Changing pellets

[AlexT]

Okay, folks, I need some advice on dealing with a picky bun.  We’ve been feeding Oxbow-T for about 3 1/2 years now.  However, as I discovered in my research (posted on the forum) Oxbow is really high in calories.  It’s also not available anywhere in the area where I’m likely to be appointed by the bishop this June.  So, with our vet’s blessing, we’re changing our buns to Mazuri pellets, which is roughly comparable to LabDiet High Fiber (less than a tenth of a percent difference on most nutrients, etc.) and has far fewer calories than Oxbow.  It’s an alfalfa based pellet, but the vet doesn’t think that will be a problem given our buns’ history, and it’s much easier to find in Georgia than Oxbow since PetsMart carries it.

But here’s the thing.  Maggie likes the new stuff just fine, but Benji is much less eager.  Actually, he doesn’t seem to want to eat the new stuff at all.  After a week, we’ve just moved from a 75/25 mix to a 50/50 mix of the two, and he seems to be picking the Oxbow out around the new pellets.  Any advice on winning over a picky bun?

Alex

[Sarita]

Can you just try putting the new pellets in cold turkey – eliminate the old pellets all together since he’s been introduced to them but is eating around them.

[Toki+Pumpkin+Elmo]

I switched from Kaytee to Oxbow pellets long time ago. Pumpkin did the same thing. She just picked out Kaytee and didnt eat Oxbow. I just stuck with ‘pellet change schedule’ and hoping that she would adapt to it. I guess she couldnt hold back the hunger and had to it eat eventually. Now she seems to be fine with it. She eats well and doesnt disapprove.

[kimberleyanddarren]

i would start mixing them together in lets say 1/4 new 3/4 original then 1/2 and 1/2 then 3/4 new 1/4 old etc…

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