Changing pellet brands

[Kyla]

:bunnybutt:My bunny Diggs has been eating too many of the wrong type of pellets for his whole life. I got new Oxbow timothy pellets from my vet and I'm trying to mix them together, slowly reducing the old ones. This has been going on for about 2 weeks now (since I got him) and he is still picking out only the old ones out of the bowl! When he goes and eats right after I fill the bowl, I see that he has only eaten the old ones. Even if I mix them up really well! When I just leave the bowl out, though, he eventually finishes. Sometimes he pushes the bowl around, a couple times even out of the cage making a mess, when he was finished with his favourites. I was thinking of starting to give him only the new ones in the bowl, and giving the old ones as treats I can give out often... or should I keep mixing until the old ones are gone? (this might make him angry not getting his favourites for breakfast!) They are Martin rabbit pellets with yucca extract.

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Hi Kyla. Welcome to the forum.

There are two different types of Martins pellets on the market.

The first one is Martin Less Active Adult Food made with Timothy Hay. The ingredients should say Timothy Meal. This is what I feed my Holland Lop (Bebe). Check your bag to see if it is the same. If it is, then it should be fine for Diggs. I used Oxbow pellets too, and Bebe does exactly the same thing. She eats the Martins first. I stopped using Oxbow because it was difficult to get it in our region. You can slowly decrease the amount of Martins until you run out. Diggs would eventually eat Oxbow if there was nothing else to eat.

Thesecondbrandcontains Alfalfa, which is for growing bunnies, which is too fattening and rich for Diggs. If that is what you are feeding him, then I would cut it out from his diet.

 

[Kyla]

I just checked the bag, it is the kind with alfalfa(it came with him from my friend). So I will just quit using it. Thanks, Pet_Bunny! Maybe I'll try and find the less active kind, he might like it because it is the same brand.
Funny bunnies!
Luv your signature pics BTW!

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Kyla wrote:

I just checked the bag, it is the kind with alfalfa(it came with him from my friend). So I will just quit using it.

The bags are so confusing because they look the same. You really have to look closely and check the ingredients. The key words are ... Timothy Hayand Less Active Adult Rabbit Food.

The alfalfa pellets you have now could be used sparingly as treats.

 

[Festa18]

I feed my bunny Timothy hay complete pellets by Kaytee brand. I have found that this food is hard to find. I have only found it in Petsmart and Petco. The 1st ingredient is timothy hay and not alfalfa meal which is good!