Can I feed this Martin Mills feed long term?

[bonilla&BUB]

Hello friends! 

My holland lop rabbits do not get any alfalfa hay ever, and they are 8 and 9 months. 

I have my bunnies on Martin “little friends” Original Rabbit Food. This is an alfalfa based pellet. Does anyone else feed this? My rabbits love it! I see from this website that it meets all of the criteria for Holland Lops (4.0% fat which is a little higher but I’m not sure if this is too concerning). Please see the website and images below. I just want an opinion to make sure I can continue feeding this long term. I wasn’t too sure about the amount of soy, soybean hulls, and barley in the ingredients. I see that the Oxbow feed recommended by BinkyBunny also has its fair share of soy. It doesn’t contain enough protein for my breed, though. 

http://hollyshollands.weebly.com/diet.html

16% PROTEIN: Hollands cannot have high protein because they are a small breed. Under 16%, for Holland Lops, is not enough protein for this active breed. 

AT LEAST 16% FIBER: Purina Show has between 18% and 22% fiber. The more fiber it has, the least amount of hay you need to feed. Hay should still be in the diet because it’s what consists of wild rabbit’s diets, and helps keep the teeth at a normal length. 

FAT CONTENT: Purina has 3% crude fat. There should be as little fat as possible, yet still some. 

SALT: There should be some salt in the pellets. If there is none, offer a salt spool.  

VITAMINS AND CALCIUM: Vitamins and calcium are optional. Most feeds have added vitamins and calcium, I have never seen a feed without. 

TIMOTHY OR ALFALFA BASED: Purina is Alfalfa-based. If you feed an Alfalfa-based pellets, never feed Alfalfa hay. 

NO CORN!! : Rabbits cannot have corn. Corn clogs their digestive system and doesn’t break down properly in their stomach. 

[Azerane]

I think it depends how much you’re feeding as well. If you’re only feeding a couple of tablespoons a day per rabbit, the fact that it is alfalfa based with low fibre and high content of soybean hulls, probably doesn’t matter when feeding such a small amount. Personally I wouldn’t feed it long term, but feeding a small amount I don’t think would cause any long term health issues.

Also that quote regarding protein contradicts itself. It says Hollands cannot have high protein, but then goes on to say that less than 16% is not enough protein.

The fibre of this feed is low but with unlimited grass hay that’s not a huge issue either. I would never limit hay if the pellets had a higher fibre content.

[bonilla&BUB]

Hi Arzerane,

We are feeding approx. 1 cup a day between the two buns, which are 5lbs (male) and 2.5lbs (female). I have recently bonded them as well, and so it has only been a week or so of them sharing a cage. I spread the pellets around their cage, but I have never limited their pellet intake. They also have mounds of fresh hay around 24/7 in their cage and in their litter box.

Why do you recommend only a couple of tbsp per rabbit? Should I be limiting them now that they are not babies? They are not overweight (in my eyes), and have the whole house (which is actually small because we live in a basement suite) to roam every day and night. We never restrict them to a cage. So they do get plenty of run around time.

Thank you!

[tobyluv]

According to most feeding charts that I’ve seen, a 5 pound adult rabbit should get no more than 1/4 cup of pellets a day. A 2.5 pound adult rabbit would get 1/8 cup of pellets a day. So, a cup a day for the two of them is a good bit more than recommended.

Are they getting greens and veggies daily too? It sounds like they are getting a good amount of hay, and hopefully they are eating all of it.

I’m also confused by that contradictory statement on protein.

[Azerane]

1 cup is a fair amount between the both of them, yes adults should have their pellets limited. As Tobyluv mentioned, 1/4 cup daily is plenty for your 5lb boy and half as much again for your girl, even 1 tablespoon since she is so tiny

For me personally, pellets are simply a small addition to my bunnies’ diet. At one point with my previous rabbit (7lb male) I was feeding 1/4 cup daily, but at my vet’s recommendation, cut it down to two tablespoons daily. Ever since then I’ve only ever fed 2 tablespoons daily for my buns, so it’s not a staple that they’re living off of, but simply an addition to make sure that they’re not missing out on essential nutrients. Currently, my pair (6.6lb male and 5.5lb female) aren’t actually on pellets because my girl had issues with the brand I was on, so I had to stop but I’m about to bring pellets back in to their diet just to make sure they’re getting all the nutrients they need. They otherwise have hay available at all times and get a big serving of a variety of greens every day.

[bonilla&BUB]

They do get about 3 cups of fresh green veg (3+ variety) between the two of them, and they eat their hay. We freshen their hay but it is never fully gone because we always keep it full in their litter. I am around lots and they are always eating their hay, they are good about that.

Interesting about the pellets — maybe limiting their pellets will make them eat more hay !!

I will slowly reduce their pellet intake, maybe over two weeks to allow them to adjust to the decrease in pellets. Thanks for the info! Yes I did see that contradicting point in that post too… hmmm … I guess I assumed pellets were more important than they really are.

Should I be worried about making sure they are each getting their fair share of pellets? Meaning, that my female (2.5lbs) isn’t eating all of my males? I prefer not to feed them “once per day”, because that takes away from their natural foraging ways. Do you buns (Arzerane) eat together at the same time? Do you have that issue or not worry about it?

Thank you!

[MyPets101]

I feed my bunnies they’re pellets separately, to make sure that they’re getting their share of the pellets.

[Author]

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