# A question about rabbit food!



## Radagastrabbit (Mar 22, 2013)

Sorry for starting another thread, I'm just trying to find out which is the best food for our rabbits.
I've found one for sale on line, it says 


- Plain green pellets with lucerne, closest to natural food.
- Rabbits usually like these pellets, & are not keen to change onto other pellets
- Rabbits don't pick out their favourite bits since all the pellets are the same, so there is less waste 
- Protein - 19%, fibre - max. - 17%, fat - max. - 8%, salt - max. 1%. 
- Comes with a coccidiostat to help prevent coccidiosis, a disease of the gut 

Any help is appreciated! Thanks


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## Funky (Dec 8, 2012)

I have been told previously that Allen page are the best pellets for bunnies but mine didn't want to eat them.
We are just changing from excel Bruges to selective food which is high in fibre.
I can only suggest that as this what has been recommended to me by members of this forum.


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## Guest (Apr 13, 2013)

Radagastrabbit said:


> Sorry for starting another thread, I'm just trying to find out which is the best food for our rabbits.
> I've found one for sale on line, it says
> 
> - Plain green pellets with lucerne, closest to natural food.
> ...


Ick, Ick, Ick, is all I can say.
Far too much protein, and not enough fibre. You also shouldn't need to feed a pellet to protect against coccidiosis.

Science Selective (25% crude fibre) and Allen & Page Natural (23% crude fibre) are the two top brands.


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## Radagastrabbit (Mar 22, 2013)

Oh good to know! Thank you  I'm not sure what brands are available over here, but I'll check when we're at the vet on Monday  thanks


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

You're in Hobbit country though aren't you? I don't know if they have Science Selective in The Shire :bored:


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> Science Selective (25% crude fibre) and Allen & Page Natural (23% crude fibre) are the two top brands.


what she said


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Im probably in the minority, but the overall quality of the pellet i feed is of little interest to me, as it forms such a small part of the staple diet.

I feed Bunny Nature, mainly due to them liking it. Its such a small daily amount they get, its more like a treat than a meal. I feed the obvious hay, but also a high volume of daily fresh.

In the summer when i can grow more grasses, i sometimes dont feed pellets daily at all, more two to three times a week.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

There are many different opinions about the ideal rabbit diet, it's true.

I think we all agree that the main part of a rabbit's diet is good quality hay (or grass). Some also feed fresh (we personally don't). And yes, rabbits should only have minimal pellets. Of course, pellets are far better than the muesli mixes, which are the equivalent of our junk food.

Personally, I am with Bernie on this one. I think that we should aim for all elements of our rabbits' diet to be as good as possible. Why invest in high quality hay, then offer low grade pellet mix?


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## Guest (Apr 13, 2013)

Nonnie said:


> Im probably in the minority, but the overall quality of the pellet i feed is of little interest to me, as it forms such a small part of the staple diet.
> 
> I feed Bunny Nature, mainly due to them liking it. Its such a small daily amount they get, its more like a treat than a meal. I feed the obvious hay, but also a high volume of daily fresh.
> 
> In the summer when i can grow more grasses, i sometimes dont feed pellets daily at all, more two to three times a week.


So long as the rabbits get a good varied forage diet I see nothing wrong with that at all so long as it is working for your rabbits 
Normal Joe Bloggs will normally go for pellets/mix (ick) and hay so I will always promote good quality high fibre pellets with that in mind


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

I've just ordered a sack of Allen and page. I'm stick of knowing I'm feeding my rabbits genetically modified soya


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

Wobbles said:


> Burgess excel dwarf and fab pets meadow hay as the farm shop has huge bags for about £3, compare to burgess hay at nearly six quid for a bag less than half the size.


i wouldnt recomend burgess excel rabbit to any one, considering its known to contain animal derivatives, and can cause some buns to get mucky bums, and is only a very meesly 17% fibre.......

i also second allan and page or science selective, i personally feed a+p


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Lil Miss said:


> i wouldnt recomend burgess excel rabbit to any one, considering its known to contain animal derivatives, and can cause some buns to get mucky bums, and is only a very meesly 17% fibre.......
> 
> i also second allan and page or science selective, i personally feed a+p


Is there any actual proof of the Burgess claims, or is it just an internet rumour? I know in 2010 is was DNA tested by DEFRA and found to contain no animal DNA, but the fact it contains egg shells (unless thats what you mean by animal derivatives) is enough to put me off.


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## Funky (Dec 8, 2012)

Nonnie said:


> Is there any actual proof of the Burgess claims, or is it just an internet rumour? I know in 2010 is was DNA tested by DEFRA and found to contain no animal DNA, but the fact it contains egg shells (unless thats what you mean by animal derivatives) is enough to put me off.


I don't know answer but my two Netherlands dwarfs had messy bums...Stuart since we are changing their diet didnt have dirty bum and we used two have to clean him every night.


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## Guest (Apr 13, 2013)

Nonnie said:


> Is there any actual proof of the Burgess claims, or is it just an internet rumour? I know in 2010 is was DNA tested by DEFRA and found to contain no animal DNA, but the fact it contains egg shells (unless thats what you mean by animal derivatives) is enough to put me off.


The egg shells and low crude fibre content is what puts me off.


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## Radagastrabbit (Mar 22, 2013)

Our buns have fresh hay (although they don't seem to eat a whole lot of it? certainly nibble at it) They both spend part of the day free ranging in our yard, so they eat a lot of grass and dandelions, also carrots and carrot tops, silverbeet, occasionally a bit of apple and a few peanuts. The pellets we feed them are probably rubbish... but around here I haven't seen many options! I will start investigating. Once they are bonded our buns will spend all day free ranging together.  happy bunnies!

Can someone give me an idea of how much pellet food to feed per day? Would half a cup, along with their grass, hay and greens, be about right? I'm worried they'll go hungry (especially goliath, our 10 week flemish giant. he's getting huge lol)


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

My big lads get a small teacup twice a day between the two of them.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

Nonnie said:


> Is there any actual proof of the Burgess claims, or is it just an internet rumour? I know in 2010 is was DNA tested by DEFRA and found to contain no animal DNA, but the fact it contains egg shells (unless thats what you mean by animal derivatives) is enough to put me off.


eggs shells are animal derivatives, and not suitable for a bun to eat at all.
there have also been more then just a few cases where people have found cat and/or dog kibble mixed in with the rabbit food in the bag.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## kate_7590 (Feb 28, 2009)

Wobbles said:


> They won't eat anything else. I've never had a problem with it, they go crazy for it. They'll eat most things put in front of them, they love bread, cereal, digestive biscuits, cake, and even wolfed down bread and butter pudding, but they won't eat any other pellets than burgess.


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## Funky (Dec 8, 2012)

I have noticed that my two English spot bunnies won't eat so much of selective food pellets-they love burgess and because I still mix it with new pellets they would first it excel burgess and than selective but they would leave some...they never left before excel burges-even licked bowl after those pellets


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## Pinkchi (Feb 5, 2011)

Wobbles said:


> They won't eat anything else. I've never had a problem with it, they go crazy for it. They'll eat most things put in front of them, *they love bread, cereal, digestive biscuits, cake*, and even wolfed down *bread and butter pudding*, but they won't eat any other pellets than burgess.


    
I'm quite literally speechless....


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

Wobbles said:


> They won't eat anything else. I've never had a problem with it, they go crazy for it. They'll eat most things put in front of them, they love *bread, cereal, digestive biscuits, cake, and even wolfed down bread and butter pudding*, but they won't eat any other pellets than burgess.


why on earth would you feed this to them!! these should NOT be fed to rabbits!


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## kate_7590 (Feb 28, 2009)

Wobbles said:


> They love bread, they get all the off bits on the ends of the loaf that are no good for anything. They also love cereal like wheetabix, krispies and cornflakes, and the odd plain digestive. They get a bit of fruit cake sometimes as a treat, though I'll admit I didn't know there was egg in my mum's bread and butter pudding until my dad told me the next day, by which point it was too late as they'd already eaten it. They don't get cake often, just bread. My old rabbit loved custard creams, would do anything for one, its how I trained her most of the tricks she could do.


Mine have a weetabix as an occasional TREAT....... I cant imagine why anybody who knows anything about rabbits would ever give them biscuits, cake and pudding....I really am lost for words, sorry!!


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

Wobbles said:


> They love bread, they get all the off bits on the ends of the loaf that are no good for anything. They also love cereal like wheetabix, krispies and cornflakes, and the odd plain digestive. They get a bit of fruit cake sometimes as a treat, though I'll admit I didn't know there was egg in my mum's bread and butter pudding until my dad told me the next day, by which point it was too late as they'd already eaten it. They don't get cake often, just bread. My old rabbit loved custard creams, would do anything for one, its how I trained her most of the tricks she could do.





Wobbles said:


> Their not chocolate or sugar/ icing biscuits, just plain,digestives, and its not often. If I'm eating a biscuit wandering past the cage, they hop straight over so I give them a bit for coming to me. Its just a small treat, to make life a bit more enjoyable and something to look forward to, there's no harm in that. Life would be pretty unappetising without the little things that brighten it up, their what makes it worthwhile.


Just because they eat it doesn't mean to say they should have it, wheatabix every so often fair enough. But cornflakes, bread, crispies and biscuits? Lots of people love junk food but that doesn't mean to say its any good for them. For their health it would be much better for you to feed them more natural healthy treats like veggies or barley rings, something that rabbits are meant to eat, not man made processed foods.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

Wobbles said:


> They get those too. What's wrong with bits of dry bread? They go crazy for it, and its doing them no harm, since when did bread harm anyone?


Because they aren't meant to eat bread, how do you know it's doing no harm internally?


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

Oh and the reason they shouldn't is because its high in starch


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

Funky said:


> I have noticed that my two English spot bunnies won't eat so much of selective food pellets-they love burgess and because I still mix it with new pellets they would first it excel burgess and than selective but they would leave some...they never left before excel burges-even licked bowl after those pellets


Funky how much are you feeding them? When ever I have changed pellet brands mine will always eat everything they'll eat what there used to first and ten the new stuff. But nothing gets left because they only get 1 shot glass full of both pellets each a day


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## Guest (Apr 20, 2013)

Wobbles said:


> They love bread, they get all the off bits on the ends of the loaf that are no good for anything. They also love cereal like wheetabix, krispies and cornflakes, and the odd plain digestive. They get a bit of fruit cake sometimes as a treat, though I'll admit I didn't know there was egg in my mum's bread and butter pudding until my dad told me the next day, by which point it was too late as they'd already eaten it. They don't get cake often, just bread. My old rabbit loved custard creams, would do anything for one, its how I trained her most of the tricks she could do.


I am shocked........ actually no, scrap that, not shocked in the slightest..

Wobbles if you really do this then you are bloody lucky that you haven't lost a rabbit to bloat yet. What on earth possessed you to feed the bread and butter pudding for goodness sake???

There are plenty of treats, healthy treats out there for rabbits that you don't need to feed them human junk food.......

You knew you were going to get stick for what you have written here, you are doing this to cause a rise....... If you don't know what is safe and not safe for your animals to eat I feel for your animals..... Stop humanising them and stop feeding them junk they don't need, or stop waving it in the faces of people that actually take the time to feed their pets properly.......

-sits back waiting to be called a bully again -


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> They love bread, they get all the off bits on the ends of the loaf that are no good for anything. They also love cereal like wheetabix, krispies and cornflakes, and the odd plain digestive. They get a bit of fruit cake sometimes as a treat, though I'll admit I didn't know there was egg in my mum's bread and butter pudding until my dad told me the next day, by which point it was too late as they'd already eaten it. They don't get cake often, just bread. My old rabbit loved custard creams, would do anything for one, its how I trained her most of the tricks she could do.


Hi,

I'd avoid bread and butter pudding if I were you. Save that for the humans it is meant for. Unless your Mum's recipe is very unusual, it not only has eggs, but an awful lot of milk, which buns really shouldn't have.

Instead, why not make up your own little tin of rabbit healthy dried treats - they will still come, but you will know that what you give them is healthy and good for them.

Once a bun has a dose of bloat, they can end up with life long problems.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

Wobbles said:


> They won't eat anything else. I've never had a problem with it, they go crazy for it. They'll eat most things put in front of them, they love bread, cereal, digestive biscuits, cake, and even wolfed down bread and butter pudding, but they won't eat any other pellets than burgess.





Wobbles said:


> They love bread, they get all the off bits on the ends of the loaf that are no good for anything. They also love cereal like wheetabix, krispies and cornflakes, and the odd plain digestive. They get a bit of fruit cake sometimes as a treat, though I'll admit I didn't know there was egg in my mum's bread and butter pudding until my dad told me the next day, by which point it was too late as they'd already eaten it. They don't get cake often, just bread. My old rabbit loved custard creams, would do anything for one, its how I trained her most of the tricks she could do.


how are your rabbits still alive??? no seriously HOW?
bread is possiably THE worst thing you can ever feed a rabbit, it can and does cause major bloat issues, the only time bread can be safely fed is when it is very well toasted (burnt).
even if you dont know theres egg in bread and butter pudding surely the fact it has BUTTER in the title tells you it contains butter, which contains dairy and a LOT of trans fat, also rabbits are lactose intolerant.

cornflakes are very high in sugar and processed to hell.

custard creams??? seriously??? they are RABBITS for their sake please start to feed them like rabbits, you may well enjoy feeding them the crap you are eating, but im pretty sure when it catches up to them you wont enjoy the vet bills!!!!!

and yes, this may sound harsh, but i am actually shocked by these admissions! i actually did think better of you........


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Guest (Apr 20, 2013)

Let me google that for you


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

That was cool Bernie - how did you do that?!

wobbles -all kiddy cereals are sugar loaded.

We do feed oats when we are trying to build a bun up.


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## Guest (Apr 20, 2013)

No starch or carbohydrates either huh
I may be coming across as sarcastic, but I am genuinely stumped that someone who has access to the internet (and is a member of forums) and has owned rabbits for some time thinks that bread is a good treat...

Do you not continue to research things? No nastiness intended, my research on my animals never ends as I know things change as we learn more about our pets and I want to make sure I do best by the animals that I have here.

If you had only had your rabbits a few weeks and were new to forums I could understand more, but that isn't the case. You have been very, very lucky so far that is for sure.



Summersky said:


> That was cool Bernie - how did you do that?!
> 
> wobbles -all kiddy cereals are sugar loaded.
> 
> We do feed oats when we are trying to build a bun up.


 Just type in "Let me google that for you" into google and it should be the first like that comes up


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

I think you should get another rabbit........



So you can call them snap, crackle and pop..


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

I think that the fact that the ideal rabbit vet has "exotic training" as an extra, speaks volumes for how specialised rabbits really are.

Unfortunately, they are still seen as an ideal starter pet for young children - cheap (not), cuddly (not) and don't live too long (also not true).

Times are a-changing slowly though, thank heavens.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

It's slipping off topic, but the most heartbreaking thing is that across the country, this very moment, are hundreds and hundreds of single, lonely rabbits owned by ignorant people who haven't researched their needs - kept in cramped hutches, fed and watered at best, by seemingly respectable people, who believe themselves to be animal lovers. 

Many of these buns will be "looked after" by the child who has long since lost interest. They will sit in their own filth, lonely, bored and hurting, until the day they die -perhaps eaten alive by maggots (flystrike), perhaps of myxi. ..... and there is nothing we can do ....until they escape and are taken in by a rescue. Only then do they stand a chance of a little happiness.

And all becasue people don't care enough to learn.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

You're right. They can't call out, so they get forgotten -and yes, having them in or right by the house is far better.

Some bunnies do give up, I expect, but others hang on and hang on - some cruelty cases that come in to centres are horrific. 

Sorry - hijacked your thread. Got despondent.


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

If all pet owners popped onto a forum like this, they would learn so much about what they should be feeding their rabbits and how to keep them.

I bought some different types of hay today, I wasn't sure I was doing the right thing one is Oat Hay, the other is Grass hay. Used one packet today, I will use the other packet tomorrow as my two can eat for England.


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

Wobbles said:


> I have no idea what I'd call another, I don't even know whether I'd get another girl or a boy. I suppose if I wanted it for showing, and couldn't have it fixed, a boy would be best as I know how awful my girls were previously. That's my logic thought anyway, could be well off on it.


Trust me! Entire males aren't easy, they are a nightmare!


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

MrRustyRead said:


> Trust me! Entire males aren't easy, they are a nightmare!


There can be exceptions to the rule, my lad is entire, the most relaxed affection bun, you would ever care to meet. He greets me every morning and loves the top of his nose stroking. He has access to our garden every day. He has never shown any signs of aggression, or been any problem whatsoever.

Unfortunately I had no idea how important it was for him to have a friend. He has one waiting for him. Both are due to be neutered/spayed in a couple of weeks. Hence why our garden is in the process of being landscaped to accommodate theirs and the cats outdoor housing/pens. We only moved here just less than a year ago.


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

sskmick said:


> There can be exceptions to the rule, my lad is entire, the most relaxed affection bun, you would ever care to meet. He greets me every morning and loves the top of his nose stroking. He has access to our garden every day. He has never shown any signs of aggression, or been any problem whatsoever.
> 
> Unfortunately I had no idea how important it was for him to have a friend. He has one waiting for him. Both are due to be neutered/spayed in a couple of weeks. Hence why our garden is in the process of being landscaped to accommodate theirs and the cats outdoor housing/pens. We only moved here just less than a year ago.


Exactly, it was more the fact it was asumed they would be easier without no form of research.


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## Pinkchi (Feb 5, 2011)

My dog enjoys eating cat poo....doesn't mean its any good for him 

Rabbits are herbivores

H-E-R-B-I-V-O-R-E-S

Does that not mean anything to you?!

Why can't you go out into the garden and pick some dandelions like most normal people would?

My dog doesn't get fed crap like that let alone the rabbits! ut:


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