The Place of Pellets
Remember, hay is the foundation of a balanced rabbit diet. Rabbits do not need a diet primarily of pellets. Pellets are supplemental food and energy-dense, and a pellet-centered diet is like eating energy bars for every meal. Some rabbits experience chronic intermittent diarrhea or constipation, some produce too many cecal pellets, and many are very overweight from a diet based primarily on pellets instead of hay.
“The uncontrolled feeding of a pelleted diet to a house rabbit can lead to obesity, heart and liver disease, chronic diarrhea, and kidney disease as a result of the high concentration of calories, low fiber, and high calcium levels in the pellets,” says Dr. Susan Brown of the Rosehaven Exotic Animal Veterinary Services.
Think of pellets as dietary supplements that supply a more concentrated amount of vitamins and minerals than you find in hay and veggies alone. There are some healthy choices available and we can safely include pellets to “round out” bunny’s diet. Some rabbits don’t need pellets, depending on their health, energy needs, and the quality of their hay and vegetables — talk with your rabbit-savvy vet about what your rabbit needs. If you feed your rabbit pellets, make sure the primary ingredients are hay, preferably timothy; these pellets will be dark green and well compressed.
Avoid pellets that contain seeds or fatty grains like wheat or corn. These products are too high in sugar and carbohydrates and can cause obesity, diarrhea, and other serious digestive upsets, resulting in long-term health issues and many visits to the vet. Avoid multi-colored mixes sold in pet stores.
An example of HEALTHY pellets for rabbits
Special Needs that Might Affect Pellet Portion Sizes
Angora rabbits may require more pellets to support the growth of fur.
Older, underweight, and ill rabbits can be given alfalfa pellets to increase their calorie intake.
If your rabbit is overweight (according to their rabbit-savvy vet), move down to a lower weight quantity, to support weight loss.
If your rabbit is recovering from an illness or injury that makes it hard for them to keep weight on, they may need to consume more pellets.
Rabbits who are breastfeeding their kits need access to unlimited pellets and hay.
Rabbits who have chronic digestive issues may need to reduce or eliminate their pellet intake.
Timothy Pellets
For most rabbits, timothy pellets are a healthy option when eaten sparingly. They are available through several different sources, including:
Oxbow Essentials for Rabbits — relatively high in fiber and low in protein.
Zupreem Nature’s Promise — a good-quality soy-free timothy pellet.
Sherwood Pet Health — options include a pellet made of alfalfa and timothy. This product is grain-free and soy-free and can be good for rabbits with a delicate GI system.
Supreme Selective Naturals — a high-fiber pellet made with timothy hay and without corn or wheat. They also offer a grain-free option.
Several of these products are available at the SDHRS Bunny Store.
When switching to a new brand of pellets, remember to make the change gradually. Mix a few of the new pellets in with your current pellets, increasing the percentage of new pellets over a period of several days until that is all you give.
SDHRS recommends high-quality timothy or alfalfa blend pellets be fed; read the label on the pellet bag for recommended quantities.
