I had a couple of readers suggest Oxbow pellets to help with the cecotrope issues Clovis was having. I had cut back considerably on fruit and greens with limited success and had resigned myself to accepting things the way they were. It wasn't bad, just worrisome. I hadn't seen Oxbow in our local pet stores so I ordered online hoping for the best.
Oxbow suggested I gradually add their pellets so I started with one part Oxbow and three parts current brand which is Purina. The Oxbow pellets were a bit larger and greener. I carefully measured them out and fed to Clovis.
We did not relish the Oxbow pellets! Discouraging! He will eat them but they are the last to go. I'm up to 3 parts Oxbow and 1 part Purina now. I feel a little mean taking away something he loves so much but I'm hoping that once he is completely on the Oxbow it won't really matter to him.Did this solve the cecotrope problem? Yes! I would say this is a successful solution. I've been sneaking in more fruit here and there - a consolation of sorts to Clovis for having to give up a favorite. Thank you, dear readers, for your suggestion!
10 comments:
I am so happy! Almost nothing makes a bunny's mommy happier than a clean bunny bottom! Yay Clovis! And, the same reaction came from my buns. I don't think the Oxbow have as much sugar or other sweet stuff in them. But, they do adjust.
Hooray for Oxbow, it's all we feed here.
we picked ours out of a shelter and was fed Blue Seal Bunny 16 - we've tried other brands but he would not eat any other...i've actually nibbled on the different kinds and found that this brand was tastier than others...i used to "ration" food and found ours was getting fatter and fatter from hoarding since he got hungry sometimes with empty bowls...then my hubbie suggested giving him unlimited food and i did...since then, he is a healthy leaner bun! the cecotropes i believe is from too rich a diet and he doesn't finish it all...i've observed that usually he consumes it immediately...but sometimes i know he goes back and consumes it (blech! - but i guess that's how it works)...most of the other times, i throw it away...he also gets grass/hay plus salt/mineral licks for his health against illness...so that's our experience =) Anyway, Clovie seems quite healthy and happy so you are probably doing a good job caring for him!
This is wonderful news! sorry that Clovie is not a fan of the new pellets but as you say he will get used to them. Good work. Take care
Glad that beautiful boy is doing better.
Oxbow is one of the better brands of pellets out there. Mick seems to like them better than other brands, although he's not a huge pellet-eater to start with. Of course, left up to him, he would rather have pellet mix where he can pick out all the treats and leave the pellets. :)
We switched from Purina to Oxbow almost two years ago at the direction (or demand, or scolding ;) ) of our vet who said we were too chubby. We didn't seem to have any problem as far as preference switching over... Is there a chance you're not going gradually enough?
Nobunny really likes change, but now Oxbow is all my bunnies will eat.
We also use OxBow - and plenty of hay. But not a lot of pellets. Our bunns are all healthy and I think the OxBow is part of that.
Gooey messes left around or stuck the butt are usually - for us - too much fruit.
One other thing about OxBow. Before Clovie's time, we took many bunnies on the 7-Bunny-7 on quite a tour, and we stopped at the home of OxBow. There was a big parade - we think it was for the bunns - but the OxBow company totally ignored us!!! You can read the 7-Bunny-7 caper from the link on our blog - if yu have not!
Horray! Glad the Cecal issue is pretty much solved! Am I a bad bunny mummy if i say i haven't heard of oxbow before?
No, of course not Rose! I'm sure happy we made the switch!
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