Change in rabbit diet

Question
Hi,

Since I got my rabbits Pushkin and Huxley 6 weeks ago, I have
done lots of research into how to keep them healthy and happy.

Today, I took them to the vet to be neutered. No problems there,
but they both have been suffering a little from mushy night
faeces. The vet has advised me to change their diet, to pretty
much just grass from the garden and hay. This is contrary to
everything I've read, which has suggested hay, fresh vegetables,
and good quality pellets - and specifically, no grass from the
garden.

I'm not sure what I should do. Furthermore, it seems to be
almost impossible to find good high fibre/protein pellets here in
New Zealand. They are instead high in carbohydrate. (No
surprise given NZ's rabbit breeding history, I guess.) Perhaps
this is the reason for my vet's suggestion?

Incidentally, I did go to significant lengths to find the best rabbit
vet I could. So I'm hoping you can tell me whether this change in
diet is indeed the best thing for my bunnies.

Thank you very much,

Sarah

Answer
An article you might find very helpful is http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html  

Certainly hay and veggies is a perfectly good diet, I am not sure why he is suggesting grass.  If your lawn is not treated with any pesticides, it would be safe, but I wouldn't consider it the main part of the diet.

There's several articles on pellet-free diets you could check out - http://www.leithpetwerks.com/Bunfun/nonpellet.html and http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/diet/hayisbasis.html

The key to finding what is causing the mushy poop is to start eliminating things from their diet until it clears up, then add back one at a time til you find what is causing the problem.

I don't know what kind of hay you can get in New Zealand, but, try to get good quality such as for use for horses, and be sure there's always plenty on hand.

Kim