Switching rabbit pellets: high-fiber upgrade guide

Switching pellets on a 6-year-old Beveren is a great move — store-brand pellets tend to be lower in fibre and higher in fillers, which matters more as rabbits get older and their digestive systems become a bit less forgiving. Beverens are a large breed too, so gut health is genuinely important for them. Before I point you to a specific product, a couple of quick questions: is your rabbit currently on any pellets at all, or has there been a gap? And are you seeing any issues that prompted the switch — loose droppings, weight changes, anything like that?

That's a really solid reason to switch — you don't need a problem to justify doing better. For a healthy 6-year-old indoor Beveren, I'd go with Science Selective Naturals Grain Free Adult Rabbit Food. It's around 35% fibre, uses Timothy hay and botanicals as the base rather than cereals, and critically it's pellet-shaped so you avoid the issue of rabbits picking out the bits they like from a muesli mix. It's widely recommended by rabbit-savvy vets and rescue organisations. The main thing at her age is to transition slowly — mix about 25% new food with 75% old for the first week, then gradually shift the ratio over three to four weeks. Her gut bacteria need time to adjust even when she's healthy.

You're probably right — most people do. For a large breed Beveren, a good guide is around one tablespoon of pellets per kilogram of body weight per day, but pellets should genuinely be a supplement, not the main event. Hay needs to be 80% of her diet and available at all times — unlimited Timothy hay is the goal. Fresh leafy greens like romaine, herbs, and dark leafy veg make up most of the rest. The Science Selective bag has feeding guides on the back, but err on the lower end for an older rabbit, and watch her weight over the first month. If she's eating her hay well and her droppings are consistent and well-formed, you're in the right place.

Good plan. She's lucky to have someone paying attention at 6 — it's exactly the age where good nutrition starts to make a real difference to how rabbits age. If you notice any change in droppings or she goes off her food during the transition, just slow the changeover down rather than stopping it altogether. Most rabbits adjust well, especially when they're otherwise healthy like her.