Pellets discontinued - how to proceed?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 13sd replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 11 months ago by vanessa.

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- 05/05/2017 at 10:20 AM
  sarahthegemini
  Participant
  5584 posts
  Bit of a dilemma – I feed the buns Oxbow Natural Science Adult Pellets and am running very low. No problem, I ordered some more yesterday however today I get an email saying they’ve been discontinued So I’ve had to order the Oxbow essentials which will be delivered Monday. My issue is, I can’t do a slow transition as usually recommended because I simply don’t have enough of the original pellets. What’s the best plan of action? What’s more concerning is Buttercup just had a stasis episode last weekend – it wasn’t related to pellets as she’s never had an issue with those but I’m still a bit weary. I didn’t want to introduce anything new for a while…
- 05/05/2017 at 10:49 AM
  vanessa
  Participant
  2212 posts
  How many cups of the original pellets do you have left? How many cups/Tbsp do you feed them a day?
- 05/05/2017 at 10:52 AM
  sarahthegemini
  Participant
  5584 posts
  Posted By vanessa on 5/05/2017 10:49 AM
  
  How many cups of the original pellets do you have left? How many cups/Tbsp do you feed them a day?
  
  I feed them 3 tablespoons between them and I reckon I’ve got about 4 days worth left Arrrr!
- 05/05/2017 at 10:58 AM
  vanessa
  Participant
  2212 posts
  Yeesh… Here’s what I’d do…
  Tomorrow 2.5Tbsp old 0.5Tbsp new
  Next day 2.5 Tbsp old 0.5Tbsp new (watch their poop)
  Next day 2.0/1.0
  2.0/1.0
  1.5/1.5
  1.0/2.0
  0.5/2.5
  That finishes up your 12Tbsp and the transition would take 7 days instead of 4.
- 05/05/2017 at 11:03 AM
  sarahthegemini
  Participant
  5584 posts
  Posted By vanessa on 5/05/2017 10:58 AM
  
  Yeesh… Here’s what I’d do…
  Tomorrow 2.5Tbsp old 0.5Tbsp new
  Next day 2.5 Tbsp old 0.5Tbsp new (watch their poop)
  Next day 2.0/1.0
  2.0/1.0
  1.5/1.5
  1.0/2.0
  0.5/2.5
  That finishes up your 12Tbsp and the transition would take 7 days instead of 4.
  
  Trouble is I can’t get the pellets til Monday Should I stop their pellets completely til Monday and then once the new ones arrive I can follow your guide? They won’t be happy (they just started having them after a few days w/o as per vet instructions) but that’d probably be best in the long run.
- 05/05/2017 at 11:51 AM
  vanessa
  Participant
  2212 posts
  Oh… I didn’t see the Monday deal. Sux. Why did your vet recommend no pellets for a few days? Was it because of the stasis?
  It sounds like your options are stop the pellets and then start the guide above on Monday, or keep feeding, and switch automatically. Neither are ideal. I read on D.Kremples papers about stasis that she recommends no pellets only hay, for stasis episodes. So there are health benefits to stopping pellets for a few days, and if they are familiar with that and eat enough hay, then that might be a preferred option to a sudden switch – I think it depends on the sensitivity of your bunnies. I’m doing a 50/50 mix of two pellets until I’m finished with Small Pet Select and 100% on Sherwood, and I didn’t do the mix gradually, because my bunnies handle pellet changes fine. I would stop pellets and start the change on Monday, if I was concerned. Do they eat enough hay and veggies?
- 05/05/2017 at 11:54 AM
  Muchelle
  Participant
  1141 posts
  Just chiming in to vocalize how much I hate when they change/discontinue successful products. Happened recently with the treats I used to buy (relatively healthy) that were changed into an absolutely bad product. Meh.
- 05/05/2017 at 1:20 PM
  sarahthegemini
  Participant
  5584 posts
  Posted By vanessa on 5/05/2017 11:51 AM
  
  Oh… I didn’t see the Monday deal. Sux. Why did your vet recommend no pellets for a few days? Was it because of the stasis?
  It sounds like your options are stop the pellets and then start the guide above on Monday, or keep feeding, and switch automatically. Neither are ideal. I read on D.Kremples papers about stasis that she recommends no pellets only hay, for stasis episodes. So there are health benefits to stopping pellets for a few days, and if they are familiar with that and eat enough hay, then that might be a preferred option to a sudden switch – I think it depends on the sensitivity of your bunnies. I’m doing a 50/50 mix of two pellets until I’m finished with Small Pet Select and 100% on Sherwood, and I didn’t do the mix gradually, because my bunnies handle pellet changes fine. I would stop pellets and start the change on Monday, if I was concerned. Do they eat enough hay and veggies?
  
  Yeah they said keep her off pellets for a weekbut our normal vet said not to make any changes so I sort of compromised and gave no pellets for 4 or 5 days. Generally speaking, their tummies aren’t usually that sensitive but I think I’ll stop them til Monday and then follow what you outlined They both eat plenty of hay (Buttercup eats more hay than Peanut tho) and both get a heaping pile of veggies to share every day which they gobble up.
- 05/05/2017 at 1:21 PM
  sarahthegemini
  Participant
  5584 posts
  Posted By Muchelle on 5/05/2017 11:54 AM
  
  Just chiming in to vocalize how much I hate when they change/discontinue successful products. Happened recently with the treats I used to buy (relatively healthy) that were changed into an absolutely bad product. Meh.
  
  Drives me mad! They loved those pellets as well
- 05/05/2017 at 1:43 PM
  tobyluv
  Participant
  3312 posts
  Oxbow replaced the Natural Science pellets with a new line, Garden Select. It’s very similar to Natural Science. Two differences that I know of are that they removed soy and molasses from the ingredients.
  
  http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/type/detail?object=11465
- 05/05/2017 at 1:46 PM
  sarahthegemini
  Participant
  5584 posts
  Posted By tobyluv on 5/05/2017 1:43 PM
  
  Oxbow replaced the Natural Science pellets with a new line, Garden Select. It’s very similar to Natural Science. Two differences that I know of are that they removed soy and molasses from the ingredients.
  
  http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/type/detail?object=11465
  
  I’ll keep an eye out! Thanks!
- 05/05/2017 at 2:06 PM
  vanessa
  Participant
  2212 posts
  That sounds good. I’m all about removing soy/molasses! You might find your bunnies will take some time to get used to the un-sugared flavor.
- 05/06/2017 at 4:41 PM
  Azerane
  Moderator
  4691 posts
  I don’t think it matters whether you stop their current pellets now, or don’t have any old ones when the new ones arrive.
  
  If you run out before you get the new pellets, you can still ease them onto the new pellet, you just won’t be transitioning in the traditional sense. Instead of 4/5 old pellets and 1/5 new, it will be 4/5 air and 1/5 new
  
  I just introduced Apollo and Luna to Oxbow after not being on any pellets for a couple months, and I just too it slow. A couple of pellets each the first day, a few more the next and so on
- 05/06/2017 at 8:51 PM
  vanessa
  Participant
  2212 posts
  Very true.
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