• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Quality of rabbit food (or lack thereof)...

Inimical Me

Wise Old Thumper
Out of interest, everytime I see a brand of rabbit food I check out the nutritional value (I'm sure you're all the same)...and I can't for the life of me fathom why they're all such appalling quality! That Wagg Bunny Brunch muck has a piffling 8% fibre or something...and the Wagg premium stuff isn't much better. Tesco's own value Rabbit and Guinea Pig food (without noticable enough info about the vitamin C issue if you ask me), has even less! Apart from Burgess, Science Selectie and A&P, they're all appalling! What excuse is there for the manufacturer of a rabbit food to produce and flog something that is going to do your animal more harm than good? Do they have any idea about the nutrition needed by the animals they're so pathetically catering for? Would it really cost any more to up the fibre levels and reduce the protein? Even in a bloody mix? GAH, this really rubs me up the wrong way. I understand that they're obv. in it for the money, but why create such blatant rubbish?! Surely it wouldn't cost that much to make the food higher in fibre?! Too many under educated rabbit owners are going around believing that just because it says "rabbit food", it's good for them! :evil:
 
I didn't even know Tesco sold rabbit food. I'll have a look next time I go in. It maybe worth writing to all the retailers to complain and suggest an alternative rabbit food they could sell instead.
I don't bother with commercial foods myself, my buns just eat hay, grass and a wide variety of vegetables.
 
The Tesco value rabbit and guinea pig food is apalling. I wrote a letter to them complaining but I have never heard back. The artificial colours in Russel Rabbit are classed as either dangerous or carcinogenic. In defence of the Wagg food it isn't designed to be complete and does say that hay needs to be fed. However, many of the foods available claim to be complete.
 
Try not to get to worked up about it hon. I do think more rabbit food should be of better quality, but most don’t think rabbits are worth the hassle. I don’t think they have caught onto rabbit welfare yet. However saying that, I wouldn’t say “Apart from Burgess, Science Selectie and A&P, they're all appalling!” because probably the majority of rabbits out there HATE these products. If I left a bowl of this stuff in front of mine he would probably die of starvation. “Too many under educated rabbit owners are going around believing that just because it says "rabbit food", it's good for them!”That would make me a very un educated rabbit owner then. Because although I don’t think that everything that states rabbit food on is healthy, it is made for rabbits and therefore I will try it. I believe rabbits should try different things, if not for a varied diet but to keep them happy. I know I wouldn’t be happy eating the same thing over and over day in and day out. But again this all comes down to the rabbit. We all know our rabbits and what there tummies can cope with. Toby can eat almost anything without being effected, therfore I try in on a lot of things, and his done great with it.
 
Toby said:
I wouldn’t say “Apart from Burgess, Science Selectie and A&P, they're all appalling!” because probably the majority of rabbits out there HATE these products.

Rob and Molly must be in the minority then as they love Science Selective :D Rob wasn't keen at first but it was worth persevering as I think it's much better for him than some of the other offerings.
 
My rabbit must too. He only likes the expensive pellets. I think the key it to feed what is natural. In the wild rabbits eat little or no seeds and they certainly do not eat artificial colourings! Sorry but this is an issue I am passionate about.
 
But its proof to me that these foods are not as bad because of Toby’s age! For a rabbit to eat mixed food for 14 years is proof to me that people may be worrying a bit "too" much. I don't disagree for a second that there isn’t better food out there, there is and I know mine is such a faddy b****r :lol: BUT maybe people are worrying to much? I dunno. It just confuses me because people say how "dangerous" food like Russell rabbit is and mine has lived off nothing but mixed rabbit food. The vet confirmed he has the body of a 3 year old and his very healthy. So I find it confusing. Maybe rabbits get fibre from other things? When Toby did eat a few Pellets he had to be rushed to the vet will tummy issues. So I will never feed him pellets again.
 
Amber was fed on some mixed food when I got her. I think it was mayfields flakes with herbs but not sure :? It was only 8% Fibre. Her poo's were really tiny and dark brown which I think is a sign of a slow gut. I weaned her off it and she now only eats hay, grass and veg. She has big golden brown poo's now.
I think if she had been moulting and swallowed her fur then it could have caused a blockage if her gut was slow.
Its better to be on the safe side and get the highest fibre food that your rabbit will eat :D
 
Toby has obviously done well on a mix over the years. You have done an excellent job with him! Every rabbit is an individual, some may be able to cope with mixes, but in my experience most rabbits can't. I don't believe my rabbit would still be here if he was still on the food he was on when i got him. He is now 9, can jump one metre and has come fighting from two operations.
 
Bionic Bunny said:
Toby has obviously done well on a mix over the years. You have done an excellent job with him! Every rabbit is an individual, some may be able to cope with mixes, but in my experience most rabbits can't. I don't believe my rabbit would still be here if he was still on the food he was on when i got him. He is now 9, can jump one metre and has come fighting from two operations.

9? is he in my Golden Bunny collection :wink: Well Done hon 9 is a great age :D
 
Toby said:
We all know our rabbits and what there tummies can cope with. Toby can eat almost anything without being effected, therfore I try in on a lot of things, and his done great with it.

Toby's raised an interesting point there, because I have buns who can eat virtually anything without getting ill, I don't know how they do it :?

All my 13 eat different stuff, five eat Sci Select, seven have a mix of Bunny Brunch and Burgess Excel (Mostly Excel though) and one eats Excel exclusively, its all depends on the individual
 
I think it depends more on their background & upbringing. I feed the same Allen & Page mix from weaning to oldies. Every rabbit here eats the same mix & any newcomers are weaned onto it. They all finish every bowlful along with plenty of hay, sometimes Readigrass/Graze-on, plus small amounts of greens & roots. I've never had to feed different foods to different rabbits. I have to say all the Allen & Page foods with probiotic are the best quality I've ever used and also high in fibre. Tums & teeth do well on it.

Sue
 
My bunnies prefer SS to the mix. Whilst some bunnies might be okay on low fibre mixes. None are going to be worse off for having a higher fibre diet and in quite a few cases they are better off :)

Tam
 
I've just changed the bunnies over to Allen and Page from Burgess food. It's far cheaper, and I've really noticed a difference, especially in Squidgy. His poos are much bigger :oops: and his skin and coat are looking better. The outside bunnies are a little reluctant though - mind you they'd sooner have hay anyway.
 
I could try Toby on Pellets again but I may be risking it. I am sure some members remember when toby had tummy issues because of the pellets. He was ill. But even as a baby toby never ate pellets his always turned his nose up to it. I just think some rabbits can handle all the fibre better then others.
 
The food that is my bugbear is one called Belvedere (at least that is what it's old name was) and it is mostly dried peas and a low fibre content, this is one food that I do not like as all those peas are no good for them at all although they like them!

Sorry, if any of you like this food, but we all have our opinions! :wink:

Clare x
 
2 of mine are on A+P pellets and are doing great on them. My older bun is fed on a mix as she is rather fussy! Sometimes she loves pellets + other times she doesn't! She always has both in her bowl so it's up to her. I'd prefer her to eat the pellets but as long as she eats some food I don't mind! The majority of her diet is hay, plus veggies. I feel she is doing well on this diet and wouldn't force her to eat pellets!

Nicola
 
All mine are on A&P pellets. Even fussy Bramble now :D
They all dive into their hutches at supper time to get at them, so they can't taste bad :lol:
 
Back
Top