A change in pellets?

Question
QUESTION: Hi Pam
I was wondering if there was a way I could get my rabbit to like the basic Kaytee pellets over the Ecotrition type. I'm not sure if your familar with one over the other but kaytee is just pellets and Ecotrition has pellets and other stuff ( dried veg and fruit, but also seeds ).
My rabbit really likes Ecotrition but i've seen what she prefers to eat from it and its not the pellets, is there a way I can get her to eat pellets from either varity? I have a bag of Kaytee and Ecotrition that I mix from, a handful from each bag more or less, but...Have you had a rabbit that didn't like pellets before? I feed her the hay and greens she enjoys just fine.

ANSWER: Hi Lauren,

It sounds like your bunny wants to eat the stuff he thinks is good rather than the pellets.  We have had extremely difficult times trying to switch bunnies off of food with colorful stuff in it.  What I do is give them the regular pellets and mix it with whole oats.  I buy the oats at the farm store but you can also use old fashioned oatmeal(not instant).  Once they get the colorful pellets it takes a long time for them to eat plain ones.  I would continue to feed him veggies and hay and eventually he should eat the pellets.

I wish I could be more help.

Pam

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Pam,

Well to me I don't think Ecotrition has colorful stuff in it but it does have dried veggie ( it looks like dried carrots to me ) and some kind of carrot shaped pellet among the other things, but Ecotrition does say it has dried fruit and vegetable for a 'essential blend' for adult rabbits. I suggest to look it up on Petco perhaps if you want to look at the ingridents in it but in the whole my rabbit only eats the dried carrot pieces, the carrot shaped things, and the pellets I think..but not the seeds or corn kernals ( not even sure why a rabbit food would have those in anyway lol) but my local birds like the leftovers, lol. But i'd be interested in trying to ween her to normal food if possible..what would adding whole oats do? I've never tried it before.
Thanks again

Answer
Whole oats would give her something to pick at that isn't bad for her.  Even if Ecotrition has dried carrots and fruits in it they are still not good for a staple diet.  Carrots and fruits should only be used as an occasional treat.  My bunnies are not allowed to have more than 2 or 3 small baby carrots a week.  They are high in carbohydrates which is not good for them.  The same goes for any fruits.  I will look up the ingredients but the dried carrots alone really concern me. She may not like the whole oats but it is worth a try.

I hope you can get her switched to plain pellets for the sake of her health.  Good luck!

Pam