Pellets

Pellets provide rabbits some more nutrients but are not vital to a bun's diet. There are many rabbit owners who feed their rabbits a pellet-free diet due to teeth problems, chronic GI issues, and obesity. We recommend that you feed at most 1/8 cup to 1/4 cup of pellets per rabbit per day for every 5 lbs of bun. Too much pellets can lead to obesity and a lack of adequate hay consumption. Baby rabbits can be fed unlimited pellets, as their bones and muscles need plenty of protein and calcium for proper growth.

Type
The type of pellet (alfalfa or timothy) fed usually depends on the age of your rabbit. Generally, you want to feed alfalfa-based pellets for buns under 7 months old, and timothy-based pellets for over 1 year old. However, it ultimately depends on the nutrition values listed on the back of the bag. Most commercial alfalfa-based brand pellets will have more calories, protein, and fat, and less fiber than a timothy-based brand.

Dana Krempels, Ph.D., recommends that a good pellet should have the following qualities:
 * at least 22% crude fiber
 * no more than approximately 14% protein
 * about 1% fat
 * about 1.0% calcium.

Suzanne Trayhan recommends the following:
 * at most around 14% protein for normal rabbits, 16% protein for long-haired breeds such as angoras, jersey wooleys, etc.
 * at least 20% fiber
 * 1-1.5% fat
 * below 1% calcium

Both alfalfa and timothy-based pellet brands can come close to these recommendations. In general, the lower the protein level and the higher the fiber, the better. Rabbits should have very little fat in their diets - 5% in some pellets is way too high for a house rabbit. You want a low number for calcium, especially in rabbits with bladder, sludge, or kidney problems.

As Trayhan further says, "It can be difficult to find a pellet that matches all of the requirements. In that case, try to choose one that is as close as possible. Focus on the factors that are most important to your needs. If you have a rabbit with kidney/sludge problems, then get a low calcium number. If your rabbit is obese, concentrate on low fat and high fiber. For rabbits with gut problems, I would want high fiber."

Good pellets do not include whole dried fruit, seeds, nuts, or other colored crunchy things. There should be only pellets and maybe hay and herbs and nothing else. As Krempel states, "The complex flora of the cecum can quickly become dangerously imbalanced if too much simple, digestible carbohydrate is consumed--especially if the diet is generally low in fiber. The result is often 'poopy butt syndrome,' in which mushy fecal matter cakes onto the rabbit's behind. This a sign of cecal dysbiosis, which can foment much more serious health problems."

Also, "The problem with these foods is that each type of seed or ingredient has different nutritional content, and pets develop preferences for certain seeds or pieces. They can easily develop a deficiency when they become “picky eaters” and only eat certain parts of their food."

Take a look at our Rabbit Pellets Comparison Chart to see recommended acceptable brands for both adult and young rabbits with no extra treats added.