Question about food

[maherwoman]

OKay, guys...so in talking to Auntie Heather...she recommended Oxbow 15/23 for my new boy, Fiver (which is understandable, since he's got about 1lb to gain and badly needs to regain nutrition).

BUT...she said she recommends giving it to my girls, as well.

Now, it's not the OXBOW brand I'm questioning...its the fact that she's saying I should give them an alfalfa-based food...when I don't think that's the best, given that they're all over a year old.

So...your thoughts?

Also, I've been thinking of gradually switching everyone (except Fiver) over to Oxbow Timothy food...recommendations on the best one?

And...should I start switching them NOW, or wait until after the move, and they're feeling all settled? Will it matter, really?

 

[HoneyPot]

Alfalfa based pellets are too high in protein and calciumfor an adult bunny. There's a reason they have a 'adult' formula food I think? I've noticed an increase in chalky pee when Misty used to get into Charlie's afalfa based food (and Hay) as well as too many cecal pellets. That's my experience anyway. I say if you have a choice, keep your adult buns on Timothy pellets for sure.

_____________
Nadia

 

[maherwoman]

Okay, cool..that's what I thought...I just wanted to be sure there wasn't something I was missing about it.

The last thing I wanna do is give them GI problems from giving them too much protein.

Thank you!

 

[JadeIcing]

I agree.

Though Ringo does get some Alfalfa but that is with the vets, and the rescues aggreement.

 

[ra7751]

Well....everyone knows that I was going to chime in on this one....so let me start some controversy. The argument between alfalfa based and timothy based pellets is flawed. The problem is that pellets should be such a small part of a rabbit's diet....it really shouldn't matter. We have used both and see no major difference between the two differently based pellets. Now let me qualify that by saying that we feed a very limited amount of pellets to some ofour rabbits butoffer the very highest quality grass hays to all in unlimited amounts. Rabbits were designed by Mother Nature to easily survive on low proteins and high fibers. Most people overfeed pellets to their rabbits. Many feel that pellets have something that a natural diet doesn't. Healthy adultrabbits really don't need pellets at all. Look at cottontails (I know the argument about being different species but their GI systems are identical)...there are not a lot of dishes of pellets in the woods. They eat the way nature intended.Ido not feed any pellets to the cottontails here (and there have been hundreds of them)....they eat a regular rabbit diet. I have had several intense discussions with the wildlifecenters about using pellets for rescued cottontails. At our rescue, we use pellets only to maintain weight. Many of our rabbits eat only high quality hay and limited greens. Several of them haven't had pellets in years....they add too much weight with any amount of pellets. If you are feeding high quality hay and greens....healthy adult rabbit should have very limited, if any, pellets. We do feed pellets to certain rabbits that are sick or old....basically we use pellets just to maintain weight. And obviously baby rabbits should have pellets available free choice.

Looking forward to further discussion on this subject.

Randy

 

[HoneyPot]

I agree with you Randy - I am in the process of cutting my guys back even further. Currently my two adult buns (4lbs each) get 1/4 cup of pellets to share between them. I have to find a good source of hay and I am going ot cut them back even further. My guys keep gaining weight but they hardly get treats, so I'm cutting right back... they won't like it.



Nadia

 

[JadeIcing]

I agree with Randy. If I could afford better hays and more greens I more than likely would except for Ringo.

He is the one I am 10* more careful about weight.

 

[MsBinky]

I agree with the whole pellets vs a more natural diet thing. I never fed the cottontails pellets and I think that no cottontail should be fed pellets at all so kudos to youfor staying firm with that!

I would love to cut back on most pellets myself but unfortunately the hay here is not of the greatest quality so I feel that the pellet is required for now. Hopefully, if I get enough land in the future, I can grow my own or buy from someone and feed them even less pellet than now.

I really like the idea of pellets just being a supplement. :biggrin2:

 

[maherwoman]

Okay, cool. I give my girls each the recommended 1/4c per 5lbs, so no worries that I'm free-feeding them, or anything. They are all on a Timothy pellet right now (Kaytee TImothy Complete), but we're literally right about to start switching them to Oxbow Bunny Basics T.

Thanks!

 

[ra7751]

Hi Again All,

Just for the record....the most we feed any healthy adult rabbit is 1/8 cup of pellets per day....and he is nearing 30 pounds...and is still a growing boy and adding weight. Also something to consider is that too many pellets and not enough hay not only affects the GI.....but pellets bascially pulvarize when crunched.....reduced chewing can easily result in painful and difficult to treat molar spurs.

Randy

 

[maherwoman]

Okay...I totally and utterly respect your opinion...

I will say this: once I can have Fiver home and be able to relax about his health status, I'll start cutting the girls back to 1/8c per 5lbs...and then maybe less than that. But, for right now, I'm just too stressed about Fiver's transport tomorrow to think about that, too.

I hope that makes sense...

I'm not saying what you're telling me isn't important to me...just that I have a LOT on my plate at this particular moment, so will handle it at a later point.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

No alfalfa based foods after 1 year unless it's for a rehab ill bunny like Fiver.

That should only be for a short time and you should then start weening him onto the Basic T blend.

I kept Clover on it until she was about 16 mos old just because I had it and I wanted her to put on a few ounces. She did and she's fine - she's on the Basic T and Timothy hay now.


Like any grazing animal, grain/pellets should only be a small amount of their diet. Horses survive mostly on hay and grass. Still, I think domestic animals need to have their diet kept in check (which a balanced pellet can offer if given in small amount) for the correct nutrients. Too many people think Hay and hay only if you go to the "no need for pellet" - I can't see even a good hay being "that" good.