poo poo question

[cocorabbit]

So 3 days ago I ran out of rabbit pellets. My rabbits LOVE them... but I look at it like JUNK FOOD. They LOVED to eat it, almost biting my hand before the pellets reach the bowl.
I controlled it somewhat only giving them a handful or two once in the morning and again once at night. Sometimes they ignored their hay (alfalfa), so I would restrict them till they ate it. But for sure they LOVED their pellets (naughty rabbits).

Along with the pellet craze came LOTS of poo poo.

So once they ran out of pellets and the pet store didn't have the one brand I like in stock, I figured I'd wait till next week to get them some more. So I have been only giving them veggies and hay.. introduced them to Timothy hay yesterday and they LOVED it (to my surprise!)... maybe they were just happy to get something different.

Anyway, I know it's better for them, that I read on online pellets shouldn't be a main part of diet, if anything just snack/treat.

BUT I have noticed they aren't pooping as much. Their appetite is good, drinking water, eating their hay and veggies.
The poo poo they do have looks normal, round ,black and firm. It's just A LOT LESS, than when they were eating pellets.
I'm happy about it.. but this is ok right?!

 

[LakeCondo]

Pellets are NOT junk food; they contain essential vitamins & minerals plus other nutrients. Just don't give too much if the buns are getting fat on them.

 

[Kipcha]

LakeCondo wrote:

Pellets are NOT junk food;

Depending on the brand they are fed, they are not junk food. It really depends on what you're feeding. What brand is it you're giving them?

For indoor rabbits, pellets should be provided as it provides a number of vitamins and minerals that normally, wild ones would get naturally but house rabbits don't get due to their diets, just as LakeCondo said. They should be getting a good quality timothy pellet.

 

[katnanw]

I feed mine pellets from Oxbow. They're good, right? I don't know , I just trust oxbow because of their hay. Try it though I use plain Oxbow Young Rabbit Food :rollseyes

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Our vet says you shouldn't give any pellets--unlimited hay and veggies is his recommendation.

 

[majorv]

Unless you're diligent about feeding the amount and varietyof veggies needed to provide a well balanced diet, then you shouldbe supplementing with a good quality pellet. In both cases, hay should be available.

 

[cocorabbit]

LakeCondo wrote:

Pellets are NOT junk food; they contain essential vitamins & minerals plus other nutrients. Just don't give too much if the buns are getting fat on them.

Wow! Ok! Thanks everyone for your info! It was actually helpful. I got some more pellets today. But I think I will limit them to one serving a day instead of twice a day, since I see that they were doing just fine eating just their hay and veggies..
But some days I do not have the time to give them all the good veggies, and it makes sense about house rabbits needing the nutrients in the pellets.

So ya.. thanks!:wink