Anyone ever use this Pellet & other ?'s

[BunnieLuva]

I came across this Pellet Baby Rabbit Food and I was wondering if anyone else has ever used it?

Is it a good pellet of choice? Here is a link to the actual purchase page where you can view the Ingredients as well. If it's not a good pellet choice, then what is the best kind to feed her? Is there a pellet she should be fed during her first so many months of life and then be switched to a different pellet after she reaches a certain age?

I'm wanting to get the best food possible for my baby bun when she gets here, so that's why I'm asking now, so I can be prepared and have what she needs

Also I noticed that towards the bottom of the ingredients label it says to provide a salt like, but I've read that you don't want to give a bun a salt lick...so do I or don't I?

What is actually the best hay to feed my baby bun? I've heard alfalfa, but then I've also heard timothy...which one should I actually give her? I don't want to give her anything that is going to be bad for her.

Is it true that Buns should not be fed veggies until they are 6 months of age? And what about fruits, when can they start eating fruits and how often can they have fruits?

Thanks so much for reading and for any and all help



[line]:happybunny:Have a Hoppy Bunniriffic Day!:happybunny:
:apollo:Bren :apollo:

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

I have heard of those pellets, however I haven't used them. What I'd consider the best pellets however would probable be Oxbow. For my bunnies, I've used Purina which seems to be pretty good too. The difference is that Purina doesn't have pellets for when they're older based from Timothy hay. Anyway, I like using Purina Fibre 3 for my rabbits (however, due to the fact that our feed store was out, I was forced to switch them to Nutrena which I've found ok as well)

You could stilll give a salt lick. It isn't necesary with most feeds, though I've given them to my bunnies. I've found only 2 of mine ever touched it and it wasn't until they hit 6 yrs.

For hay, I just give mine Timothy mixed with 'horsehay' we get in a bale at the feed store by us. Alfalfa can be given when they're young, though I've found making the switch to the other when they're older is hard becasue they refuse the new hay. I don't think its necary but they do really like it (and it does have good things too)

There are varying oppinions on when is right to start veggies. I've found 6 months plenty early. My bunnies just started on veggies (and is 6 mo.) and still gets an upset tummy easily from it.

 

[Bonnie Lee]

Hmmm, I don't know much about pellets as we buy specially made hay based pellets from a local Fodder store...

But I had a bunny that couldn't handle greens before he was 4 months and my other bunny was fine and then someone on this forum told me that it depends on the breeder...

Usually baby bunnies eat what the mum eats when they begin solids while still drinking their mothers milk and then the milk creates an immune to any bacterias in that food...
But if the bunny never ate it when it was with its mother it isn't used to any of the bacteria's...
So waiting til the bunny is 4 months old is to be on the safe side if you don't know about what the breeder fed their bunny or if they just kept them on certain pellets...

I personally don't give my bunny fruit besides half of a carrot once or twice a week as a treat. and very rarely but sometimes they get a teaspoon size of banana...as I heard it rots their teeth if they have it too often...

This is just what I've learned and been told but rabbit information can be very Bias so it's up to you as the carer of your bunny to decide whats the best choice for your buns.


Sorry if that wasn't much help at all...

 

[LakeCondo]

You should find out what he or she is eating now & give the same thing, at least for awhile. Also read the site's library article about feeding young rabbits. They don't eat the same as adult rabbits; just like human babies shouldn't be given steak. Growing rabbits need to get their calcium; it needs to be limited once they're full-grown. Alfalfa has a lot more calcium than other hays, so that what's they need when still growing.

 

[Buttercup n Charlie]

Hi Bren! As LakeCondo mentions you should feed Posie whatever the breeder has been giving her for the first few days. Then start to mix in a little bit of your own pellets slowly, until you've switched completely. You'll want to make sure Posie's stool is healthy as you mix in more and more; if it isn't, slow it down a little.

As for brand, +1 for Oxbow Anything made by Oxbow is usually arguable the best product out there for bunnies (my vet tends to think so too). Young buns should usually get alfalfa to help them grow till they're about 6mo old. So we give buttercup Oxbow Bunny Basics for young rabbits since it's alfalfa based and will transition to the adult rabbit version when she hits 6mo (soon actually). On the other hand, while alfalfa is good for them at a young age, I personally don't want to give too much of it to her, so her haystack is still a combination of timothy+oat+orchard grass. We use oxbow hay as well, but you can just as well grab a FRESH bale from a farmer for way cheaper.

You'll want to be very careful with fruits and veggies. Buns are very sensitive to diet changes and can get diarrhea if you give it to them too early. Ideal age is 6mo where you can start introducing veggies one at a time and very slowly. We started giving buttercup coin size slices of baby carrot when she was 4 mo as we were trying to control her behavior. Then we introduced parsley recently as her first veg/herb. We're not going to introduce anything else till she turns 6mo.

Seems like you're shopping for Posie, so here are some other things you'll want to have on hand
1) Oxbow critical care
2) A feeding syringe
3) Papaya enzyme tablets. Oxbow makes these, but obviously since it's specialized for rabbits it's more expensive. You can also just get the human version from the organic drugs section of a grocery store; just make sure they don't have added sugar, and use them in smaller amounts. These are useful to help with slowing stool when they start developing hairballs; clears it right out!
4) I would assume you have quick access to Pedialyte, but if not, have some of that on hand as well. You can use it to re hydrate a bunny with diarrhea.

Lastly, have you decided on a vet yet? If not, check out value pet clinic. They are MUCH cheaper than any exotic vet clinic in WA, and there's one in Puyallup and one in Kent so those should be close to you. We like Dr. Irwin, but she's a hoverer and works at all their clinics on rotation. To give you a comparison, their spays cost about $90 including meds, whereas most other vets quoted us 300+.

Anyways, good luck!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Alfalfa is given to young bunnies till they end their "growth" period at usually 6 months. It provides higher calcium and protein after which they need less so you transition to timothy.

 

[BunnieLuva]

Thank you all for all your help...I really appreciate it!

I just found out from the breeder that S/he is feeding Posie and the other Buns Grass Hay or Timothy hay...S/he says they've heard that Alfalfa hay can be too strong...I have no clue where they heard that from, but I'm concerned as to how to get Posie on Alfalfa hay, what would be the best process to introducing her to alfalfa hay safely?

I will definitely be gradually mixing her present given pellets with Oxbow Bunny Basics for young rabbits pellets to get her switched over to them.

Any help with the hay switching issue would be greatly appreciated

 

[LakeCondo]

What a strange breeder. If babies don't need the calcium & protein to grow, who does. I suppose they could get along without alfalfa hay if they get alfalfa pellets.

 

[OneTwoThree]

I've never given either buns alfalfa hay, but they do get alfalfa pellets until 6 months, then I (over a week( switch to timothy based. Alfalfa is a "fattier" hay than timothy, which is why adults shouldn't have it but babies can. Its not toxic or anything, they will just get overweight if fed it. You don't need to gradually introduce hay, you can switch and mix as needed I give my buns orchard mainly, with the occasional timothy and oat.

Wait until at least 12 weeks to slowly introduce greens, mild ones like romaine are good to start with. There's a great list in the RO care section

And I love oxbow everything, just adding that. I use bunny basics, adult, hay, even papaya enzymes as a treat.

 

[tamsin]

Yep, although we say alfalfa is only suitable for youngsters, it doesn't mean the youngsters have to have it. Thousands of babies grow up just fine on standard meadow or Timothy hay. Pellets can provide the protein and calcium required.

If you want to mix some alfalfa in that's fine. I think it's actually good to feed timothy too if you do though, as I know a few people have had trouble with it comes to swap as the bun is used to the extra tasty alfalfa and not keen on swapping.

 

[BunnieLuva]

So, as long as I feed her a Alfalfa based pellet then she is fine to stay on the Orchard Grass/Timothy hay?...I will be slowly transitioning her over to Oxbow Bunny Basics for young rabbits as soon as I get her home

 

[JimD]

Bunnylova4eva wrote:

The difference is that Purina doesn't have pellets for when they're older based from Timothy hay.

Mazuri makes rabbit feed made with timothy.
https://www.mazuri.com/Home.asp?Products=1

Mazuri makes exotic feeds and is a division of PMI Nutrition International.

Purina Mills LLC owns PMI.

To make it a bit more confusing....Purina Mills is now part of Land O'Lakes, Inc.

:expressionless

 

[LakeCondo]

Corporate family trees sure can get complicated.