Alfalfa Avoidance

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This topic has 12sd replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 11 months ago by Wick & Fable.

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- 08/14/2013 at 9:01 PM
  felix713
  Participant
  69 posts
  Everything that I read about a bunny’s diet says that alfalfa should be a part of their diet. I got Felix alfalfa cubes but he didn’t seem interested. I know he snubbed some foods and tried them later so I have been trying him out on them several times. I tried grinding them up and putting them in his food, but he avoids it, only eating the pellets. I tired putting them in his treats and he picks them out. I put them in his litter box with the Timothy hay and the same thing. Is it a big deal if he doesn’t eat alfalfa since he has a well rounded diet?
- 08/14/2013 at 9:32 PM
  bpash89
  Participant
  307 posts
  Alfalfa is suggested (but definitely not a necessity) for bunnies under 1 year who are still growing. If he’s older than that then it isn’t an ideal part of his diet at all because it’s higher in calories and calcium. If you want to feed it to him perhaps regular alfalfa hay would be better than the cubes? But it’s nothing to be concerned about if he won’t eat it. Maybe he simply doesn’t like it.
- 08/14/2013 at 11:02 PM
  LongEaredLions
  Participant
  4482 posts
  How old is Felix??? Alfalfa hay is generally recomended for young, nursing, or pregnant rabbits. Alfalfa hay is higher in calcium, which can lead to sludge in adult rabbits. It is great for a treat hay, but is not recommended as the main hay for adult rabbits. So if he is not interested, I wouldn’t worry.
- 08/15/2013 at 6:42 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  No, it’s not a big deal. Some people feed alfalfa pellets and/or hay until their rabbits are 7-12 months, other people don’t.
  
  Like bpash and LongEaredLions asked….
  
  Have you tried giving him regular alfalfa HAY or just the cubes? Cubes are more of a “treat”. Long, fibrous, stalky hay is the most beneficial thing for them to eat.
  
  And how old is he?
- 08/15/2013 at 8:47 AM
  felix713
  Participant
  69 posts
  Felix is almost 4 months old. I have not tried him on alfalfa hay, but I will give it a try. When I first got him he was 8-10 weeks old.
- 08/15/2013 at 9:11 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I actually wouldn’t try the alfalfa hay at this point – your pellets are alfalfa based so he will be okay. Better to continue him on the grass hay.
- 08/15/2013 at 12:24 PM
  felix713
  Participant
  69 posts
  He LOVES timothy hay. I have also been giving him an assortment of home-dried and fresh fruits and vegetables (occasionally) and organic oats.
- 08/15/2013 at 12:43 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Be very careful on the oats – they are carbs and they aren’t recommended for rabbits. It’s good he love his timothy hay :~)
- 08/15/2013 at 3:59 PM
  felix713
  Participant
  69 posts
  I only give them to him on occasion for a treat, maybe once a week or less. I make sure he eats his pellets most of all, besides his hay of course.
- 08/16/2013 at 4:02 AM
  MoveDiagonally
  Participant
  2361 posts
  On oats, as long as it’s not causing digestive upset, weight gain, and fed sparingly it’s probably not detrimental I just think there are better options, like fruit. My bunnies get a craisin or two for treats.
  
  A lot of people here feed their bunnies based on the recommendations from the HRS. Here are the links if you are interested.
  rabbit.org/faq-diet/
  http://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetables-and-fruits-for-a-rabbit-diet/
  
  The second one has a lot of good info so if you check it out I recommend reading the article and not just the list.
- 08/19/2013 at 6:53 PM
  felix713
  Participant
  69 posts
  I try to give him a balance of fresh and dried fruits and veggies. Thanks for the links!
- 05/20/2021 at 5:15 PM
  coco_princessbuns19
  Participant
  8 posts
  Hii so i got my 3 months olds alfalfa hay and pellets but they LOVE alfalfa hay but not the pellets the pellets likes shiny im thinking thats normal but the brand is high deserts
  
  so if anyone could help me that would be a lot of help
- 05/20/2021 at 5:16 PM
  Wick & Fable
  Moderator
  5781 posts
  Welcome to Binkybunny coco! This is an old post, so you’re likely not to get replies from the users within it. I encourage you to create a new topic for yourself so active members can give you their thoughts and recommendations!
  
  I will say that if your rabbit is getting alfalfa hay, they probably don’t need alfalfa pellets– plain adult pellets can be fine. As long as they’re getting some more dense nutrients somewhere (i.e. the hay), they should have plenty as they are growing up!
  
  I will be locking this topic to new replies, so you can create your own topic.
  
  The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
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