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Burgess Excel vs Science Selective

mashbywood6892

Young Bun
Hi all,

I have always (I am almost 30 and have owned rabbits since being a small child) used Burgess Excel pellets for my pet rabbits. My vet has also confirmed to me that Excel is an excellent brand that I shouldn't venture far away from. However, I have recently seen a lot of posts about people using Science Selective.

Does anyone know of the pros/cons of each and if one of them is superior to the other, particularly in fibre content?

I used to always use Burgess Excel generic adult pellets (the ones with mint) but have recently transitioned my two Netherland Dwarfs onto the Junior & Dwarf Burgess Excel but am now thinking its fibre content isn't high enough. I have seen that they do a specific Indoor Rabbit Burgess Excel too, which has 40% beneficial fibre which I was contemplating moving them on to (gradually, of course).

What are people's thoughts? From the below analysis, it seems like the indoor Burgess is the best of the three (?), but I am not sure re Selective Science or whether crude vs beneficial fibre is what I should be looking at.

Indoor Rabbit Burgess Excel: 14% protein, 20% crude fibre, 40% beneficial fibre, fat 4%
Regular adult Burgess Excel: 13% protein, 19% crude fibre, 39% beneficial fibre, fat 3%
Junior & Dwarf Burgess Excel: 16% protein, 17% crude fibre, 36% beneficial fibre, fat 4%
Selective Science: 14% protein, 25% crude fibre (doesn't say beneficial fibre???), fat 4%

Thanks in advance :) :) :)
 
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My view is that hay / grass should form the bulk of a rabbit's diet, followed by forage / greens. Pellets form such a small part of the picture that any reputable pellet would be ok for adult rabbits.
 
I agree with Shimmer that its less significant with healthy adults. My old bunny eats quite a lot of nuggets so I go with my trusted vets assertion they (SS) have more fibre. Had a wee google - whats diff between crude & beneficial fibre - apparently the latter is a marketing term with no real meaning
 
My vet agrees with Shimmer and J&B, pellet quantity and quality are important and anything with a relatively high fibre content is fine. I would expect Science Selective to 'win' in a proper nutrition competition against Excel but Excel is usually cheaper IME because it comes in bigger bags (10kg v 2kg max), so I also don't have to buy it as often. That's th main reason I buy it over Science Selective: price and quantity available :) Excel is a usually bit more expensive in the same size as SS as well.

Nutrition-wise, you're looking for high protein, high fibre, low fat. Pellet size also comes into it, and what's actually in it. The second ingredient in Excel is wheat, and in SS it's soybean hulls. Both first ingredients are grass-based. I guess that's why some rabbits tolerate one brand better than the other...

Gonna post this again for reference for everyone (although the Science Selective range is a lot smaller now?) http://www.therabbithouse.com/diet/rabbit-food-comparison.asp
 
Burgess is too rich for a lot of bunnies tummies.

Science selective comes in 10kg bags Keletkezes
 
My view is that hay / grass should form the bulk of a rabbit's diet, followed by forage / greens. Pellets form such a small part of the picture that any reputable pellet would be ok for adult rabbits.

Oh yes I 100% know hay/grass should be 85-90% of their diet. I give them a very small amount of pellets. I just wanted to make sure I gave them the best one possible :)
 
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