aolsz
Active member
Is there anybody who feeds JUST pellets? What brand do you use? For how many generations have you fed just pellets?
Anybody feed JUST pellets?
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Pellets as in bunny feed pellets only are the fastest way to an obese, fat rabbit. Bunny pellet i.e. concentrates are an about 10-15 grams/kilo ration, comes out at 1 level 2 tbs scoop per rabbit per day for mine.
I do feed a variety of pelleted feeds, but that is gras and hay pellet from different brands. Hay would be cheaper, but combined with chopped bedding makes a sponge like mass/mess that stays wet. And the basis for keeping land livestock is dry feet and liquid water.
I do feed a variety of pelleted feeds, but that is gras and hay pellet from different brands. Hay would be cheaper, but combined with chopped bedding makes a sponge like mass/mess that stays wet. And the basis for keeping land livestock is dry feet and liquid water.
RabbitsOfTheCreek
Netherland Dwarf Breeder & Well-known Member
Rabbits should always have some kind of hay, wether it's loose or compressed in some way, along with things to chew on so their teeth don't grow too long
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I have fed pellets only for decades; the breeds we raise have included Satins, Mini Rex, Polish, Holland Lops and Champagne D'Argents. Over the years, I've used Nutrina, Purina, and Manna Pro, as well as two different local pellets. I've found that they all do the job. I don't like changing brands because rabbits don't like change and there is usually a bit of a lag period while their guts adapt to the new feed, but I've had some real challenges in supply which resulted in the changes being necessary.
The only other thing our rabbits get regularly are basically chew sticks - branches from aspen, willow, cottonwood and/or spruce trees. This gives them something to chew on if they finish their pellets early. They always clean every bit of bark off the sticks.
Pellets are made of hay, usually predominantly alfalfa but it can vary with the brand. Good pellets are formulated to be a complete diet, so they include the roughage necessary for rabbits' gut health. If I have a rabbit that looks like it might be going off its feed, I'll offer it some fresh hay and greens to tempt it to eat, but otherwise I don't give loose hay because it creates a mess and hygiene issues.
Our rabbits get treats and supplements very occasionally; that includes various grasses and other broad-leaf forbs during the summer months. During the winter they also get little bits of carrot peelings and apple cores frozen into ice blocks as a supplemental water source, but otherwise they don't get those sugary type of treats. Does with huge litters (>10 kits), or those that seem to be losing condition while nursing a litter, get about 1 tsp of BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds) per day until they're done with the litter. Our rabbits only really get loose hay when I stuff nest boxes with it. Since the pellets I buy are made of alfalfa, a legume hay which is high in protein and calcium, I use grass hay (timothy, brome or orchard grass) for nest boxes.
As @tambayo notes, free-fed pellets can produce overly fat rabbits, since that is exactly what they're designed to do - put weight on rabbits. I free-feed my does with litters, but all other rabbits are on a restricted diet, essentially what they'll eat in 24 hours with no leftovers. That works out to a little less than 1 cup per Satin, about 1/2 cup per Polish.
I know lots of rabbit breeders who only feed pellets and have thriving herds... AND I did the same for about 10 of the 20+ years I've breeding rabbits. Rabbits thrive on the diet that you feed them OR they get culled out.
Pellets... MEASURE FEED. I don't free feed anything.
Pellets... MEASURE FEED. I don't free feed anything.
aolsz
Active member
I wonder if branches from fruit trees might be good? Here in Jersey City, because of the many raccoons, I worry about using material from the yard. The roundworm in raccoon excrement can cripple or kill a wide range of animals.
Hardwood fruit trees can be great. My rabbits love apple and crabapple branches.
There is some concern about cherry, chokecherry and other stone fruit trees since they have chemicals called cyanogens that can result in cyanide poisoning. They're highest in the leaves and new shoots. It's more of a danger to ruminants (cows, sheep) than hind-gut fermenters (horses, rabbits), but unless you're feeding a lot of it I don't expect it would be a big issue. However, I tend to avoid those species since there are so many other options.
Here's an interesting resurce regarding livestock cyanide poisoning issues:
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gallery/plants-causing-cyanide-poisoning-pastures
I have fed just pellets for various periods of time over the years, and like @Alaska Satin I have not found the brand to matter much--Unlike Alaska Satin, I have never even noticed that the rabbits cared when I changed brands. Hay is good for keeping them busy, and reducing my food bill however, and I do have to watch them for weight gain--I feed less if they are not actively breeding/growing. I did notice however that they disliked the chopped timothy hay as opposed to orchard grass, so I don't buy that anymore because they just threw it around instead of eating it. They also have strong feelings about certain plants--some love weed x but will pick out weed y, while their neighbor does the opposite.
