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Food?

22 11:04:38

Question
Hello!!!!!!!!! Is Zupreem Nature's Promise the same or better than Oxbow? Because I like to switch and give my rabbits variety in their diets (safely of course,I read the back of the bag with the switching portions!) My rabbits main diet is Kaytee Supreme (I know its not made of timothy but the local petstore down the street sells it and i can always walk to get more when i run out as opposed to having to get a ride to a petsmart or petco) and i like to mix it with healthy pellets as much as i can. I've tried mixing with oxbow and kaytee exact with supreme. sorry this might be a weird question but is zupreem good? here's the description and ingredients so you don't have to do the research:




ZUPREEM
Offers no Soy or Wheat products! There is consistent, balanced nutrition in every pellet and has a fresh grass smell and veggie taste. Contains high fiber and controlled levels of calcium for good digestion. Includes quality ingredients like sun-cured Timothy hay, carrots, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress and spinach, much less the other essential vitamins and minerals.

Ingredients:
Sun-cured timothy grass hay, Corn gluten meal, Ground corn, Dried beet pulp, Dicalcium phosphate, Dextrose, Salt, Calcium carbonate, Flaxseed meal, Brewers dried yeast, Ground vegetables (carrots, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress and spinach), Ascorbic acid, Choline chloride, DL-Mehtionine, L-Lysine, Natural mixed tocopherols, Zinc sulfate, Ferrous sulfate, Moanganese sulfate, Copper sulfate, Zinc proteinate, Calcium iodate, Copper proteinate, Manganese proteinate, Cobalt carbonate, Sodium selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Calcium pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Thiamine mononitrate, Folic acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement.

Crude Protein (min).........14%
Crude Fat (min)..............1%
Crude Fiber (maz)...........28%
Moisture (max)...............12%



OXBOW
Bunny Basics T is made from timothy grass meal and is specifically designed to meet the particular nutritional needs of adult rabbits. Adult nutritional needs are lower than those of animals in the growth stage of life. Rabbits are designed to eat and digest fiber found in plant material. Timothy grass hay provides the fiber necessary to maintain intestinal health, and makes Bunny Basics/T the veterinarian's number one choice for your adult rabbit.

Ingredients:
Timothy Crass Meal, Soybean Hulls, Wheat Middlings, Soybean Meal, Cane Molasses, Salt, Limestone, Yeast Culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, (tocopherol), Vitamin C Supplement (Ascorbic Acid), Colloidal Silica, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Riboflavin, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, Thiamine, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Pyrodoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Magnesium Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Cobalt Carbonate, Manganese Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Mineral Oil, Calcium lodate, Potassium Chloride.

Crude Protein (min)..........14.00%
Crude Fat (min)..............1.50%
Crude Fiber (min)............25.00%
Crude Fiber (max)............29.00%



I've noticed that Oxbow has more fiber. And Zupreem has moisture? Does that mean that Zupreem is like soft and mushy?  

Answer
Hi Vanessa,

I have no first-hand experience with Zupreem.  From what you have given me, it seems to have a good fiber amount and a good protein amount.  The big differences between Oxbow and Zupreem appear to be in terms of sugar, and vegetables.  Zupreem has several sugar ingredients that are to me, a concern: corn gluten meal, ground corn, dried beet pulp, and dextrose.  They are all in the first two lines of ingredients, meaning they are in larger quantities than ingredients that follow them.  I would worry about this if your guys are on a diet or prone to gain weight.  Generally you want to avoid giving rabbits corn or dextrose as this is very high calorie, and can be used by bad bacteria in their gut to cause gi tract problems.  It kind of sounds like Zupreem is trying to get around us rabbit folks who say to avoid the pellets with extra junk (seeds, fruit, corn, nuts) and just get straight pellets - by grinding all this up and putting it into the pellets themselves.  It's still high octane whether it's part of the pellet or added in separately.

Second, they add ground vegetables into the pellet, Oxbow does not.  This is not a concern, unless you know that your rabbits have a digestive problem with one or more of them.

One thing you could do would be to just switch part of their pellets to Zupreem, but not try to actually give them 100% of Zupreem.  Maybe for a period of time, give them 20-25% Zupreem, and 75-80% Oxbow or Kaytee.  That way the large majority of their pellets would be lower calorie, but you;d still be giving them variety.

Lee