Dietary question

[maherwoman]

Okay...this is a question I just thought of...and HAD to ask...just in case.

I thought I would ask here, in case it was something I shouldn't bring about the idea of in the main forum...

So, I read this post about Timothy Complete (which my girls eat :shock:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=14574&forum_id=1&jump_to=210309#p210309

And now I feel like I'm about to panic. Here's why...

The more I read in that thread, the more I feel like I shouldn't be feeding them pellet food at all...or is it just that I'm tired, and panicking easily???

Okay, so here's my question...after all that...

I have TONS of hay (full CA bale, meaning about 70lbs of hay)...so lots to spare. Would my girls be okay if I decided to NOT feed them pellets, if their pellets are basically just Timothy Hay anyway? Is there anything additional in pellet food that they're not getting with just the hay?? If so, what is it??

I'm wondering if I should just cut out the pellets altogether and just feed them the hay, and whatever else I need to add that the pellets have (if anything) that the hay doesn't. I would like their diet to be as natural as possible, and if that means cutting the pellets and substituting more veggies in their place, I don't mind doing that (because they eat veggies anyway).

So...throw me your ideas. Like I said, I've posted this herein the mod section because I don't want to start promoting this idea if it's not a good one. I know there are a LOT of people on the forum (many more than usual, anyway) that would LOVE to take the short way out, and cut out the expensive things in a bun's diet...so I would rather ask the mods.

If you guys see that this is an okay thing to post in the regular RO forum, let me know...don't have a problem with it, if you guys don't!

Anyway, throw me ALL your ideas, and I will act accordingly.Of course, I would also really love to have any articles thrown my way that have information about it.

Thanks so much!

Love and hugs,

Rosie*

Edited to add: All three of my girls are full-grown and Flower's the only one not yet 1yr, but her birthday is the 28th of this month. So, they don't need pellets for growth reasons.

 

[naturestee]

I know both chemical additives *look* scary, but there really is a low incidence of problems. I wouldn't be concerned. I think it's more likely that you'd accidentally cause a nutritional deficiency with a no-pellet diet than to cause cancer, etc., with pellets.

Personally, I've done a lot of research on no-pellet diets and I'm a biologist with botany training. I still don't think I could provide them an appropriate diet without pellets. They're like a nutritional safeguard. What you can do is decrease the pellets to a few teaspoons and increase the veggies, maybe add a touch of alfalfa hay if they get too skinny.

 

[maherwoman]

Okay, thank you! I'll probably decrease the pellets, just to be on the safe side, and up the veggies.

You're one of the few people I trust with dietary advice, Angela...don't know why I didn't just PM you! HEHE!!

 

[JimD]

Hi Rosie,

This topic will get you ALL kinds of feedback:nod

Here's a thread I like....
... from Buck

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=5280&forum_id=1&page=1

~Jim

 

[NZminilops]

I'm not too sure on the pellet thing.

My grandma is now...ooh...64? She had rabbits as a child and teenager,and they never got pellets or anything like that. She said they alllived to ripe old ages and didn't get stasis or 'stressed out' like itseems a lot of bunnies do. She says that back then, dogs ate tablescraps, cats ate gravy beef or cheap mince and rabbits ate greens, hayand some fruits.

I try to keep the rabbits eating things that I think are pretty naturaland healthy, but I still would NOT remove pellets from the diet (nomatter what granny says). I think they are very important and the goodthey provide outweighs the bad.

Just as I drink diet coke to avoid the sugar, but risk getting a lot ofthe artificial sweetner...and I lift weights and do a lot of walkingwhich causes heaps of free radicals to attack my cells (or so themagazines say!)...I still think the benefits are worth it .

 

[RO STAFF]

Rosie, I know about that thread as I had anactuve part in it. But I weighed the pros and cons, the chances of apellet containing enough of a certain ingredient to seriously shortenthe life of a rabbit is slim. Especially if pellets are fed in limitedquantities just to help maintain weight (its hard to keep calories andthe proper nutrition with just veggies). I will never feed Kayteeagain, but not because of that. Mocha had more excess cecal and softpoos and Zoey had very soft poos on it (Spice acts absolutely disgustedby any timothy pellet). But if your girls are fine on it, there is noneed to worry. As I said, it's unlikely they will ever ingest enough ofa certain ingredient that it will cut their life that much shorter.

 

[maherwoman]

Okay, guys...thank you for your replies.

I just want to do the absolute best for them. They've beenjust fine with Kaytee so far, no problems whatsoever, so I'll justcontinue giving it to them.

Thanks for your encouragement and all the information!