Victory Over Alfalfa!

[Cadbury]

After over a month of slowly switching pellets and hay from alfalfa to timothy, and after many dirty bunny looks, Cadbury (almost 8 months old) is finally switched 100% to timothy!  The pellet switch was easier than I expected – over the course of a month, I slowly started to decrease alfalfa pellets and add the timothy ones.  She ate everything right up.  No flinging the timothy pellets around, no picking out just the alfalfa – I was pleasantly surprised! 

The hay was another story.  She first decided she would not lower herself to eat grass hay, so I increased her high-fiber veggies a bit (thanks to advice on this forum!) to prevent stasis as a result of her hunger strike.  But after I stopped giving in to her pathetic bunny begging looks and refusing to give her more alfalfa, she finally started eating the timothy.  I’ve also tried Brome, Botanical, Orchard and Oat (and I have a mini-bale from Binky Bunny on the way), but she still prefers the timothy.  She’s not eating as much hay as she was when on alfalfa, but she’s getting there.

So FINALLY – I can rest and know that Cadbury is eating healthier!

[JK]

That’s great! Funny Edson prefers timothy over everything else too. Good for you for being a strict mom!

[Scarlet_Rose]

That’s awesome Cadbury! Woohoo!

[Gravehearted]

hurrah! it can be tough, but it sounds like your persistence paid off.

[bunnytowne]

I tried with mine and unfortunately gave it up. except for the hay I mix it. except at nite. with the pellets mine would pick out the alfalfa and leave the rest.

I will try again and feed less pellets starting today. Laith lost weight when I tried less pellets and more hay. I should have been more persistant but at least I saw him picking at hay.

yes I am ordering binky bunny blend friday. I am looking forward to it’s arrival to see how they do on it. I think they will love it from all I have heard and will try to slowly switch to timothy pellets once again.and stick with it.

lucky for cadbury his bunny mom is able to not give in.

[Cadbury]

Thanks for the kudos, but beieve me, it wasn’t easy! Cadbury was definitely working the “sad, starving” bunny looks. I was so worried she would go into statis by not eating as much hay as usual. I found it helpful to increase veggies a bit during this process. Good luck!

[MooBunnay]

What good willpower you have Cadbury! And don’t worry bunnytowne, many of us have difficulties standing up to our bunny’s diet preferences Just remember that what you are doing is best for them, and the slow transition will really help. If you bunny is protesting the timothy, try hand-feeding a few pieces. I have found that my bunnies will leap for the oddest bit of hay if I’ve got it in my hand because then they think its a treat!

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