Pellet Transition

[Rachel Anne]

Hi, 

My Ernie came home on Sunday with a bag of the pellets he had been eating. I’ve been giving him 3/4 of those pellets mixed in with 1/4 of the pellets I’ll be using–Oxbow young rabbit alfalfa pellets. He eats all the old stuff he’s used to and leaves the new pellets in the bowl. Any advice on getting him to eat the new pellets?

Thanks!

[Sarita]

Stubborn bun :~) I think try mixing a higher ration of the Oxbow food to the old food – sometimes you just have to.

[Eepster]

Yeah, try going to halvesies.

[Rachel Anne]

Thanks! I don’t want to end up with a spoiled bun on my hands. Although it’s hard not to give him everything he wants

[Rachel Anne]

UGH! My little stinker still isn’t eating the new pellets! He eats lots of hay (thank goodness) but what about getting him to have the pellets with the extra vitamins he needs?

[Jessie1990]

Some members don’t feed pellets, but it is a very complicated diet and I don’t know the details. I also think that it is more for adult rabbits. Anyway, it is good that he eats a lot of hay. Maybe try taking out the old ones completely today and see if he will eat any of the other pellets. Or maybe try it for a few days. As long as he is eating the hay I THINK he should be fine if he refuses the pellets. I think he will continue to leave the pellets he doesn’t like though, if he has the choice. I switched both of mine over without a transition, but they were on very similar pellets. Just an idea.

[Bam]

“I don’t want to end up with a spoiled bun on my hands”

As if you have a choice! Don’t you know that rabbits are the kings and masters of all living beings? =D

Joking aside, I think Jessie makes a good point. My bunnies won’t eat their healthy pellets until they are hungry and only have the choice of healthy pellets or hay. I have an organic all-herb pellet that my Bam only eats in the night, when everything else is eaten. You’ll have to keep an eye on her though if you make a radical change, so she doesn’t stop eating or loses weight.

Pellet-less diets are rather complicated and (most often) expensive because they are based on a very varied menu – lots of different vegs and greens to fulfil every possible need. You’d need knowledge, time and quite a bit of money to execute it properly. I’d not dare it with a growing bunny.

[Rachel Anne]

Thanks for the feedback. I finally left the new pellets in the bowl and once I waited long enough he did eat them. I felt so bad, like I was denying him food, but he was just being a little foodie snob! I’m happy he gobbles up the hay. Glad to know it’s sort of normal for them to leave the healthy pellets until night time when there’s nothing good left. At least he eats them eventually. I paid good money for that stuff!

And bam, if I’d forgotten rabbits are the kings and masters of all living beings, Ernie made sure to remind me right away!

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