101rabbits is a forum member so she can tell you more about it if she sees this!

There should be quite a bit of info around on pellet free diets if you search for it.
I don’t know much about it but I believe the guideline is that they need at least 10 different kinds of veggies everyday to get all the nutrients.

You need to give tons of leafy greens (so broccoli doesn’t count) everyday. It is also best to feed several types of hay, safe twigs and forages if you have access to those.

LEL, broccoli leaves must count as leafy greens? I grew broccoli last summer and I got the broccoli and the buns got the leaves.
I think variation is key in a pellet-less diet. So don’t feed the same greens all the time, all greens have their own specifick set of micronutrients.

I forage a lot for my buns in the spring and summer and some days they get no pellets and some days they get a few, mostly for vitamin D since they are indoors all the time (a lot of vit D comes from direct UV-radiation on the skin).

I don’t give them tons exactly but there is a bit of work involved. People get tired with me on walks because I stop all the time to pick dandelion, plantain, clover, willow-leaves, ground-elder, alfalfa and whatever else bunny safe I can find. My two buns both weighing about 2 kg consume 2 stuffed three-litre bags of leaves every day. 3 litres is about 6 pints. That’s a lot of leaves to pick. But it seems to keep my buns happy =)

The reason 101rabbits does not give pellets is because her vet recommended this…you need to speak with your vet concerning this and they need a wide variety of veggies – pellets are only a small part of the diet anyway and unless your vet recommends it for medical reasons, I would continue with the pellets.

I agree with Sarita!

The HRS has a good article about it:
http://rabbit.org/pellet-free-diet/

A pellet-free diet can be done, but I’d also recommend discussing it with your vet first!

Rather than going completely pellet-free, have you considered just feeding a teeny tiny amount (like a tablespoon per day)? Or feeding the pellet ration by hand as treats throughout the day?

I’m a great believer for Henry (and us humans) that a bit of everything makes the world go round….
I also hate to worry! So I keep it simple (for me) and Henry has his hay, a variety of 6 veggies every night along with 1/8 cup of pellets every morning. This way I know I have his diet covered from every angle and the last thing I have to do is worry about his nutrition. It also keeps it easy – now that I’m in the habit, feeding him breakfast, dinner and keeping his hay stocked is just second nature – and if the shops don’t have one of ‘his’ veg in stock, I don’t panic trying to think of a replacement that week, I know the nutrition that the pellets offer will pick up the difference.
I’ve got enough to worry about with his naughty/cheeky behaviour – worrying about his diet is something I don’t want to have to endure – when it can be kept quite simple by offering a few pellets each day.
It’s winter here at the moment, but in summer I like to indulge Henry in items from my yard, like mulberry leaves/twigs, but offer them as additional treats and don’t cut down on his pellets – what the body doesn’t need or use comes out the other end and I don’t have to change my routine and have to ‘think’! Lol!

PS – Henry gets broccoli every night! As a family it was agreed if we had to EAT it, so does Henry! Ha ha ha ha…….

I can’t imagine *having* to eat broccoli! I love it raw, steamed with a little sea salt, with dips, in salad, in pasta dishes, and my favorite (it figures!) with melted cheese on it, YUM!

YAY for broccoli! Do you know my hubby wouldn’t eat it either??? It’s now a ‘house rule’ – EAT your broccoli!

LOL!

I agree you should ask your vet. I just wanted to point out that there is some work involved with a low or non-pellet diet. I can only get this much green stuff for my bunnies this time of year, in the winter they must make do with commercially grown veggies and greens. To put them on a pellet-free diet during that time of year I wouldn’t risk and quite frankly, it would be very hard on my budget and I’d need another fridge to store all those greens in.

The pic above is of Yohio having a go at one of his daily helpings of greens. As you can see, he also eats a considerable amount of cardboard. I’m not sure about the nutritional value of that though. Probably just bulk. 

My bunnies are voracious eaters, as most bunnies are. Both have tendencies towards plumpness, with unlimited greens and less pellets, they keep their weight fine, but then I give them so much greens that there’s always some left that wilt (and get thrown out), so I know they don’t starve. Plus they’ve hay 24/7 of course.