Rabbit Diet......Response?

Question

For starters, why on earth is it that we can only answer a question once?!

That's crazy, if someone responds to an answer we have left then we should be able to respond to that.

I am posting this one because of that very reason, I want to respond to a comment made on my answer to the 'rabbit diet' question.

I posted that rabbits don't need pellets and someone replied saying that was wrong. I want to say that the information that grass is the best diet for rabbits with fresh veg a couple of times a week came from a vet I worked with for many years who was a rabbit and rhodent specialist.

Your average vet gets only a certain amount of work, experience and teaching about animals other than dogs and cats. It's up to them to get more information after they have qualified to gain a deeper knowledge of the other species.

Just to add that there are many books written by enthusiasts that contain wrong information. I have known many 'experts' give out out dated and frankly wrong advice. For example a woman who bred dogs for 25 years told all her new puppy owners to feed them only on weetabix with cows milk and raw eggs for the first 12 weeks of their life.... this is obviously not good nutritional information but and because she had done this for 25 years and wrote a book about dogs does not make it right, though makes people trust her opinion.

Answer 1

Pellets are an important part to a balanced diet. Grass is not.

Hay is the most important part to a healthy diet, everybody knows that.

Hay, vegetables, pellets then treats.

After a rabbit is mature, they should get a cup of vegetables daily, not a couple times a week.

You're allowed to defend yourself, but just because you chose to not feed your rabbits pellets doesn't make you right.  

Answer 2

I agree with you 100% about the pellets. The pellets would be like feeding a cat dry food when technically they need a moist diet.

The vet answer is also true. They only get so much information about certain species or things and its up to them to develope more of a knowledge of that information.

Answer 3

i feed my bun tons of timothy and orchard grass hay and a large salad made up of many veggies and every other day a small amount of fruit. she gets a small handful of timothy pellets and only eats them when she finishes her salad. the only issue i have is that so many people say just feed pellets and rarely veggies. it irks me. pellets are a supplement. but just wanted to agree with you. too many people buy into incorrect info and too many vets are too hardheaded to want to learn.

Answer 4

you are totally entitled to your opinion on whether rabbits need pellets or not. Through rescuing and treating animals with health problems over 20 years i have found that pellets are very beneficial for rabbits that have come to me with teeth problems and digestive problems.

As for feeding just grass and veg a few times a week wheres the right amount of nutrition in that? There is less than enough. Veg should be fed daily in variety to make sure the rabbit is getting the right nutrients.

Grass is an important part of the rabbits diet as is hay,although some people cannot let their rabbit graze as they have no garden therefore hay is the most important form of grass for their rabbit, and veg as i have said before.

As an author i have done heavy research on rabbit feeding and the  RABBIT VETS (who specialises in rabbits)  agreed with my opinion that pellets are beneficial. I can tell you all my research is up to date not out of date as you have suggested to the answerer and i myself have worked along side a veterinary practice.

I too have come across so called experts on animal care and husbandry that get their information wrong, i have done it in the past with dogs but know more now because i have the resources that have taught me. My interests and expertise lie with rabbits, rodents, fish and amphibians as i have kept and have great knowledge of all of the subjects.I prefer to keep to what i know i can give advice in correctly.

Another bit of friendly advice:If you do not wish to offend someone i suggest that you do not write the comments in the first place (although i am not offend as i said before peoples opinions differ)

Answer 5

Well way back they used to say rabbits didnt need hay, the hay movement in rabbit care came about in the 80s which started with a group of researchers which include my vet.

Pellets can benenficial, they are not needed but most rabbit enjoy them. My old blind lop rabbit has a hard time keeping weight on, so he gets 1/2 a cup of alfalfa pellets everyday and the rest get about 1/4 timothy pellets.

My vet has never had a problem with me keeping my rabbits on a small amount of pellets: http://drexotic.com/bio_jenkins.htm

I think he is pretty qualified...

The deeper knowledge of other species come from  becoming an exotic vet, it is not taught in regular vetinary medicine.

A small amount of pellets wont hurt your rabbit, as long as they get unlimited hays such as timothy, orchard grass, ect.

Answer 6

I was once given a leaflet by my vet that said you should feed your rabbit mostly on grass. I wont do this as my dog uses the grass as a potty, so she has the mix (then picks out her fave bits and leaves the pellets)