Whats in pellets that makes rabbit crazy?

Question
When it comes pellet time my rabbits act as if they've been starving.  They don't even do that for carrots.  Is there something common in pellets that rabbits love?

Answer
Dear Tom,

Some rabbits are nuts about healthy, alfalfa- or timothy-based pellets.  Not sure why, but they just love them.  Different brands of pellets may have different flavoring agents, but most are alfalfa-based, and rabbits love alfalfa.

If you are feeding pellets with little bits of dried fruit, nuts, seeds, corn, etc., then the bunnies may be going wild for those treats.  But unfortunately, you need to stop feeding those and switch to plain, green pellets.  The ones with all the little treat bits mixed in are a recipe for fatty liver disease and intestinal blockages, and shouldn't even be on the market.

For complete information on a healthy rabbit diet, in all its variety, please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

Pellets should be only a very small portion of the diet, with the bulk of the food being unlimited, fresh grass hay.

Hope this helps.  Happy New Year!

Dana