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pellets or course mix

F

funnybunnyabc

Warren Veteran
Hello:wave:

I've done lots of research on what you can feed rabbits and what you can't but i still can't make up my mind what type of food to use and i was just wondering if someone could steer me in the right direction :D

I dont have a bunny yet but i'm getting a mini lop mid june :D:D:D
any replies well appriciated :)
 
Definatly pellets! With the muesli type mixtures buns tend to pick and choose the bits that they like the best (usually the unhealthy bits!) so end up not getting their nutritional requirements. Pellets are pure goodness with none of the bad stuff in.
Also incase you dont already know, you will only need to give your buns the equivalent of about an egg cup full per day, then the rest of their diet will need to be mostly (about 80%) good quality hay and a few veggies :)
Good luck with your new bun, you must be very excited! You've come to the right place here, so if you have any questions atall dont hesitate to ask :wave:
 
thank you thats verry helpful and thanks for giving me some info on how much too feed
i know where to come if i have a question :):)
 
There are 2 reasons people choose pellets as the best type of food to feed their rabbits:

Most rabbits fed on a mix do not eat it all and pick and choose what they eat therfore they do not get all the nutrients and fibre that they should be getting. It is usually the bits which are highest in fibre that they leave.

The best dry food to feed a rabbit is that which is highest in fibre. If you look at the fibre content of many dried foods you will notice that the ones which are highest in fibre are the pelleted ones. Obviously rabbits who dont eat all of their museli type mix get an even lower amount of fibre than what the package says it contains.
 
I think the muesli is nice for them as it gives them a chance to show their natural foraging instinct (finding the bits they want to eat first), I've never found my rabbits have fed selectively. If you're only giving them a small amount I don't see why they would. It also tends to be cheaper (when the vitamin levels etc are roughly equal).

However, I do mix the muesli with a pellet just to ensure they're both getting what they need. I personally prefer doing it this way and I don't think I'd go back to feeding them pellets only.

RE: the fibre issue mentioned above, most of their fibre comes from hay so I don't see that as such an issue.
 
My bunny LOVES the pellets so much more than muesli.
Although he wont touch wagg, but he loves burgess excel.

Lops are prone to dental problems (mine has bad teethers), so make sure you do some research on what to look out for and how to prevent it (wood to chew on and that) xx
 
One thing I forgot to mention, and I'm not sure if you know.
When you get the rabbit you have to introduce whatever food you plan to feed it over about 10 days, make sure you get some of the food it's on at the moment to start off with to avoid any problems.
 
I have several Rabbits who cannot tolerate pelleted feed and it causes all sorts of GI issues even when fed in tiny amounts. As my Rabbit's are all fed a mainly hay/dried grass/veg diet I am comfortable with feeding them a small amount of mix a day.

I think in the main a pelleted feed should be recommended rather than a mix, but there is no 'one size fits all' for Rabbits and you have to find out what suits each individual Rabbit the best. Really encouraging a diet that is just hay (different varieties) grass (fresh and dried) and a variety of Veg would obviate the need to feed a concentrate at all xx
 
I only feed mix, I also think if they get a small amount they aren't going to selectively feed much, and if it is correct that rabbits can like without a concentrate, but purely on hay and veg- surely it doesn't even matter if they select out thier favourite bits.
 
I think in the quantities you are supposed to feed it doesnt really matter, a full bowl of mix might create problems as they sometimes put high-sugar low-nutrition foods in there. But if you stick to the egg cup full that others have recommended (ignore the measures on the bag I used to use them and waaay overfed :oops:), and base their diet on good quality hay and veg (which is more important anyway), it doesnt really matter :).

My bun Zero had problems with excess caecotrophs, but since moving to Science Selective he's been much better.

The way BattleKat has mentioned sounds like a good idea if you would prefer to feed muesli :)
 
We had Mischa on muesli. Mini was also on them for a time. We were giving it ab lib though. He got quite fat and we had a helluva time getting him on pellets. He seems much better in himself now, less lazying around, more movement, more hay eating.
 
Jack's-Jane said:
I have several Rabbits who cannot tolerate pelleted feed and it causes all sorts of GI issues even when fed in tiny amounts. As my Rabbit's are all fed a mainly hay/dried grass/veg diet I am comfortable with feeding them a small amount of mix a day.

I think in the main a pelleted feed should be recommended rather than a mix, but there is no 'one size fits all' for Rabbits and you have to find out what suits each individual Rabbit the best. Really encouraging a diet that is just hay (different varieties) grass (fresh and dried) and a variety of Veg would obviate the need to feed a concentrate at all xx
Click to expand...

I agree with Jane after a suggestion from Jane, touchwood, Frankie hasn't gone into statis on the johnsons mix. I do use pellets for my other rabbits though. It really does depend on what suits your individual bunny.
 
My buns can't eat any kind of dry food. I would advise that whatever mix or pellets you give them, limit the amount. Fresh veggies and heaps and heaps of hay are the important thing, and too many pellets can mean they aren't interested in these!
 
Of course, there is always the wild diet: feeding a variety of grasses and wild plants. It has the advantage of being natural, healthy and largely free. On the downside you need to be careful introducing your bunny to it as most pet shop/breeder bunnies are used to a dry, concentrated diet, you need to be certain you know what you are picking to avoid feeding something toxic, and winter can be tricky if there is frost/snow for long periods. You can plan ahead by drying plants when they are plentiful and saving them for leaner times.

I also feed veg, herbs, a tiny amount of pellet (about a teaspoonful per rabbit per day) and an even tinier amount of 'norty mix'. I feel that in this way my bunnies build up a 'cast iron' constitution (hard to type as I am now crossing my fingers) and if anything happened to me their tummies would be well equipped to cope with whatever they were fed in my absence- that's my theory anyway :)
 
Hi guys, my two are 5months and 10months I'm feeding them course mix and unlimited hay at the moment.
How much course should I be feeding them can anyone tell me?
At the moment they're getting pretty much unlimited course mix as well... and lots of greens.
Don't want two little fatties on my hands who don't have energy :shock:, what amounts should they be on?
Thanks
 
The amounts recommended on packets of food are usually in excess of what they need as in the wild they dont eat dried food. for a healthy digestive system and to promote good hay eating an egg cup full of dried food is perfectly good for them.

Hay should be the main part of their diet with dried food being the dressing on the side.
 
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