How to store rabbit pellets
I have had pet rabbits for over 20 years at this point and have learned so much over that time. Pellets are an important part of a rabbit’s diet and needs to be stored properly to maintain nutritional value and freshness. The best rabbit pellets are made from timothy hay and should be very hard in texture. If pellets are not stored properly they can become soft which is not good for your rabbits dental health.
The best storage container for rabbit pellets
I love, love, love this storage container for my rabbits pellets. It snaps closed and creates an airtight seal and will hold a ton of pellets. Bugs cannot get inside… or out LOL. Yes it possible for mites and weevils to be in your rabbit pellets. My current pet rabbit, Mr. Bunny had a case of walking dandruff on his big ears and my awesome vet told me that sometimes mites come into the house via hay and pellets.
Anyway… The plastic is thick and flexible enough on this storage container that it will not break if you accidentally drop it when full of rabbit pellets. The best part about this container is that the lid doubles as a measuring cup. The measurements on the cup go down to a 1/4 cup which is excellent for small rabbit. If you don’t know how much pellets you should be feeding look here.
If you have a lot of rabbits this bulk container works really well and holds a lot of rabbit pellets.
The Best Rabbit Pellets
Having had pet rabbits for many years I have tried just about every rabbit pellet on the market. I have a deep love for my buns and only want the best possible nutrition for them. I can tell you that there are some terrible, terrible rabbit pellets on the market. These pellets can cause long term health issues and shorten your rabbit’s life span.
If you want to feed your rabbit healthy and wholesome pellets look at these posts.
- Best rabbit pellets
- Best baby Rabbit Pellets (5 months and younger)
- The Best Diet for Rabbits
The worst rabbit pellets – Do NOT feed these!
Some rabbit pellets are absolutely awful for your bun. Here is what you want to avoid.
- Soft pellets – Pellets that are soft or crumbly should never be fed to your pet rabbit. Rabbit pellets should be very hard in order to improve dental health. Your rabbit’s teeth will never stop growing and need to be worked as much as possible. A rabbit’s mouth is designed to consume coarse foods like hay/grass and plant matter. It is imperative that your rabbit’s teeth are used like nature intended. If you can dig your nail into the pellet it is too soft!
- Corn – Some rabbit pellets have corn as an ingredient or have corn kernels mixed into the bag. Rabbits are not made to eat or digest corn period. Corn is high in sugar and has very little nutritional value in it. It is possible for a rabbit to suffer sever health issues from eating corn.
- Nuts and Seeds – This is another big no no. Again, rabbit’s digestive tract is not made for nuts and seed. Many rabbit pellet manufacturers add nuts and seeds to their pellets or mix them in. I will admit it looks great from a marketing standpoint, but it should never be fed to your pet bunny.
Here is a terrible product!
Notice the words in the packaging, “Gourmet – Fruits and vegetables”, then the asterisk (*) on dental health. Then they claim it’s great for digestion. OMG this food is not good for your rabbit in any stretch of the imagination.
- Gourmet – Nothing but a marketing move. “Gourmet” simply means bad stuff is in this food for your rabbit.
- Fruits and Vegetables – Rabbits only need a tiny bit of fruit as a treat and they do not need compressed, dried vegetable matter in their pellets.
- *Dental Health – The asterisk on dental health means “by chewing action.”
How many pellets to feed your rabbit?
Most veterinarians recommend about 1/8 to 1/4 cup of pellets per 5 pounds of body-weight. You can read more about how many pellets to feed your rabbit here.
Hay is critical
It is important to keep in mind that hay is the most important part of your rabbits diet even if you are feeding a Timothy based pellet. There are a number of different options for hay including the following.
About the Author
My name is Vanessa and I love my buns. My current house rabbit is Mr. Bunny, he is a black and white Dutch that just turned 9 years old.
I believe that rabbits are a magnificent animal that make great pets for SOME people. My mission is to share what I have learned about rabbits over the past 20 years to improve the relationship between our pets and us. Please contact me or comment if you have any questions or comments.