Should I start a complete pellet?

[sarahthegemini]

As you guys are probably aware, all veggies and pellets were stopped after Buttercup’s tummy issues in May. We wanted a clean slate so gave nothing but hay and some dandelion for a couple of months. Since then we have very slowly introduced a probiotic pellet and reintroduced some veggies – so far just romaine, dill and thyme. Next up is rocket. I’m wondering if I should also be giving them a complete pellet? Prior to tummy troubles, they had Oxbow Natural Science pellets. They have romaine and thyme for breakfast and dill as a bedtime treat, and will gradually work up to 3 or 4 veggies at dinner so in total would be having 6 or 7 every day. So is a complete pellet worth it?

[Q8bunny]

Depends on who you talk to and the type of variety and balance you could provide with an alternative diet. To me, it makes more sense to offer a diverse and nutritious fresh diet to supplement a variety of hays. But some buns need the pellets (even a tiny bit) because it’s not fiesabe to offer enough fresh food variety. Also, bun tolerance is a factor as well. So… no clear answer I’m afraid.

[BinkyBunny]

Some pellets can offer vitamin D3 (which can be lacking in house bunnies since they may not be exposed to direct sunlight). I agree with Q8bunny, it really is who you talk to. Wish there was one simple answer to your question.   I have had to have a bunny on a no pellet diet before, (due to high calcium sensitivity), and he did great — but he also had access to sunlight through a window lounge area. How are they doing now with the current probiotic pellet? What is the nutrition difference between that and the pellet you are considering giving?

[jerseygirl]

Ive met some rabbits that have been on a hay/veg diet for a number of years and they are very healthy. One friend only just started with occassional pellets again as her rabbits are getting elderly.
Maybe you could give the buns something like Oxbow’s multivitamin supplements as an occasional treat as alternative to regular pellets?

[Gina.Jenny]

I’ve thought about going pellet free a few times. Mine only get a tiny portion each day, so they see their pellets as more of a treat food than a main part of their diet. But yesterday, Jenny started going into stasis. She does this every so often, but thankfully responds well to gas drops and tum rubs. After, she is always ravenous for pellets, it has to be pellets, she maintains, and I wouldn’t feel comfy let her eat the amount she does if they were no longer a food she was used to. So I go with a tiny portion each day, just so that pellets can be used in great quantity when a bun is poorly.

[sarahthegemini]

Thanks for your input guys. I feel like I can offer a good variety of veggies and I’m trying out different hays at the moment so that can be varied too but I’d hate to assume I’m providing everything and be wrong. Maybe a tiny amount of regular pellets would be reassurance? They’re getting on really well with the probiotic, they have it throughout the day as treats.

If I were to give a complete pellet, I’d probably opt for the Oxbow ones, nutritional value as follows:

Crude Protein min 14.00%, Crude Fat min 2.00%, Crude Fiber min 25.00%, Crude Fiber max 29.00%, Moisture max 10.00%, Calcium min 0.35%, Calcium max 0.75%, Phosphorus min 0.25%, Vitamin A (min) 10,000 IU/kg, Vitamin D (min) 900 IU/kg, Vitamin E (min) 190 IU/kg

I can’t seem to find the values for the Protexin probiotic pellet and I’ve got rid of the packaging. Does anybody know? I decanted the pellets into a nicer looking tin and didn’t think to make note of the nutritional value lol

[Author]

Messages