Changing rabbit food

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This topic has 7sd replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 3 months ago by Hazel.

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- 01/02/2014 at 4:11 AM
  LoriM
  Participant
  11 posts
  So my rabbit had been on a steady diet of the “Kaytee Timothy Complete” pellets for about 6 months, I had to go out of town, but had my boyfriend babysit and he switched his diet over to the “Kaytee Gourmet Variety” and he had been feeding him the food for about 3 weeks. I know the pellets with a lot of different things in them can be harmful for my rabbit, so I’ve been trying to gradually mix in some new food and lessening the amount of the variety food, but my rabbit won’t eat it; he only likes the fruit and nuts. Does anyone have any tips or advice on “weening” him? Thanks!
- 01/02/2014 at 4:22 AM
  MoveDiagonally
  Participant
  2361 posts
  How frustrating! Timothy Complete Adult is actually a decent food but the Gourmet Variety is full of junk. I would pick out all the junk food (dried seeds, veggies, ect) and just feed the pellets while you’re switching over. The general timeline looks like:
  
  Week 1: 3/4 old pellets, 1/4 new pellets
  Week 2: 1/2 old pellets, 1/2 new pellets
  Week 3: 1/4 old pellets, 3/4 new pellets
  Week 4: All new pellets
  
  I also might discuss bunny diet with your boyfriend and explain that the mixes are not good for them, ect… So in the future you won’t have a similar incident.
- 01/02/2014 at 4:25 AM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  I’m sure everyone will go crook at me for saying this, but…. if your bun is hungry, he will eat it (pellets only). What your doing sounds like what would be recommended, but when I found out that the nuts, seeds and the ‘candy’ was a no no (I got caught out too with food labelled for ‘rabbits’ – so annoying!), I actually cut it out completely. Henry is happily eating his Owbow rabbit food. He got through it….
- 01/02/2014 at 4:43 AM
  LoriM
  Participant
  11 posts
  Oh okay, I was kind of following the timeline a little faster, I changed it maybe every 3 days. Yes, my boyfriend is thoroughly educated on rabbit diet now haha.
  
  I just completely switched over today and so far he dug half of it out of his bowl. I’ve caught him take little nibbles, but no steady eating yet.
- 01/02/2014 at 5:02 AM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  He will – when he gets hungry, lol! I shouldn’t laugh, it’s not funny – poor bunny, but that’s what I did with Henry. And the digging – searching for his treasure, his candy! As the old saying goes… cruel to be kind. He’ll super love you later when he doesn’t have an upset belly. And your bf, poor guy fell into wanting to make the bunny happy, that’s what I did. I hate that products are labelled incorrectly so they can make a $ buck! We both know better now. Cheers LoriM.
- 01/02/2014 at 5:08 AM
  LoriM
  Participant
  11 posts
  Yeah I guess I just had to wait for him to get hungry, he’s eating it up now Agreed! Cheers Aussie and Henry!
- 01/02/2014 at 10:51 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  I would pick the pellets out of the old food and mix in some of the new food, in the ratios that MoveDiagonally recommended.
  
  Also, if your boyfriend switched him over without a gradual mixing period without issues, he probably won’t have any problems going back the other way. My girl can eat anything and never have issues, but my boy had poopy butt after stealing a few mouthfuls of a different timothy pellet than he is usually on. It depends a lot on the rabbit.
- 01/02/2014 at 1:27 PM
  Hazel
  Participant
  2587 posts
  Posted By AndHenry on 01/02/2014 04:25 AM
  
  I’m sure everyone will go crook at me for saying this, but…. if your bun is hungry, he will eat it (pellets only).
  
  Not me, I totally agree with you. The same goes for kids, too…
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