Help - Massive pellet complications!!!

Hi

I've posted before - one of my buns, Poppy (a Lionhead) is, we believe, intolerant to soya (in pellets). She and Charlie are both 5. Poppy has been very gas-prone and has gone into stasis a few times and my vet and I have an understanding about keeping emeprid at home, etc.

My problem is (and bear in mind she only gets a few pellets in the morning and a few in the evening, plus unlimited hay), I am trying to find a suitable pellet. I have had to rule out all with soya bean hulls in the ingredients, so have changed her onto Oxbow Natural Science (for about the last 2-3 months - and believe me, I've tried everything else):?

Strangely, she loves them in the evening, but will not eat them in the morning (this was going on for weeks), so I tried a few Optimum pellets in the morning, which she loved, but then I realised they have 8% fruit in them and was worried about the implications of the sugar on her sensitive tum.

I have now got Mr. Johnsons Advance rabbit pellets for the mornings, which she also likes very much, but are giving her excess caecals(sp) and I'm only giving her about 8 in the morning!!!

I am now wondering if I should just not worry about morning pellets, but I don't want her to lose weight (although my vet says she is on the high side of a normal weight surprisingly after all her bouts of gas!!)

Sorry for the long post, but I really am at a loss what to do:shock:

I'd just feed her pellets once a day. As long as the Rabbit is a good hay eater and is fed a wide variety of hays/grass/forage then a pelleted feed is not essential. Weigh her regularly (every 3-4 days) to make sure that she is maintaining her weight

Jack's-Jane said:

I'd just feed her pellets once a day. As long as the Rabbit is a good hay eater and is fed a wide variety of hays/grass/forage then a pelleted feed is not essential. Weigh her regularly (every 3-4 days) to make sure that she is maintaining her weight

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Thanks Jane - I think you're right. I think I just get myself in a state worrying she's not having as many as she should, but you're quite right:wave:

Barney has lots of gas issues and tummy troubles, he now doesn't have any pellets at all, and he's much better. He does have daily meds, and at first i thought he would lose weight, but he's actually putting it on! He still has some fresh greens and a bit of carrot :wave:

I've found infracol really helps doughnut. She has it twice a day and i now hear no gas noises.

I have kept rabbits for years without using pellets. There's really no need for them if a wide variety of veg/ forage/ grass/ hay etc is provided

Thanks all - I am starting to think any dried concentrate is not helping matters!!

I'd cut it out, if only for 2-4 weeks to see what impact it has on her digestion. There is nothing in pellets they can't get from elsewhere and if you are worried about the vitamin content, you can supplement with vitamin powder.

Rabbits should be able to maintain weight fine on grass/hay etc. they'll just eat more of it to compensate.

Tamsin said:

I'd cut it out, if only for 2-4 weeks to see what impact it has on her digestion. There is nothing in pellets they can't get from elsewhere and if you are worried about the vitamin content, you can supplement with vitamin powder.

Rabbits should be able to maintain weight fine on grass/hay etc. they'll just eat more of it to compensate.

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:thumb: Thanks Tamsin - I thought I'd try all the pellets I could think of before I did anything drastic:lol: