Pellet Crisis: Need Help!!!!

[LittlePuffyTail]

Tonight I opened a new bag of pellets: Martin Little Friends Timothy pellets. The date was crimped on the seal and I couldn’t make it out but it was something – 2011. The pellets were moldy. Really moldy. Green and smelly. So I went to the pet store and returned them and got a new bag with a different expiry date. They look okay but I’m TERRIFIED to feed them this brand now! If I feed them any of these pellets I’m going to freak out wondering if they are going to get sick from mycotoxins because I know there is not always visible mold for the bunnies to get sick. I’m pretty much a  hypochondriac but I’ve lost faith in the company. For pellets to go THAT bad, even if the date was January 2011 is scary.

Knowing I might not be able to get myself to give them any, I also bought a bag of Oxbow Timothy pellets. For supper I just gave them a little sprinkle of Oxbow, no Martins, and they wanted nothing to do with the new pellets. I know you should do a 4 week transition but they get so little pellets anyhow I figured it would be okay.

I’m just really stressed out. I bought 3 bags of Oxbow hay (2 Orchard, 1 Western) and I’m unhappy with all of them. Lots of black pieces in all the bags, even though I bought them from 2 different stores so I was already upset about having to feed them this hay and then this bag of pellets just got me really upset. I’ve been feeding Martin’s for well over a year and never had a problem. 

Need Help! What should I do? They’ve had no pellets tonight and I’m not sure what to do in the morning. I don’t want to feed the Martins and then worry and wait to see if they are going to get sick . I know a different  expiry date means it’s probably a different batch but I’m still really worried.

[Sarita]

Well you would have to feed the bad feed over a period but I think you would be perfectly safe to give them just the oxbow pellets as they are high quality pellets.

I have to say that bags of hay from any company just don’t seem to be very high quality because I think you get the leftover bits in them so that does not surprise me.

[LittlePuffyTail]

That’s what I assumed about the pellets. It’s not like I’m going from Alfalfa to Timothy or anything. Olivia ate all her pellets. Stormy ate only one with a weird look on his face. Bindi will not eat any. When I offer him one he chins it and leaves. Hopefully they will eat them over night. Bindi is very fussy with any new food.

It’s so frustrating about hay. Everyone says Oxbow is the best quality hay so I’m sure it’s safe to feed them what I have because most bags of Oxbow I get are less than perfect (well what I would like anyways, my standards are pretty high). The 25lb bags are usually better but the pet store didn’t have any so I had to buy the little bags.

[Sarita]

I’m not a fan of Oxbow either. I like their pellets but I prefer American Pet Diner or Kleenmama’s hay to Oxbow.

Bindi is so funny – fussy bun – I bet he’ll eat them eventually.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Dump the martins and go to Oxbow-they’re better. We made the switch a long time ago at my house. Having fed Martins…I KNOW my bunnies prefer the Martins (they are extruded and softer, and I think maybe they are a bit sweeter?) but they eat only Oxbow now and are just fine. They’ll eat the oxbow when they are hungry.
I’ll admit…I keep a small bag of Martins and use that as treats for clicker training heheh so much preferred to oxbow by the buns. But they eat the oxbow.

I bet the Martins just got open a bit-I really doubt it could have molded since they are air tight and dried. So I bet the bag had a small hole somehow and got wet…maybe?

[LittlePuffyTail]

I checked the bag, couldn’t find any defects or holes but who knows. I’m going to toss the Martins and feed Oxbow like you suggest. Last night I left all the buns their bowls with a bit of pellets (Oxbow). Bindi and Olivia ate them. Not Stormy. Now this morning with their breakfast greens I gave some more and no one ate them. It’s going to take some getting used to, I guess. They are obviously not starving and really don’t need pellets but I like to give them a little bit anyways. I just wish they weren’t so fussy. Olivia is the least fussy. I even tried lecturing them the “there are starving bunnies in Africa” speech. No go.

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