Junior or adult pellets for rabbits: which to feed and when to switch
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
Junior or adult pellets? The rule is simple: a junior formula (richer in protein and calcium, usually alfalfa-based) until the rabbit is 6 to 8 months old, then a gradual switch to an adult formula based on meadow hay or timothy, lower in calcium and energy. Keeping an adult on junior food promotes excess weight and urinary sludge; switching to adult food too early can stunt growth.
Contents · 5 sections
What are the real differences between junior and adult?
- Protein: 15 to 18% in junior versus 12 to 14% in adult;
- Calcium: higher in junior (bone growth), to be limited afterwards (around 0.6 to 0.9%);
- Plant base: alfalfa in junior, grass hay in adult;
- Fibre: aim for 20% crude fibre or more in both cases;
- Energy: a neutered, not very active adult needs a lean formula.
Budget-wise: 4 to 8 € per kilo for quality extruded pellets, with a 1.5 kg bag lasting one to two months for a rationed adult rabbit.
What quantities at what age?
Up to 4 months: junior pellets more or less unlimited, with unlimited hay. From 4 to 8 months: gradual rationing. Adult: 2 to 3% of body weight, roughly one to two tablespoons per kilo per day — hay stays at 80% of the ration, as our guide to choosing hay makes clear. An older rabbit (7 years and up) that is losing weight may need its ration reassessed by an exotics vet.
How do you manage the junior-to-adult transition?
Spread the change over two to three weeks: replace a quarter of the ration with the new formula every 4 to 5 days, watching droppings and appetite. Take the opportunity to check the composition: uniform extruded pellets rather than seed mixes, with no cereals at the top of the list and no added sugars. Daily greens complete the picture — see our list of safe vegetables.
What about senior, light or neutered formulas?
They are not essential: a quality adult formula, properly rationed, covers most needs. Enriched senior formulas make sense for an ageing rabbit losing weight, on veterinary advice. For an overweight rabbit, reduce the pellet dose before changing ranges. All our comparisons are in the rabbit food section and on the rabbit hub.
Frequently asked questions
At exactly what age should a rabbit move to adult pellets?
Between 6 and 8 months for a dwarf rabbit, more like 8 to 12 months for a large breed with a longer growth period.
Can pellets be dropped entirely?
In a healthy adult getting excellent hay and varied greens, a pellet-free ration is possible, but it must be built with an exotics vet.
Can a colourful seed mix replace pellets?
No: the rabbit picks through it and eats only the fatty, sugary bits. A uniform extruded pellet makes that selective sorting impossible.
In our shop, for this use: Wooden hay rack with tray for rabbit, guinea pig and chinchilla (€21.90) · the whole shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Rabbits universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.
