Really beginning to question my pellets..........

[jcottonl02]

My rabbits have always been on Burgess Excel Supa Rabbit Junior and Dwarf Pellets since they were young. I considering them moving them to 'adult' when they reached about 1.5 years old, but the stuff I use it apparently also for 'Dwarf' rabbits too.

However, I have just been researching some nutritional informations of different brands (the saddo that I am), and had a little bit of a shock.
I assumed that Excel Junior and Dwarf would have the highest fibre possible, but they don't. Look at these nutritional values:

Excel Junior and Dwarf: Fibre 16%, Protein 16%
Excel Adult: Fibre 16%, Protein 12%
Excel LiteL Fibre 18%, Protein 12%

Now look at Oxbow!

Bunny Basics T (Adult Rabbits): Fibre 25-28%, Protein 14%

That is a huge difference!!

Rabbits should have high-fibre pellets; atleast 18% fibre, and low protein, and I always thought mine were the best for that. In God's name why, I don't know. They seem to be the worst!!! Are these really the worst, or are they not as 'bad' as they seem? My ideal would be a pellet with 20% or higher fibre, and 12%protein

What do you guys think? I have just bought a MASSIVE bag of Excel Junior and Dwarf, but I want to change them both over to something with a much higher fibre content.

What do you guys think? What are your bun's pellets fibre and protein contents? Am I over reacting?

Any advice appreciated- thanks

Jen

 

[pamnock]

Do you feed any other foods besides the pellets?

 

[elrohwen]

Personally I would change over to something with a higher fiber/lower protein, but I don't think it's going to harm them to finish the current bag either.

 

[jcottonl02]

They get unlimited Timothy Hay with dried dandelions etc. (Pippin can finish maybe two hay racks or more each day), plenty of grass a day (they munch it relentlessly for hours in the garden), about 3cups or more of a variety of different vegetables a day, and about 1/4 cup of the pellets. They also get a few chunks of fruit every few days.

Thanks Elrohwen.....that is what I was thinking. Damn...I can't understand why I didn't see this before.
I thought I was giving them the absolute best. I just convinced myself for some odd reason......I just can't understand it...
I have checked the nutritional values before and thought it was the best...why?????
What do yours get?

I can't believe I am going back to bunny diet basics. I feel so...like a bad mum :/

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

I was feeding pURINA FIBRE 3 but I desided to go back to Zupreem.


http://www.zupreem.com/our-food/small-animals/natures-promise™-premium-rabbit-food

They do say the corn in it is bad but Storm has done great on it Jessi has only been on it a week.

I like it and my buns both like it. I am sticking to it.

 

[jcottonl02]

I looked at Zupreem, Mrs PBJ- and it looks so good.
28% fibre, 14%protein. I am just wondering about whether they sell it here in the UK.


Anyone here have Oxbow?- that looks fantastic, and I know I can get it easily here.

Jen

 

[elrohwen]

I use Oxbow and love it. I wouldn't use anything else! My vets especially recommend it.

 

[pamnock]

jcottonl02 wrote:

They get unlimited Timothy Hay with dried dandelions etc. (Pippin can finish maybe two hay racks or more each day), plenty of grass a day (they munch it relentlessly for hours in the garden), about 3cups or more of a variety of different vegetables a day, and about 1/4 cup of the pellets. They also get a few chunks of fruit every few days.

You need to consider the entire diet. Unlimited hay/greens/veggiesare pushing the fiber up much higher than the fiber content of the pellets alone.

If they are healthy and doing fine, I certainly wouldn't consider changing feeds.

 

[kirbyultra]

I use oxbow because i found a place that sells it for pretty darn cheap, and it happens to be a fine pellet.

Jen, are min and max fiber levels listed for your pellet?? Perhaps the min is rather low and the upper limit doesn't sound as bad? No pellet can guarantee the exact % of fiber content due to hay crop variations. 16 and 18 do sound rather low but you have to factor in the fact that the pellets make up just 5-10% of what they eat. If they are overwhelmingly getting fiber elsewhere in the majority if their diet, they are not suffering at all! Dot beat yourself up! It's not too late to change the pellets but I see no immediate harm in finishing off the bag you have already. Use the remainder as a integration bag to switch brands.

 

[kirbyultra]

Yeah, what Pam said! lol

This is what happens when I RO on my iPhone and type sooo slow!

 

[Pipp]

pamnock wrote:

You need to consider the entire diet. Unlimited hay/greens/veggiesare pushing the fiber up much higher than the fiber content of the pellets alone.

If they are healthy and doing fine, I certainly wouldn't consider changing feeds.

:yeahthat: If they're getting a lot of fiber in their hay, etc, the pellets don't matter much.

I think Oxbow Bunny Basics T maybe a good 'diet' food for overweight or fiber-challenged rabbits, but honestly, the difference between a timothy pellet and an alfalfa pellet isn't large enough to matter.

I'm one of a growing number of people who think the manufacturers are just responding to the market, not any health studies, when they started making Timothy pellets.

And if people are feeding their rabbits the necessary variety with limited pellets, the type of pellets are a minor concern.

If you can't decide, or you don't want to sink huge amounts of money into the Oxbow money pit, just mix several types together, you'll get all the benefits. None of the brands you're using are going to be detrimental.

sas :bunnydance:

 

[jcottonl02]

Thanks all you guys.

Yes actually I didn't consider that. The pellets they get are such a small part of their diet.

Yeah cos that bag is quite a big bag, and as they don't get lots of pellets, it takes a while to finish (it goes in giant sealed tuppawear boxes to keep it fresh), but if I needed to change soon then I would, but I wouldn't relish wasting so much money :/

Is Oxbow a lot more expensive than Burgess?

I may still change over after this bag, but I won't worry too much about it.

I guess some people feed a diet mostly of pellets, so they need the best quality pellet, but in my buns' diet, the pellets play the smallest role.
They are both fine weight, healthy, poops are great, teeth, in general are great.

Phew *wipes brow*

Just what annoyed me/worried me so much is the fact that all this time I have thought these pellets were pretty up there. But they aren't great. They aren't....bad...but not fantastic. How did I not see? :/


Jen

 

[tamsin]

Excel do a lite version that's higher fibre. Otherwise I'd recommend supreme science. I wouldn't ruse if you've got a bad full though and your buns are healthy etc. Don't forget you'll want to swap gradually over a few weeks so whichever you go for buy it before you get to the end of the current.