Proper Nutrition for Healthy Rabbits

Feb 20, 2020


When it comes to feeding your rabbit, choosing the proper nutrition is key to success and a long and healthy relationship.

Purina® offers 4 choices when it comes to rabbit feed: Purina® Rabbit Chow® Complete Wholesome AdvantEdgeTM, Purina® Rabbit Chow® Show Wholesome AdvantEdgeTM, Purina® Rabbit Chow® Professional Wholesome AdvantEdgeTM and Purina® Rabbit Chow® Fibre3 Wholesome AdvantEdgeTM.  All four of these are complete diets and can be fed to rabbits from weaning and beyond.  There are some slight differences between the four diets. Despite their differences, they are all built on the same founding principles that runs through all Purina® feeds.
chart for healthy rabbit nutrients

All four feed options are ideal for all breeds of rabbits and all ages of rabbits once they have weaned. These diets are all formulated based on the knowledge obtained through Purina’s years of research. Purina’s Wholesome AdvantEdgeTM means that our rabbit feeds are made with fresh, wholesome ingredients that contain no fillers, preservatives or artificial flavors. One of the key nutrients in all rabbit diets is fiber, which consists of long-stemmed hay for optimal digestive tract function. Alfalfa is the number one ingredient in all of Purina’s Rabbit Chow® formulas.  These diets all contain a source of prebiotics to support digestive health and yucca schidigera to aid in odor control. The protein in each feed has been balanced with amino acids to achieve optimal growth rates. Each feed also contains the necessary blend of vitamins and minerals to support immune function while providing the necessary nutrients for strong bones and teeth.

The foundation of each of these diets is similar. However, there are some differences in the diets to better meet the needs of rabbits being raised for specific purposes.  The all-purpose feed is Purina® Rabbit Chow® Complete. Its 16% protein and 17% fiber makes it an excellent food for all types of rabbits of all ages. It’s an easy way to feed and a great choice for first-time rabbit owners. If you are looking for a feed with more protein for meat-producing or breeding rabbits, then Purina® Rabbit Chow® Professional may be the choice for you. This is a nutrient-dense formula with 18% protein and at least 14.5% fiber. 

For consumers that wish to feed a diet that contains no corn, then Purina® Rabbit Chow® Fibre3 and Show are your options. Purina® Rabbit Chow® Fibre3 consists of 15% protein and at least 20% fiber. It is high in fiber to support normal digestive tract function and overall health to provide the longevity that pet owners and breeders expect and deserve. Purina® Rabbit Chow® Show is the best option for owners preparing their rabbits for shows. This diet contains added vegetable oil for producing vibrant fur quality. In addition to the added oil, Purina® Rabbit Chow® Show contains 15% protein and 18.5% fiber. Purina® has a proud history of partnering with many award-winning rabbit owners. 

At Purina®, our feeds are fed to hundreds of thousands of animals to help them be their best. That’s why our feeds are made with the Purina® FeedGuard® Nutrition System. It’s our satisfaction guarantee that your animals get the consistent, high-quality nutrition that they need every day. To do this, Purina® uses Constant Nutrition Formulation. The actual nutrition in any type of ingredient can vary for countless reasons, so we formulated our feed for optimal nutrition instead of by individual ingredients. We source only the best ingredients and only purchase those that meet our stringent quality standards. In fact, every year, thousands of tons of ingredients that do not meet our strict nutritional standards are sent away. We use near infrared reflectance (NIR) technology to measure the actual nutrient levels in ingredients at many of our mills. Finally, we stand behind every bag of feed that we sell. If any bag of Purina® feed you buy fails to meet or exceed your expectation, we’ll give you your money back. Purina® FeedGuard® Nutrition System is our assurance that Purina® feed can give your animals the nutrition that they need to be their best.

chart for proper feeding for rabbits
 
----Patrick Biggs, Ph.D.

Nutritionist, Companion Animal Technical Solutions

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