Food Options, and issues.

[Kikopolis]

I have a tiny 2 pound Nethie named Syd, who is turning 1 this August. For the first few months I had him he was on Oxbow Alfalfa based, then I slowly switched him to Oxbow Timothy based.

I recently acquired a 6 pound Dwarf mix who I named Berlin, her/his age is unkown as she was a last minute rescue from an awful situation but she is defiantly over 6 months old. I don't even know the gender, she/he is to skittish to sex right now.
But she/he is very comfy free ranging in my room all day with access to timothy pellets and hay, water and veggies. And is even getting the courage to jump into my lap. She does not let me pick her up or pet her yet though. baby steps!

She is a pig eating hay and romaine lettuce, but she has yet to touch any of the pellets. Is this because they are not the same ones she was eating with her previous owner?

Also my mom bought be 2 bags of food. I told her Oxbow and she did not know which kind so she got both Timothy based, and something called BeneTerra Organic rabbit food.
Is this good? Should I consider changing to this diet?
My mom also bought 1 of each kind of oxbow hay including. Timothy, orchard hay, oat hay, botonical hay, BeneTerra meadow hay and Alfalfa (I am unsure if i should give this even in small amounts...help?).
are these hays all okay to give at the same time?
I usually just gave Syd Timothy and Orchard Grass.
Oh and I also have some Papaya Tablets, I am unsure if it's okay to give them yet, I am waiting to here what more experienced rabbit owners think.

 

[ra7751]

I am not a huge fan of Oxbow and haven't heard of the other brand pellet. But if your rabbits are doing OK with the Oxbow, stick with it as rabbits don't like change in their diet. Pellets should be such a small part of the diet that it really doesn't matter. My smaller dwarf buns get only a dozen or so pellets per day. The main thing I use pellets for is dietary supplements....primarily Vitamin D.

As far as hay, a variety of hays are best. Not only does hay keep the gut in good working order, it is also the primary way the teeth are worn down. By offering a variety of types and cuts of hay....each type requires different chewing mechanics which keep the teeth worn properly.

Randy

 

[Kikopolis]

BeneTerra is still OXbow, just all organic.

So if shes eating all her hay I shouldn't worry?

 

[Maureen Las]

If you are worried about it just buy a plain alfalfa pellet (without nuts and seeds and other junk )from the pet store and feed just a very small amount daily.
Some rabbits that had originally eaten an alfalfa pellet will not eat timothy pellets ; I had that problem here and mixed the timothy and alfalfa pellets for a long time.

my rabbits did not like Oxbow timothy pellets whatsoever and would not eat them.

The organic food from Oxbow is something that I have not heard of but will look into . Oxbow did have an organic pellet a few years back (actually a few members use it) but it had a different name than what you are referring to,

 

[Kikopolis]

My rabbit Syd loves the timothy pellets, he changed from the Alfalfa ones easily.
So thats not an issue for me, he will still get those.
But should I try a few other pellets for the new rabbit to see what she will eat?
Whats okay? In the past I have looked into Zu Preem, and Purina lab diet.

 

[Maureen Las]

those brands are both fine

 

[tonyshuman]

With this gal coming from an unknown situation and not being interested in the pellets you offered, I'd try the Purina lab diet. Something with more protein, fat, and carbs than you'd normally feed your own bunny--she was probably on something with "froot loop" colored bits in it or Wal-Mart brand.