Chudley's Rabbit Royale

Hi, as you can see I'm new here - I've had a search and couldn't find the answer to my question but apologies if it has been answered previously.

I will be picking up my first bunnies in one week's time - two 9 week old mini lops. At the moment they are on a diet of mainly hay, supplemented with Chudley's Rabbit Royale and Readigrass. I was a bit concerned as I have seen so many articles condemning muesli for rabbits, but their current owner has said that she prefers it because they eat all components of it, rather than picking at it.

What advice can you give me regarding their diet? Would it be best to starting gradually switching them to pellets straightaway, or can I wait until they have settled in? If they're happy eating the Chudleys I would rather let them enjoy it for a while, but I'm worried it isn't very good for them.

Any advice appreciated!

Rabbit royale is one of the better mueslis and I've fed my rabbits on it in the past, but high fibre pellets are your best option really so I'd gradually switch over once they're settled.

I personally would try and switch them over to a pellet feed - something like Science Selective - they do a Junior feed, rather than keeping them on the muesli mix. Just add a tiny bit each day to their normal feed (just a few pellets) and then gradually reduce the muesli mix and up the new pellet feed over about a fortnight, until they are off the muesli mix altogether. This way the new food shouldn't upset their little tummies. The most important part of their diet is a good quality hay - Timothy hay is a good example and this really should make up 80% of their diet. Good luck with your new bunnies and let us see some photos when you can!!

Hi, I picked up two mini lop brothers 2 weeks ago when they were 8 weeks old!

Still trying to work out how to post photos

Anyway they were already having meadow hay, Readigrass and Rabbit Royale mixed in with pellets. Mine don't seem bothered by the Rabbit Royale (and typically I bought a large sack full!) but they love the Burgess Excel junior pellets!! I've been giving a couple of handfuls a day and they can't seem to get enough! I've read conflicting advice about whether they should be fed unlimited pellets?!

What colour will your mini lops be? Mine are chocolate self and gorgeous

I feed most of my buns Rabbit Royale without problems. The problems came when I changed them to pellets :lol:. They are now happily back on RR.

They only get fed a tiny amount of it though, and their main diet is lots of hay :wave:

Thank you for your advice everyone! I think I will try to gradually switch them over to pellets, or keep them on a mixture if they really start to turn their noses up. I'll be getting an orange mantle and sooty fawn - they look so gorgeous, and I'm counting down until Friday when they come home!

They sound gorgeous

The really important thing is lots of hay, so I personally don't give unlimited pellets as that can encourage bad habits and make it harder for you to encourage hay eating later. They should do fine with what you are currently feeding and lots of hay even as youngsters You'll want to start being a bit stricter with pellet quantities around 4 months old and then have them on adult rations around 6 months. They'll have done most of their growing by then.

Mine are on rabbit royale. I have tried to change them to various pellets, but however slowly I add the pellets none of the brands agree with Nancy. Whether it's because she's so greedy and gobbles them so fast I don't know but even when I've hidden them in hay or in the treat ball to slow her down I still get excess ceacals from her and the odd misshapen poop, so I'm of the opinion now "if it ain't broke don't fix it". They only get a tiny amount of rr twice a day anyway their main food obviously being hay.

Looking forward to seeing pics of the new buns.