pellets with seeds and dried veggies…

[shadows mom]

I purchased a bag of food that sounded very natural and healthy ” a super premium seed blend based on field research of rabbits dietary intake in their natural habitat.” It has fruits, nuts, seeds, grains and veggie supplements. I have been giving her 1/8 cup morning and night. She also has unlimited timothy hay. My bunny is very young about 3 months. This is my first rabbit. I want the best for my bunny. I just need a little advice to get me on my way. Every time I feed her she gets very excited. Her poop is fine. I check her bum daily no problem there.  I just want her to stay healthy. Please let me know if I should discontinue use and how quickly.

I am a little bummed that I spent my money on a big bag of food that may actually be bad for her

Thank you, Shadows Mom.

[Beka27]

Welcome here. The seeds are dangerous as they can cause an impaction. The rest of it is very fattening and not at all necessary for a rabbit. Your best bet diet will be a plain, timothy-based pellet (high fiber, low protein), unlimited hay (you can give alfalfa in addition to timothy hay since she’s under 7 months), and about 2 cups of fresh, green veggies per day (these need to be introduced slowly, one at a time). Can you contact the store and ask if they will exchange the bag of food for something else? Even opened, they may be willing to do this if you don’t like the food, in the interest of good customer service.

[RabbitPam]

Hi, Shadows Mom,
I know how you feel – I’ve gone through a lot of products over the years that I didn’t use up because I learned more after buying or the bunny rejected it for some reason. (I think it’s one toy played with for every 5 purchased!)

Anyway, I would recommend discontinuing this type of pellet. The best pellet for a bunny throughout life is a plain one, preferably a ground timothy hay which is Oxbow Bunny Basics T. Some feel it’s OK to give a very young bunny a small amount of alfalfa pellets, but you don’t have to since they need to be cut back later. The nuts and seeds may be harmful, but also the mix you described is very fattening. Your bunny will develop a sweet tooth since it tastes like treats. Better to get her used to switching now and treat her with raisins occasionally so that you can regulate her intake.

Be sure to give her unlimited hay and water all day. That keeps her digestive tract healthy and she’ll only eat when she’s hungry, but it’s the best staple for her diet. Daily pellets and greens, simple ones, are the next item in the dish.
Have you posted pix yet? I’d love to see her!

EDit: Hi, Beka! That’s a great idea. I have definitely brought opened bags of stuff back to a store to exchange. At least at Petsmart I had no trouble at all – they made it clear it happens all the time.

[KatnipCrzy]

shadows mom- although the packaging makes it sounds as though this might be a good food for bunnies- research based on wild bunnies and their habitat has NOTHING to do with feeding a house bunny.  Cottontails are plentiful where I live and I would have to imagine they don’t live much over 2-3 years in the wild- the are prone to predators, hit by car, etc.  You want to feed your bunny an appropriate diet based on house rabbit findings not wild bunnies- they truly are different critters.  Where I live in Michigan- the wild bunnies (Eastern Cottontails) are not even able to breed with domestic rabbits- they are that  much of a different critter! 

Domestic rabbits have been so bred and refined they are not much like their wild cousins.  And a wild rabbit nutritional needs differ from a breeding bunnies needs and differ from a spayed/neutered house bunnies needs.

Julie

[shadows mom]

Wow, the wonder Shadow loves it when I feed her; I have been giving her fatty food!! I never would have thought a pet store would exchange an opened bag of food. I sure am gonna try though. The difference between wild bunnies and house bunnies never even crossed my mind when I purchased the bag of food. I got tricked by high quality packaging and research!! Thank goodness I got the timothy hay right. I will post pics as soon as I get a chance. Thank you so much for the info and your kindness.
You all have such cute bunnies.

shadows mom

[jerseygirl]

Since you were limiting what you gave her and she is young, you haven’t done too badly – you’ll be able to transition her ok. When putting them on a new feed it’s a good idea to mix some of the old with the new anyway, then wean them of the old one. If the store doesn’t take back the feed, maybe the birds would enjoy it? (That is if it is even ok for them!)

Technically, it could be argued that yes – rabbits may eat all of those things in their natural habitat but unlikey in that ratio. For instance, they may eat seed, grains and vegetables but rarely, in the meantime, they’d be getting copious amounts of fiber by eating grass. So true natural feed is hay, greens and/or grass based pellets.

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