue with.

Guinea pig food is often lower in fibre than rabbit food. Rabbits need a high fibre diet.

I am sure the rabbit will adjust to a proper Rabbit Pellet if they are introduced gradually, over a 10 - 14 day period. Remember his diet should be 90% hay anyway so only a small amount (about an eggcup full) of pellets should be fed daily.

Just wondering if rabbits and guinea pigs are so different - why they both eat mostly hay and veg? Not that different surely?

While my rabbit and guinea will be split up at the end of May/beginning of June to live with their own kind, respectively, they've lived together for around 3 years quite happily. Both in the best of health and fed on hay, veg and guinea Excel.

Why 90% hay?

Just to be awkward.

I know it is true but why does everyone say buns must have a 90% hay diet. I have never seen hay in a field for wild buns to eat?

Ours have 75g pellets each each day. Big bundle of hay. graze grass for a few hours each day and leaf of spring green, half carrot each, chunk parsnip and sprouts when can get hold of them.

They are a constant healthy weight and never have health issues but are prob far from a 90% ratio diet.

Just wondered where the hay came from? Is it cause you shouldnt give fresh cut grass so for convience it has to be dried?

Troublesome Two said:

Just to be awkward.

I know it is true but why does everyone say buns must have a 90% hay diet. I have never seen hay in a field for wild buns to eat?

Ours have 75g pellets each each day. Big bundle of hay. graze grass for a few hours each day and leaf of spring green, half carrot each, chunk parsnip and sprouts when can get hold of them.

They are a constant healthy weight and never have health issues but are prob far from a 90% ratio diet.

Just wondered where the hay came from? Is it cause you shouldnt give fresh cut grass so for convience it has to be dried?

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Rabbits in the wild graze on loads of grass mainly 90% of their diet will be grass and they will have access to hay in fields(i have seen hay fields) and other such forage and veg from gardens etc but not one wild bunny will have access to pellets so this is why they do not need them in their diet.
Hay makes up for the grass some bunnies cannot get to and it helps keep their digestive system in track and also helps with the wearing of their teeth.

It is a vital part of a domestic bunnies diet so therefore 90% of a bunnies diet should consist of hay (and grass if avilable)

I know theres a more informative explanation but its really late and i need bed :lol: Hope someone else comes along and explains better :lol::lol:

totally makes sense.....

like said being awkward.... for some bizarre reason it never crossed my mind that wild buns dont go out and spend their pocket money on pellets!!

i`m probably wrong but i feel buns don`t need pellets at all just grass and hay.:wave: i think pellets have been invented by the pet trade to spend money.

wild rabbits feed on a wide variety of plants so they receive the nutrients they need. This is hard to create with domestic rabbits, and most people can't be bothered with it. This is why pellets were invented, to fill the gaps owners leave in the rabbit's diet, like essential minerals, vitamins etc. Unless you are really clued up with a rabbit's diet and needs, then I say that pellets are vital to a rabbit.

LionheadLuver said:

wild rabbits feed on a wide variety of plants so they receive the nutrients they need. This is hard to create with domestic rabbits, and most people can't be bothered with it. This is why pellets were invented, to fill the gaps owners leave in the rabbit's diet, like essential minerals, vitamins etc. Unless you are really clued up with a rabbit's diet and needs, then I say that pellets are vital to a rabbit.

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Yeh i suppose but my bunnies (millie and Thumper) tend to gain a little more weight in summer on pellets because they get really hot and dont run about so they just get a variety of veg/herbs/fruit and variety of hay in summer and the same plus a minimum amount of pellets in Winter

Its really whats best for the individual bunny:wave:

Mine get less pellets then the recommended on the packet amount, but probably more then an eggcup.

they get a good variety of veg, and hay all day too. I think the pellets are the least important part of their diet - but they do supply all their basic levels of nutrients, so cover whatever I miss with the hay and veg and fruit.

Now that i think about it more, although my bunnies do get bunny pellets, they've broken into the guinea pig run a few times, and really like their pellets too - poor piggies

I have to say I agree with luluhound and I also don't feed any pellets at all and both my buns are generally in good health (well as far as rescue rabbits can be having had a questionable start in life which obviously predisposes to long-term health care) and both maintain a steady weight.
However, I also agree with the post below luluhound's that describes the complexity and expense of maintaining this diet. We feed a variety of hays, the bulk of which is organically gown timothy and meadow with a huge variety of wild grasses in it, a big variety of dried and fresh herbs, flowers etc and spend a fortune on veg each week and grow our own - it isn't cheap to do, so I can understand why a small eggcup full of pellets ideally fills this nutritional hole instead.
We simply fazed them out completely follwing chronic dietary exacerbated health issues in both our rescue buns, such as molar spurs (due to a fractured jaw in infancy) and recurrent bloat/stasis in one, and a chronic dysbiosis and mucky bum in the other. Both have thrived over the last couple of years on a hay and veg only diet, but it is time consuming and expensive, but worth it in my mind I do agree that the more natural the diet you can provide that mimics a wild one, the better for long-term health benefits.