Foods

Question
My rabbit seems to like pecans. I have given him just a few as I was eating them. He has not shown any signs of being sick and his stool looks normal. Are they ok for him? or should I stay clear from them?! Also, my rabbit will not eat pellet food even if they have the veggies in it. What can I do? or does he not even need the pellets? Thanks!

Answer
Hi Katie,

You should not feed your rabbit pecans.  You should also not use pellets with colorful veggies as they are NOT good for him.  You need a good quality pellet and unlimited timothy hay.  I recommend Oxbow pellets.  They are timothy based and most rabbits will eat them.  As to whether he needs pellets that depends on who you ask.  Some people feed a diet of only vegetables and hay.  Some vets recommend only a tiny amount of pellets while others say that a good quality pellet eliminates the need for unlimited hay.

My personal preference is 1 ounce per pound of pellets a day and as much timothy hay as they would like.  He may not be eating the pellets because they aren't fresh.  They should still be green when you open the bag and inspect them.  If you chose to do a veggie diet make sure they are safe and also make sure he is getting all the nutrients he needs.

Good luck

Pam