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Rabbits should have more hay because the hay has good nutrients. Pellets are good but the hay is more natural. For most rabbits timothy hay is the best choice and Katee is a good brand that is available in most pet food stores.
A rabbit pellet has all the nutrients and vitamins your rabbit needs to live. The addition of hay is the breeders choice and not a necessity for the rabbit although they definitely enjoy it. Timothy is a good hay and so is alfalfa but both have to be clean and free of burrs and noxious weeds. Don't forget to consider a small salt lick, too.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoYou should only feed your rabbit pellets made for rabbits. Don't give your bunny pellets made for other animals (like guinea pigs, hamsters, etc).
Think for Yourself & Read Labels
There's lots of bad pellets on the market. Just because something is made for rabbits, that doesn't mean it's good for them! Don't blindly trust the market, because many of these companies are only interested in money, not your pet's wellbeing.
Also, some pellets are made for meat rabbits, lab rabbits, or rabbits in high-breeding situations: pet bunnies lead different lives and, hopefully, longer ones, so they have different nutritional needs.
It's true that high-quality pellets are more expensive, but that's just part of owning a rabbit. If you can't afford the good pellets, then you can't afford the bunny.
PELLET TYPE: PLAIN (EXTRUDED) vs. MIX (MUESLI)
Often you'll find pellets mixed with seeds, grains, nuts, and/or dried veg and fruit, but these aren't healthy for rabbits. Not only are they too high in fats and proteins, but they encourage selective eating: your bunny might only eat the bits she likes best, and leave the rest behind, which means she won't get the right balance of vitamins and nutrients. Choose a plain pellet for your bunny.
FIBRE CONTENT
Rabbits need lots of fibre to keep their guts moving. Without enough fibre, a rabbit can go into cecal dysbiosis, then GI stasis (which is deadly). Many rabbits die too young for this reason. (Pet rabbits live 8-11 years or longer.) The fibre content on the label should read minimum 18%.
FAT & PROTEIN CONTENTS
Some rabbits need more fat and protein than others. If your rabbit is breeding, or juvenile (under 8 months), or living outdoors in cold weather (but never lower than 40F/5C - at that point the bunny should come inside), or if the rabbit is elderly and losing weight, then a pellet with a bit more protein and fat can be good.
But your normal adult pet rabbit needs a pellet low in fat and protein. The label should read between 12-14% for protein, and 1-2% for fat (and absolutely zero animal fats).
PORTION SIZE
Some people give their rabbits unlimited pellets, and their bunnies are fine. But many rabbits will overeat unless their pellets are limited.
When a rabbit overeats pellets, they're not just at risk of obesity (which is bad enough, and has a wide range of health complications), but also of GI stasis and dental problems, because they'll "spoil" their appetite for hay (and hay is important to encourage gut motility and dental health). There's no point in risking over-eating: it's safer just to limit the pellet portion.
A general guideline is 2-4 Tbsp pellets per day for a normal, healthy 5 pound rabbit.
More Answers
A well balanced alfalfa based rabbit pellet is best.
- Response: Alfalfa, being a legume, is high in protein, so alfalfa-based pellets are often too high in protein for a healthy adult pet rabbit. But really, the important thing isn't whether the pellets are timothy or alfalfa-based: the key is to look at the protein levels on the packaging (in the nutritional info box).
I use Pen Pal for my local feed store.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoRabbits will eat as much as they need then quit, they cant really over eat.
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Can rabbits eat straw?
yes, they can, as straw is better for bedding than 1/2 food.you should feed your rabbit about 50% of the daily food should be hay/timothy hay/alfalfa hay (for pregnant or growing rabbits). and the other 50% should be 16-18% rabbit feed (pellets).feed resource's:*no food, cant get to the store today?answer: feed your rabbit 1 handful (NO MORE) cracked corn or oat meal (UN cooked). this should no be continued for more than 2 days!* what type of pellets should be fed?answer: -16% rabbit pellets: before shows or to slim down your rabbit.- 17% rabbit pellets: casual feed.- 18% rabbit pellets: fatten up your rabbit.*what type of hay?answer: alfalfa: pregnant or growing rabbitstimothy: to fatten up rabbitnormal 1st cut hay: casual hay feed.ALWAYS FEED YOU RABBIT TREATS AND FRUIT/ VEGGIES DAILY!thank you
Y female rabbit just dived on your hand and bit it when you put your hand in gage could she be pregnant?
It is more likely that your rabbit is hungry and lunges at your hand because this is where the food is coming from. Drop some alfalfa or a small treat into the cage to distract the rabbit to a different area of the cage. Then quickly drop the pellets or other food in the food bowl. Consider feeding your rabbit more frequently. A rabbit should be fed twice a day and should always have a fresh supply of hay and water.
Can snails be ok on pellets for rabbit?
No, a rabbit's pellets should not be contaminated by insects like snails. Keep your bunny's food in a dry, safe place where insects and animals won't get to it. Keep your rabbit's hutch or enclosure clean and dry: one snail moving through the hutch won't be a problem, but there should not be any kind of infestation. Snails generally like damp spots, and a rabbit's hutch should be bone dry or else the rabbit will get sick. See the related questions below for more info and helpful links.
When should you put your rabbit on adult pellets?
Between the ages of 7 and 12 months, the rabbit should slowly transition to an adult diet. When switching pellets, always do so gradually: start by mixing a bit of the new pellets in with the old pellets, and every week increase how many new pellets you're including until there's more new pellets than old pellets, and eventually you'll only be feeding the new pellets. Sudden changes in a rabbit's diet -- even if it's a good change -- can make the rabbit ill. When you're making dietary changes, be extra vigilant looking out for signs of ill health and bring the rabbit to the vet if you see any. See the related questions below for more information and helpful links.
How many times do you feed a rabbit in a day?
Rabbits should have some food available at all times. Remove stale or bad food, and keep water always around for them. Rabbits should have hay and water available at all times, 24/7. But, if a rabbit always has pellets to eat, it's likely she (or he) will eat too many. If a rabbit eats too many pellets, it can get sick, overweight, and unhealthy. Many experts recommend limiting your rabbit's pellets and also serving dark, fresh leafy greens every day. It's a good idea to split the pellets and greens into two meals per day: breakfast and dinner. See the related question below for more details and helpful links about a healthy rabbit diet.
How much should a rabbit eat pellets?
Doesn't this depend on the weight of your Rabbit? It should say on the packaging it does for my dog! :)
Can rabbit pellets rot?
Yes, anything organic can rot, especially in moist conditions -- they could also turn stale or grow mould. You should keep pellets dry, as air-tight as possible, and cold: that will keep them fresh the longest. See the related question below for more info about rabbit pellets.
How many kilograms of pellets do you feed your rabbit?
It's recommended to limit your rabbit's pellets. Pellets are relatively high in protein and fat, even high quality varieties, and if your rabbit overeats then serious illness can result. A healthy quantity for a normal 6 pound adult rabbit is somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 cup per day. See the related question below for more info about the rabbit diet.
Your rabbit is picking around the pellets?
If your rabbit is eating other food presented to it, most likely the pellets are stale or tainted, and so your rabbit is finding them unappetizing. Try changing to a fresh batch and see if your rabbit likes them better. Pellets should not be purchased in large quantities or kept for long periods of time, as they can easily spoil. Also, rabbits should not be fed only pellets, they need a balanced diet which includes plenty of fresh vegetables. But if your rabbit is not eating anything at all, best get it to a vet. Rabbits often pick through their pellets when they're given a "muesli" (pellets mixed with seeds, nuts, dried fruit or vegetables, grains, etc.). This is one reason why muesli pellets aren't good: the rabbit will eat them selectively and miss out on the right balance of nutrients. Also, they tend to be too high in fats, and sometimes proteins, so they can make rabbits sick (obese in the longterm, or GI stasis in the short-term). It's better to give your rabbits "extruded" pellets (these are just plain pellets, nothing else mixed in). Even some of these pellets are too high in fats or proteins, so you should research what makes a good pellet and read the nutritional information. See the related questions below for more details and helpful links.
What do you feed rabbits?
1/2 a cup of Rabbit Pellets. Thompson and Redwood is the best brand. They should also have a small handful of hay. Never give your bunny more then 1.2 a cup of vegies/fruit a day.
Can squirrels eat hamster food?
No, rabbits can't eat hamster food or any foods made for other animals. Hamsters are omnivores; rabbits are herbivores. Rabbits have unique nutritional needs and, when it comes to pellets, they should only eat foods made specifically for rabbits.Rabbits should mostly eat hay; they should have unlimited access to hay and water. They should also eat high-quality rabbit pellets, and fresh greens. See the related question (below) for more details about the rabbit diet and helpful links.One person wrote: It depends because some foods for hamster will say if other animals like rabbits or guniea pigs can eat it. Im guess if its your only choise its okay because they cant be that different...i think. But i would stick to rabbit food if i were you just tyo make sure it likes it and is getting the nutrison it needs!Another person wrote in response: There's no reason why hamster food would be your only choice: just go and buy rabbit food. The ingredients of hamster and rabbits pellets are not the same. Only feed rabbit food to your rabbit.
Does anything besides rabbits eat rabbit pellets?
AnswerRabbit pellets are designed very specifically to meet a rabbit's dietary needs, and since rabbits eat very unique diets, their pellets are not suitable for other animals. Other animals should eat pellets made specifically for them or else they will suffer from malnutrition and fall ill.DebateOne person wrote: Guinea pigs, hamsters, and mice can also eat rabbit pellets. Another person wrote in response: Hamsters and mice are omnivorous, which means they require animal protein in their diet and they can digest animal fats; rabbits, on the other hand, are vegetarian (vegan), and their pellets should be low in protein and fat -- in other words, these animals eat very different diets and therefore can't eat the same pellets. Guinea pigs (cavies) are more similar to rabbits but they have special dietary needs too, and they should eat a pellet made just for them (for instance, they need vitamin C and their pellets will have this added, whereas rabbit pellets don't).
