How important is pellet food?

[sajohnson1280]

I switched my dog over to a raw diet and I want to do the same thing for my bunnies. How important is pellet to their diet if they are getting hay and plenty of fresh veggies with some fruits?

 

[Purple Mountain Rabbitry]

their pellets provide proteins, nutrients, salts, pretty much alot of the things a rabbit needs in their diets. I would honestly keep him on the pellets unless you can find something that will equal the nutrition of your pellets

crystal

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Pellets do provide vitamins and minerals that your rabbit needs. It can be difficult to get all of what is needed for a rabbit with just feeding hay and veggies. One of the most important vitamins is vitamin D which can only be gotten from direct sunlight or a supplement. So unless your rabbit is outside for at least 10 minutes a day, you need to supplement.
You don't have to give a lot of pellets. 1/8 of a cup is enough to get the vitamins and minerals needed. You can treat them as a supplement rather than a staple of the diet.
Wild rabbits eat more than just hay which is usually just one type of grass. To provide a diet that would give a rabbit enough of what is needed, you would need to give many different vegetables, grasses and other natural vegetation.

 

[Amy27]

I use to believe pellet food was not important. I didn't feed my rabbits pellets for about 4 years. However, when one of mine got bladder stones/sludge, I changed my stance. When my rabbits didn't get pellets, they got a lot of veggies and a good variety. However, I think my rabbits were still missing minerals and vitamins. I now offer pellets but a small amount. They get 1 ounce twice a week. I still feed lots of veggies and I feel like the pellets will fill in any missing minerals or vitamins they are not getting from veggies and hay. I also feed a variety of different kinds of hay. Am I 100% sure that they do need pellets? No, but I feel more comfortable feeding them to fill in with anything they are missing. I think may be I could alter a veggie diet to be a wider variety to give more minerals and vitamins, but I am not comfortable with my level of knowledge to be sure they are getting what they need so I supplement with pellets.

 

[missyscove]

I think of pellets as sort of a multivitamin for rabbits. An all veggie/hay diet can be done, but it is really challenging to find the right balance whereas when you have pellets in the diet you know they're getting the essentials. Pellets don't need to be the majority of the diet though. My buns get about 1/4 cup of pellets a day, though they certainly could get by with less pellets and more veggies. There's also obviously something to be said for the convenience of a pelleted diet.