A wonderful consequence of the increased interest in house rabbits is the increased variety of commercial pellets now available to feed our rabbits. However, this is also a mixed blessing, because the many choices can be confusing. A major confusion is over pellet composition. There are pellets with high energy and low energy, alfalfa-based and timothy-based. Which is best? There is no single answer because it is dictated by your rabbit’s individual needs. 

High energy pellets are largely aimed at the breeding industry, and especially needed for pregnant or lactating rabbits (accidents can happen!) Nursing babies puts a high demand on energy, protein, and calcium. Thus until the babies are weaned, mama bun should receive unlimited pellets, and especially pellets with a higher content of fat, protein and calcium, all of which goes into her milk for the babies. For a mature, non-lactating rabbit, this pellet is pretty nutrient-rich and is not my first choice, but it can be okay for most rabbits if offered in limited quantities. Purina “red bag” is a good example of this type of pellet. 

Pellets labeled “growth” are good for young bunnies, who are building lots of muscle and bone (Purina “green bag” is an example). Strong bones need calcium and protein, and a veggie-only diet is unlikely to provide this. The growing young ones need a higher calorie, higher protein and calcium pellet. Bunnies in their rapid growth spurt (weaning to about 5 months) should receive unlimited pellets. You then can cut back as growth slows. I’ve noticed that bunnies, especially larger breeds, tend not to reach their final weight and size until about 11-12 months old, so I may feed these a little more than if they were older. 

A mature rabbit still needs protein and calcium. Muscle and bone are not inert. They are constantly being rebuilt and remodeled, especially if the rabbit is active. A diet that is too deficient in calcium or protein means that bone will not be as strong and the rabbit will have an increased risk for osteoporosis and bone breakage. Strong muscles are needed to keep bone strong, and so protein is needed, too, especially during times of heavy fur shedding (recall that fur is made of pure protein!). However, because a mature rabbit’s protein and calcium need is lower than that for a growing rabbit, you can select a pellet with a lower content of these, or cut back further on a high-energy pellet and balance them with extra veggies. These types of pellets are often labeled “maintenance” because they feature a lower energy, protein, and calcium density while still offering essential vitamins and minerals. Some examples of these include Purina HF, American Pet Diner “Timmy,” Oxbow Bunny Basics T, and Kaytee’s timothy pellet. 

Now, what about alfalfa vs. timothy-based pellets? Clovers such as alfalfa have a higher protein and calcium content than do grasses, roughly twice as much per unit weight. Thus, in general, alfalfa-based pellets may have a higher protein and calcium content than will grass-based pellets. This varies, however, with the stage of hay that is used, so always read the label on the back of the bag to verify the actual protein and calcium content. (For example, late bloom alfalfa and early bloom timothy have the same protein content.) 

Is one better than the other?  For most rabbits, not really. This is because we feed limited pellet amounts to our rabbits, and therefore the rabbits are not receiving an excess of protein or calcium. If your rabbit is maintaining a steady weight, then you are probably feeding the right amount. Here at the main foster home for Wisconsin HRS, all our rabbits receive a low calorie, alfalfa-based pellet (Purina HF, or “high fiber”), and we have not seen protein or calcium problems in the nearly 400 rabbits who have passed through our facility.

There are some special circumstances where pellet choice can become critical. The first is for rabbits who have protein-sensitive bacteria in the cecum. These bunnies produce an excess of cecal pellets after a meal, because the excess protein that is not digested by the bunny is instead fermented by the cecal bacteria. These bunnies may benefit from a low-protein pellet, cutting back on pellets, or, in very rare circumstances, no pellets at all. (However, if you try this, make sure your rabbit gets essential vitamins and minerals from other sources. Often, however, you can get rid of these bacteria by feeding a straw-only diet for several days before returning to the regular veggie/pellet/hay diet.) 

The second special circumstance is for rabbits who have problems metabolizing calcium. This one is still rather a mystery. Rabbits are different from most animals in that their intestinal tract sucks up dietary calcium and puts it into the blood; most other animals (including people) have less efficient absorption of dietary calcium. This normally isn’t a problem, because the bunny’s excess calcium is just excreted in the urine. Rabbits are built to do that. 

However, this process can go wrong in some rabbits, for reasons we don’t understand. An active infection of E. cuniculi may be one such cause; in humans, a urinary tract infection can trigger this. In those bunnies, instead of calcium being sent out the urine, it precipitates in the bladder and/or kidney. This can lead to bladder “sludge” and stones, and sometimes kidney calcification. Stones and sludge can be painful to pass, and may increase the risk for urinary tract infections. You can see this if the rabbit is straining to urinate, has urine with a mustard-like consistency, or (in fact) has little-to-no calcium in the urine. (Some calcium powder in the urine is normal and healthy.) 

We have to emphasize that we don’t know what causes this problem, and thus we don’t really know how to cure it. Approaches to improve the situation should include a urinalysis to diagnose the problem, a culture-and-sensitivity of the (sterile) urine to identify possible infections, and diet strategies to reduce the burden on the kidneys and bladder. However, diet strategies should never put the rabbit at risk for calcium or protein deficiency. This is especially important because rabbits already have fragile bones and cannot afford to lose additional calcium. A diet that is pellet-free and avoids calcium-rich veggies will force your rabbit to draw calcium and protein from precious bone and muscle stores. This puts the rabbit at risk for seizure and death (calcium-deficient tetany), osteoporosis, and bone breakage. Rather than go “cold turkey” on the pellets and calcium-containing veggies, you should instead adjust your rabbit’s diet to achieve a proper balance that meets his nutrient needs without over-stressing the urinary tract. This can be done by switching to a lower calcium/protein diet, increasing vegetable intake (for important electrolytes, vitamins, and water), and offering water in a crock to stimulate increased drinking. 

In summary, to say that “alfalfa” is bad and “timothy” is good misstates the situation. Both types of pellets can provide a diet that is lower in protein and calcium; the key is to read the product label and then offer food quantities and varieties appropriate to your rabbit’s individual nutrient needs. 

Copyright Susan Smith, 2003

Susan Smith is an Associate Professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a long-time educator-fosterer for Wisconsin HRS. 

Return to Home Page