Comparison of locally available pellets - help please

[HOWsMom]

Without naming brands - here is the basic analysis of 4 locally and readily available pellet rabbit foods.
I'm sure there are others available, but I could get the info for these ones online, and I know that they are available easily for us.

Adding : Any rabbit will be a house-pet rabbit, and have unlimited timothy hay available at all times.

Based on this, which would YOU chose, and why ?

ETA :
Pellets 1, 2, and 4 contain yucca. Pellet 3 does not.
Pellets 1 and 2 contain no molasses. Pellets 3 and 4 do.

UPDATED CHART



-- Tue Jul 14, 2015 4:59 pm --

One vote for #1, and one vote for #4 - anyone else care to chime in ?

 

[alforddm]

Ok since no one else replied to this I'll explain why I choose pellet #1. It is the only one that has enough protein for breeding does and growing rabbits. However, I just reread your post and realized that your rabbit would be a pet rather than a breeder. In that case I think I would choose #2 because it is high in vitamin A and lower in fat.

 

[Deer Heart]

If you're already feeding timothy, I don't see a reason to feed a pelleted timothy with garbage filler dumped in (hulls? soybean? Yeck) I voted for #1 because alfalfa has a bit more oomph (sometimes it can be a bit too much and that's where the timothy comes in) and nutritionally even for a non breeder the others seem to be lacking, I also am kind of leery about molasses being right up there at all in any of these.

(edited for a slight bit of clarification on my stance XD)

 

[Dood]

Pellet #1 for a baby rabbit up until 6 months old then switch to pellet #4 because it has less fat, a calcium to phosphorus ratio closer to 2:1 and no molasses (I'd worry about the bunny over eating or becoming picky)

If you do agility/jump training with your adult bunny s/he may need more protein and/or fat in his diet - protein can be added by alfalfa hay cubes and fat and protein with oats/grains if you notice your rabbit losing condition, I doubt you'd need to switch the main diet to #1

If you get a doe and decide to breed your rabbit I'd switch back to #1 or supplement as above

 

[skysthelimit]

Pellet #1 for a baby rabbit up until 6 months old then switch to pellet #4 because it has less fat, a calcium to phosphorus ratio closer to 2:1 and no molasses (I'd worry about the bunny over eating or becoming picky)

this is why I picked pellet 4 for a non breeding rabbit.

 

[HOWsMom]

I also am kind of leery about molasses being right up there at all in any of these.

I have the full ingredients list - pellets #1 and #2 contain no molasses at all.

-- Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:10 am --

Pellet #1 for a baby rabbit up until 6 months old then switch to pellet #4 because it has less fat, a calcium to phosphorus ratio closer to 2:1 and no molasses (I'd worry about the bunny over eating or becoming picky)

If you do agility/jump training with your adult bunny s/he may need more protein and/or fat in his diet - protein can be added by alfalfa hay cubes and fat and protein with oats/grains if you notice your rabbit losing condition, I doubt you'd need to switch the main diet to #1

If you get a doe and decide to breed your rabbit I'd switch back to #1 or supplement as above

For Pellet #4, molasses is the next ingredient - I only put in the top 5 ingredients for each.

Pellets 1 and 2 contain no molasses at all, anywhere in the ingredients.

And Bug4H *WILL* be doing agility / jumping / hopping with her rabbit. Breeding is a future consideration, we have made no firm decisions on that yet. <br /><br /> -- Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:23 am -- <br /><br /> Okay - I just updated the chart to include a little more of the ingredients.

 

[Dood]

I still prefer pellet #4

How often will the rabbit be training or competing and for what duration?

For a pet bunny that spends 90% of its time (21.6 hours a day) lounging around - a low protein, low fat, low mineral diet is healthiest.

You could buy both kinds, blend them and offer more of the concentrated diet after training or competing

OR you could give extra grains or alfalfa cubes/hay for a couple days

IF she looks too lean

IMHO supplementing with grains and alfalfa would make more sense than buying a bag of high protein, high fat, high calcium pellets that might go stale before you use it all :shrug:

 

[HOWsMom]

That is something I don't have an answer to just yet, Dood.

I do imagine it will be a lounging rabbit mostly, though with plenty of time out of it's cage each day - I think this is going to be one spoiled little rabbit

What you say makes sense though - get the lower fat / protein pellets and supplementing as needed. <br /><br /> -- Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:32 am -- <br /><br /> So - Pellet #2.
Lower fat and protein, and higher fiber, and NO molasses in the ingredients.

 

[Dood]

Calcium to phosphorus ratio is closer to 1:1 = too much phosphorus

 

[HOWsMom]

I'm not debating that that is an important thing - I also won't pretend to understand it !

But I wonder WHY do the manufacturers not adhere to that ratio (or at least close to it) if it makes a big difference in the health of the animal ?
Sometimes pet food manufacturers make me furious, and completely baffled !
And not just rabbits - but cat and dog food as well. SO much is just junk

 

[Dood]

:shock: it's cheaper and there's no law saying they have to - that's why they got away with feeding cows to cows (until BSE cropped up) but we can still feed chicken (and chicken poop) to cows and hogs and even dogs to dogs

Some think there is too much government interference and want them even less involved in regulating products :shrug:

 

[Zass]

Hmmm, yeah. Someone will sell whatever people are willing to buy.

Just look at the quality of most dogs and cat foods. :roll:
Or better yet...Look at what is sold as HUMAN FOOD in the US. :evil:


I like pellet 4 too.

 

[HOWsMom]

Oh great - the 4H leader that she's getting her rabbit from has gone and told Bug4H that the pellet she's most likely to get (which is #2, as it's available within walking distance from us - a very important thing when you're only 10!) is nothing but junk

She swears by a Purina pellet - that has 18% protein, no yucca, and lower fiber than the ones I'd listed. AND it's only available at a store that is almost a 20 minute drive away.