Do I need “young rabbit” pellets?

[Quantum]

 The Bun With No Name is currently eating Oxbow Bunny Basics-T (adult formula) and a mix of timothy, alfalfa and orchard grass (plus veggies, of course).  I’m heading out for bunny supplies and I don’t recall seeing the Oxbow young rabbit formula pellets last time at our PetSmart.  Will the alfalfa hay I’m feeding make up for any lack in the pellets?  Or should I order some online?  Also note that he’s not overly fond of pelleted food and has only eaten a very small handful (if that) since we brought him home–he seems to prefer hay.

[Stickerbunny]

How old is he?

[Quantum]

Oops! Sorry about that–I should have said. He’s 5 months old.

[Sarita]

Yes, that should be perfectly fine.

[Stickerbunny]

He’s close enough to needing adult pellets, I don’t see any reason to convert him just to convert him back.

[Quantum]

Ah, thanks! The fourth house-bun I’ve ever owned and I still get the new-mom-second-guesses. I should head out and do errands now–he’s totally flopped on his side behind the x-pen and would be snoring up a storm if buns snored.

[kamdynandsunshinesmom]

When I got my rabbit kamdyn 5 years ago. He was about 5 -6 months when I switched him to oxbow timmy pellets. He was perfectly fine!

[Monkeybun]

Monkey has had timothy pellets since day 1 of me bringing her home at age 7 weeks, and she’s fine and healthy I wouldn’t worry at all.

[Quantum]

Thanks again, everyone! Came home with more Yesterday’s News litter, some fresher alfalfa, a new bag of timothy and a bag of the botanical to throw a little of into the mix. And a “Timothy Lounger” from Oxbow–kind of like a box with no top woven out of timothy. BWNN likes to chew cardboard, but prefers to actually eat it unlike any of my previous buns. This will give him a chewing outlet without upsetting his stomach, I hope.

[PapaJoe]

Thanks for bringing up this question.

I am a brand new dad – expecting my first family to arrive tomorrow. They are about 7 weeks old.
When I asked about the diet they are on now, I was told that they are between mother’s milk
and Timothy Hay and pellets. I asked about them eating Alfalfa Hay, and was told it would give
them diarrhea.

My question: I’ve read that bunnies should be fed Alfalfa hay for the first year of their lives.
It was important being that Alfalfa has the extra calcium baby bunnies need during this important
developmental period of their lives.

Should I SLOWLY introduce them to Alfalfa Hay and Pellets when I get them, being that they are still
so young?

Thank in advance.

Joe

[Sarita]

Hi, Joe, welcome. It’s always advisable to begin a new thread for your own questions to get a better response instead of piggybacking on another member’s thread.

Your new babies need to be totally weaned from mama and a minimum of 8 weeks old. If they are currently getting timothy hay and pellets I would keep them on that and give them handfuls of fresh alfalfa hay…this is not what causes diarrhea in baby rabbits. You should have your baby rabbits though tested for coccidia which can cause diarrhea in babies and is fatal.

[PapaJoe]

Posted By Sarita on 03/01/2012 12:45 PM
Hi, Joe, welcome. It’s always advisable to begin a new thread for your own questions to get a better response instead of piggybacking on another member’s thread.

Your new babies need to be totally weaned from mama and a minimum of 8 weeks old. If they are currently getting timothy hay and pellets I would keep them on that and give them handfuls of fresh alfalfa hay…this is not what causes diarrhea in baby rabbits. You should have your baby rabbits though tested for coccidia which can cause diarrhea in babies and is fatal.

 

Thank you Sarita! Sorry about the piggybacking. Will follow your advice moving forward.

I plan on taking my new bunnies to the Vet first thing next week for a full check up and start files on them, while they are healthy. Look foward to sharing my family on here. Thanks again for the recommendations. Joe

 

[Sarita]

No problem :~) Please feel free to ask away, we love to help.

You want to keep their diet as close as possible to their mother’s diet when you bring them home. Do you know if mama is eating veggies and the babies are as well? If so, you can feed them what mama is eating.

[PapaJoe]

Posted By Sarita on 03/01/2012 01:01 PM
No problem :~) Please feel free to ask away, we love to help.

You want to keep their diet as close as possible to their mother’s diet when you bring them home. Do you know if mama is eating veggies and the babies are as well? If so, you can feed them what mama is eating.

I’m not sure of the mother’s diet. I do have a list of questions to as the breeder when I pick them up tomorrow. I do know the babies are mixed between mother’s milk, Timothy Hay, and Pellets. They are not getting veggies yet – which the breeder advise not to give them any yet at this age.

I do know that they are about 7 weeks old. I am going to try and get photos of their parents and find out any medical information I can on the parents. I don’t know how hereditary rabbits can be, so I thought it might be good to ask. Anything additional you think I should find out?

Thanks again. Love reading all of the interesting topics. Great ideas that I haven’t thought about. I will be sure to post in the introduction section once I get my babies home.     Joe

[Sarita]

Yes, that’s true since Mama isn’t eating veggies.

Ask if you can get some of the pellets they are currently eating as well.

It sounds to me like you have some very good questions and are right on track. You might ask her as well where she purchases her hay especially if it’s local so you can continue to purchase it from there.

Definitely post pictures of your new bunnies and names and all that good stuff when you get them!

[PapaJoe]

Posted By Sarita on 03/01/2012 01:13 PM
Yes, that’s true since Mama isn’t eating veggies.

Ask if you can get some of the pellets they are currently eating as well.

It sounds to me like you have some very good questions and are right on track. You might ask her as well where she purchases her hay especially if it’s local so you can continue to purchase it from there.

Definitely post pictures of your new bunnies and names and all that good stuff when you get them!

 

Oh, you bet I will. Very excited, but anxious.

[Author]

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