I would think they would give them hay, which is a general guideline, and give small amounts of a pellet food and gradually increase it over time. If you think about in the wild, bunnies often eat different foods when necessary, so although bunnies have delicate systems, they are hardy.

I don’t even think shelter bunnies get lettuce and veggies due to expenses. Just pellets and hay.

Do you still have the old pellets? Mix em in wth the new…

The shelter I was at just started them on small amounts of pellets and watched to see how they did. Some bunnies transition just fine – the rule of switching food slowly is because some bunnies have problems, not because all will. Also, some will just have mushy cecals for a couple days, which isn’t a huge health risk or anything.  My shelter also had alfalfa pellets, which were fed to most bunnies because they’re cheaper, and timmy pellets which were fed to those with more sensitive stomachs, so there were options if a bunny couldn’t handle the new food.

Not much else you can do!

Did he come from a shelter? I would recommend to do a physical examination and a fecal test especially if there are other rabbits in the house.

You may find the green banner above very helpful in the Info. section for all the start-up information you need to have him. It’s great that you saved him from that family. Vet check on Friday is excellent.
He will have some minor ajustments to the food, but introducing healthy foods slowly and steadily will get him on track soon, and he should be responding well in just a few days to a regime of only healthy food as his steady diet. The hay is most important, timothy if he likes it is best, with plenty of water and then pellets (not too much at each feeding) and mild greens to start.

Most animal shelters aren’t taking care of animals good. They cannot afford to buy vegetables for rabbits to eat everyday. They tend to give rabbits junk cheap pellets and hay because they are cheap and plenty for rest of rabbits. When I went to animal shelter to adopt my second rabbit, I went to her hutch and saw her environment in hutch. The environment was very dirty. I can see dust all over places. Hay aren’t clean, I mean I can see dirty brown all over hay. they use lousy litter (paper shred) for their litters. I can type more reasons why they are horrible to take care of animals in any animal shelters but you get the idea.

All I can say is that I’m glad that I adopt two rabbits from animal shelter to get away from that place.

In defense of shelters – we wouldn’t need them if more people were responsible and took responsibility. Shelters have very limited funds and it’s true that they are not great places for animals but sometimes the alternative could be worse. The truth is most municipal shelters have to take in all strays and all owner surrenders.

Taurus, I’m glad you adopted from a shelter too…any animal at a shelter deserves a second chance at life.

Well, I wasn’t trying to against animal shelters.

It is one of good places that animals can go to for awhile. Its better than living with someone who don’t know how to take care of pets. I knew some people who feed their rabbits with junk food and dairy products. Yes, I’m not kidding.

I just wish that all animal shelter will improve BIG TIME for animals in the future. That’s all.

Sarita, I adopted all of my pets (two rabbits and two guinea pigs) from same animal shelter. Yes, I’m glad, too.

I adopted Schroeder from a Humane Society- but he was at a petstore- they only adopt out rabbits not sell them (small chain pet store).  I bought some of the crappy pellets he was on and did as quick a transition to Oxbow T as I could.  Schroeder had a poor hair coat and a larger belly at first- but with good pellets, unlimited hay and slowly introducing veggies- he has distriubted the weight normally over his body and he now has a thick plush typical Mini Lop coat.  He did not shed for about the first 6 months  Diet obviously makes a HUGE difference in coat and health. 

Shelters unfortunately feed what they have unless the owners are smart enough to bring in the rest of the pellets they have.