This is What my Rabbits Now Have Instead of Pellet/Museli Feed

[tabithakat64]

What Babsie said, it's really very easy to over feed pellets as bunnies need such a small amount. An eggcup a day is enough for most adult rabbits. The more pellets they eat the less hay they eat and hay/grass is the most important part of their diets as it helps keep their digestive system working and wears their teeth down.
Science selective and burgess excel are recommended due to their high fibre content and ideal nutritional value.

 

[tabithakat64]

Thanks for replying...right i did not see about the fibre content so will stick with SS for now - cheers.

No i dont buy the mixed foraged bags from Galens..is this what you mean?
https://galensgarden.co.uk/shop/dried-herbs/whole-dried-herbs/mixed-herb-forages

I get confused with their website on what size p[packages you are buying for what amount sometimes.
I usually forage myself as I find it expensive to buy with how quick the bunnies devour it..but maybe worth another look - i just find it hard to work out whats best on their website. If you know what ones are goood value id be interested to see - thankyou.

Now - i didnt think the hay cookies would be bad for chewing action? Why do you say this?

Is it because of it only using the front teeth whilst ripping up?

Very interested in knowing if these are not good but the content seems great with variety.
Sometimes I break them up over the hay and other times not...thanks for the info looking forward to more :thumb:

Chelle, I usually forage myself too but use the galens stuff through the winter - mine love any of the forages with flowers in plus strawberry and raspberry leaves.
My concern with hay cookies is the lack of grinding motion needed in comparison to hay. I know lots of people do use them and also use the larger blocks designed for horses too (vitamunch and the Timothy hay ones produced by simple systems)

 

[VickyM_73]

Oh right so the burgess one is okay. I'll have to look into other forms of forage for my bunnies. I've been giving them half their pellets in a bowl and the rest sprinkled I. Their hay. Perhaps I should cut down though as its more than an egg cup.

 

[Babsie]

Oh right so the burgess one is okay. I'll have to look into other forms of forage for my bunnies. I've been giving them half their pellets in a bowl and the rest sprinkled I. Their hay. Perhaps I should cut down though as its more than an egg cup.

If you decide to reduce the pellets, do it very gradually - no sudden change. I don't put any in a bowl, I scatter them.

 

[hoppetylop]

Really interesting thread,thankyou Jane for the info.:thumb:

Im going to replace one veg serving (my lot get 2 small lots a day)with this mixture and gradually reduce pellets for all but my 2 oldies who need them to help maintain their weight just now.

 

[chelle]

Chelle, I usually forage myself too but use the galens stuff through the winter - mine love any of the forages with flowers in plus strawberry and raspberry leaves.
My concern with hay cookies is the lack of grinding motion needed in comparison to hay. I know lots of people do use them and also use the larger blocks designed for horses too (vitamunch and the Timothy hay ones produced by simple systems)

Thanks for replying....I'll look into it and just carry on giving the heay cookies as a treat now & then. They usually eat hays so its just an addition really. Just make sure its not all the time

 

[TheTigerThief]

Looks delicious!

 

[Rhian33]

Ooops, wrong post but I have made the new mix and so far it's going well

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Ooops, wrong post but I have made the new mix and so far it's going well

 

[catxx]

Jane, what do you think to this stuff? Posted a link earlier in the thread but it might have got missed haha!!

I mixed a sample into my bunny's usual "sprinkles" forage mix and it didn't seem to cause any issues and vanished! The sample I had smelled delicious and minty. Linseed oil wouldn't be a problem would it? It's in Science Selective pellets too.
http://shop.thunderbrook.co.uk/healthy-herbal-chaff---15-kg-174-p.asp

How did you decide the composition of your mix?

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Jane, what do you think to this stuff? Posted a link earlier in the thread but it might have got missed haha!!

I mixed a sample into my bunny's usual "sprinkles" forage mix and it didn't seem to cause any issues and vanished! The sample I had smelled delicious and minty. Linseed oil wouldn't be a problem would it? It's in Science Selective pellets too.
http://shop.thunderbrook.co.uk/healthy-herbal-chaff---15-kg-174-p.asp

How did you decide the composition of your mix?

Linseed Oil is perfectly safe, it is also known as Flax Oil. Flax and Linseed are different names for the same seed

http://www.pureflax.co.uk/flaxseedoil_pets.php

I selected the ingredients I listed based on a combination of Veterinary advice, my own research and trial and error when trying to formulate a diet that Lord H could cope with. Not wishing to tempt fate, but at the moment he is as well as he has ever been. So far I am very happy with how things have worked out and consequently my three other Rabbits are on the same diet too.

The chaff you have linked to looks great, I may buy some myself xx

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Jane, what do you think to this stuff? Posted a link earlier in the thread but it might have got missed haha!!

I mixed a sample into my bunny's usual "sprinkles" forage mix and it didn't seem to cause any issues and vanished! The sample I had smelled delicious and minty. Linseed oil wouldn't be a problem would it? It's in Science Selective pellets too.
http://shop.thunderbrook.co.uk/healthy-herbal-chaff---15-kg-174-p.asp

How did you decide the composition of your mix?

Thanks for the heads up on this one, my 4 love it !!

 

[Kit06]

Sorry to bring this up again but I was just wondering, Jane, when you mix it up do you just mix both the 20kg Dengie bags together and add a 500g bag of each of the herbs you linked to or are they in differing amounts (does that make sense? I just want to know the ratio you use)? Also, how much of the mix do you feed to your rabbits each day? It looks great and I'm really interested in trying it. Thanks!

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Sorry to bring this up again but I was just wondering, Jane, when you mix it up do you just mix both the 20kg Dengie bags together and add a 500g bag of each of the herbs you linked to or are they in differing amounts (does that make sense? I just want to know the ratio you use)? Also, how much of the mix do you feed to your rabbits each day? It looks great and I'm really interested in trying it. Thanks!

I mix up what I need daily. A mix contains equal amounts of each Dengie Feed,a bit of Lucerne Stalk Chaff , plus I add dried herb forage such as this one :

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/snacks_supplements/natural_plant_snacks/herbs/301187

Or sometimes some green oats

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/snacks_supplements/natural_plant_snacks/herbs/408874

I also have fresh mint which I have dried and some days that goes in too xx

 

[Kit06]

Thanks Jane, that's really helpful. Do they get a handful of the mix each or as much as they like?