Rabbit Pellets & Feeding Nuggets FAQs
To help you learn more about feeding a healthy rabbit diet to your buns, we’ve put together some really useful information from our nutrition team at Burgess, the pet care experts.
How many pellets should I feed my rabbits and how often should I feed them?
Rabbit pellets should only make up 5% of your rabbits’ daily diet. RWAF recommends around one egg-cup full of rabbit nuggets, fed twice a day, per rabbit.
What rabbit food do vets recommend?
Rabbit nuggets are only part of the story. The best way to ensure your rabbits get all the nutrition and fibre they need is by following the five-step Excel Feeding Plan, developed in conjunction with one of the world’s leading small-animal vets.
This involves giving them high-quality feeding hay or fresh grass, which should make up 85-90% of your fibrevores’ diet. Supplement this with a small portion of rabbit nuggets, which have been specifically formulated to ensure that your buns get all the vitamins and minerals they need.
Add the occasional healthy treat plus a small daily handful of rabbit-safe fresh greens such as broccoli, fennel, parsley, rocket and plenty of fresh water. This will provide your buns with a perfect balance of fibre and nutrition.
What makes high-quality rabbit pellets?
Although pellets only make up 5% of your rabbits’ diet, they can play a vital role in making sure your bunnies get all the vitamins and minerals they need. In general, high-quality rabbit pellets:
- Are high in beneficial fibre to keep their digestive system working correctly
- Contain vitamin A and vitamin C to support the immune system
- Contain vitamin D3, which has an important role in calcium absorption, vital to support bone and dental health
- Contain vitamin E, which has an antioxidant function that aids the body’s natural defences
- Are formulated with minerals such as zinc for healthy skin and coat, iron to support the blood, and copper for nerve function
- Are made with tasty, natural ingredients, such as mint or oregano, to ensure your bunnies absolutely love their yummy nuggets!
What should I look for in rabbit pellets?
If you’re wanting to change your rabbits’ pellets, look for a brand that has a variety that’s suitable for their needs. For example, indoor rabbits can require a specialist diet with added vitamin D. Junior rabbits have a higher metabolic rate than adults, so you’ll need a junior rabbit food with a higher protein level.
If you’ve got some golden oldies, your senior rabbits could benefit from tasty nuggets designed just for them, with added extras such as glucosamine for ageing joints, for example. If you have rabbits that are prone to weight gain, ingredients like L-carnitine can help to promote lean body mass.
Your buns will also enjoy chomping on rabbit nuggets with tasty natural flavours such as mint, oregano and cranberry, along with hedgerow ingredients like dandelion, nettle and lemon balm.
Why should I switch to Burgess Excel rabbit food?
There may be lots of reasons to change the food your rabbits are eating. Here at Burgess Excel, we strongly encourage all owners to move away from muesli-style rabbit mixes.
We worked with the University of Edinburgh on research that revealed rabbit muesli diets encourage selective feeding. This is when rabbits eat the sugary and high-starch elements of a muesli-style diet but leave behind the high-fibre parts, which can lead to them developing all sorts of health issues including dental disease, obesity and problems with their digestion.
How do I switch to Burgess Excel rabbit food?
Because our rabbits’ digestive system is so delicate, moving from one food to another has to be done very carefully. Even changing within the same brand, for example from a junior rabbit food to an adult rabbit food, requires a transition period of 14-28 days.
In the first few days, measure out your rabbits’ normal nugget intake for the day. Take out a small amount and replace with the same amount of the new nuggets. Mix them together so that your rabbits eat a combination of the two.
Each day, slightly reduce their old food and replace it with some of the new. At the end of the transition period, your rabbits should be eating their new rabbit nuggets happily with no issues!
With a wide range of Excel nuggets to choose from, for indoor bunnies, juniors and senior rabbits, Burgess can help you with your rabbits’ diet transition.
Subscribe & Save 10% on every order of selected Burgess Excel rabbit food nuggets and have your packs delivered straight to your door >>
Need more advice?
If you’re at all unsure about the best rabbit food, how often to feed your rabbits or if you have any concerns about specific nutritional requirements, ask your local veterinary practice for advice.
You can also call our expert team, available 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, on +44 (0)1405 862241 and they’ll be happy to help. Alternatively, use our online contact form to get in touch.
Are your bunnies Burgess bunnies? Join the Burgess Pet Club for exclusive offers and rewards.
*Annual survey of UK vets
