elrohwen wrote:
I don't know that that's true - have we really selectively bred rabbits to eat our foods? Considering how similar they are to horses in both digestion and ailments, I still think that hay and "veggies" (for horses this is grass) are far more of a staple than has been believed in the recent past.
And I also don't know if I believe that the feed store pellets are better than something like Oxbow. I totally agree that they are better than pellets with a lot of junk in them from pet stores, and I think they're good for rabbits, but I don't buy the company's advertising that they know everything there is to know about rabbit nutrition and are formulating appropriately. I've worked long enough in the (human) food industry that I don't readily believe claims like that. I think a consumer is better off looking at the package information and making an informed choice. Saying that feed store pellets in general are by far the healthiest is a bit generic.
If neither pellet only nor veggie only diets have been fully researched, I'm still going to go with the HRS recommendation of 2cups of veggies per day. I don't believe that we have domesticated rabbits long enough that we have changed what they need to eat (dogs have been domesticated longer than anything and still have the same dietary requirements as their ancestors - I don't think there's evidence that they do the best on grain and corn based diets so common in pet stores). I'll continue to feed my rabbits like I would feed a horse. I can totally understand that rabbitries require different feeding programs because of the large number of rabbits, but that doesn't mean a pet owner should necessarily feed the same things.
Do you have sources for how the HRS diet has caused more issues with pet rabbits? You keep claiming this, but I'm not sure where you're getting your information. And claiming that feeding veggies killed someone's rabbit is a bit dramatic - there are plenty of things that can kill rabbits. Some people's rabbits choke on pellets and die, so I find your statement to be a bit fear mongering. I'd like to see evidence.
eta: I also know how much hard research and journal reading medical professionals really do, including vets, so I find it hard to believe that they are promoting a diet that hasn't be researched, as you said. I would be more inclined to believe a vet over a feed company.
Well oxbow is considered a pet food. Its one of the better ones out there. But most breeders that I know don't use it because its expensive, and it doesn't condition the rabbits out like some of the others do.
The system of the domestic rabbit can't handle a large amount of veggies, and greens(other then some herbs, and hay). Rabbit breeders(and a lot of pet owners) tend not to feed them because we have a lot of experience with feeding them, and know what it can do to their digestive systems. They do make nice treats now and then though.
We are also very nutrition conscious when it comes to feeding our rabbits. We want want what is best for them, and something they can thrive on and do well on. Most buy the best that is on the market, that is formulated to fit the needs of our rabbits. Right now, IMHO its purina fiber 3. High in fiber, low in protein, and fat. rabbits love it, and look good on it. When i consider doing a feed chance, the first thing I do is look at the tag on the bag. If it has something in there I don't like, I skip it. There have been hundreds of thousands of rabbits fed on them over the years, with very little problems. So we must be doing something right.
If you look on the hrs website there is something on there saying that they changed the recommendations because they were having problems with it. I know they upped the pellets from 1/4rth of a cup, to 1/2 per five pounds of body weight. I think the amount of veggies were adjusted too. I am on some pet rabbit forums, where many of the bunnies end up ill from GI and dental issues. The problems went away when they reduced the amount of vegetables, and increased the pellet intake. I wish there was more information on the net about the cons of the diet, but there isn't. And there certainly isn't any scientific studies that you can find that says certain rabbits were fed out on it, that is why its better for them. At least I haven't been able to find any. A friend of mine emailed them at once, asking for a study done on their diet. They told him that there wasn't one. That they fed a few thousand rabbits on it, and it worked for them.
Pellet diets have been extensively researched. I think i mentioned that above? Out of all the feed companies, i think purina has done the most research on them. Though I could be wrong. They used to have their own rabbitry where they produced the livestock feeds. I just wish it was available on the net where you can find it.
The thing that I have found out about vets is that many of them have never had any experience with rabbits at all. Not even by keeping them as pets, or raising them. Most know very little about rabbit nutrition. even the diet they recommend of the hrs site. Because most pet owners are not going to know how make sure such a diet is balanced, so that the rabbit is in good condition and getting the right amount of nutrition.
About ten years ago, I used to use a vet in the area that was very savy about keeping rabbits. I do believe he promoted the pellet diet. He has long since moved away, and none of the others know anything about them other then trimming teeth and toenails. I had to show my current vet how to administer baytril. Now that's pretty bad.
