The 3 Day Hay Rule
In several articles on this site, I mention the "3 Day Hay Rule." This section is dedicated to explaining just exactly what that is, so that you don't have to read it 100 times :)
The 3 day hay rule is the process I follow for any rabbits I accept in that don't come with transition food, or where their normal food is unknown. I feed all the hay they can eat for 3 days. Sometimes, I'll add some oats in too, but nothing else - just hay and oats. The reason for this is simple: hay is the most natural and gentle food you can easily find and feed a rabbit. They are already undergoing a great deal of stress: New people, new housing, new sounds, new smells.
While, to you, everything may be better than what they're use to, for the rabbit, it's stressful. It's new, totally unfamiliar, and scary. When you add a sudden change in diet to the stress they are already under, it becomes a recipe for disaster. So, 3 days of hay, followed by the slow introduction of pellets is the protocol I follow. It should take about a week to get them fully on their new food. If at any time you see abnormal feces, back off a little on the pellets for a couple of days, until things look normal again. Once the rabbit is up to it's full amount of pellets, you may begin slowly introducing veggies and treats if you wish. I have personally used this method with dozens of rabbits and have never had any gastrointestinal issues. Not one single case.
*Note: Watery or no feces are a medical emergency and veterinary care should be sought immediately in either event.
Never proceed to add in new foods, or increase any foods you've recently introduced, if the rabbit is producing abnormal feces.
The 3 day hay rule is the process I follow for any rabbits I accept in that don't come with transition food, or where their normal food is unknown. I feed all the hay they can eat for 3 days. Sometimes, I'll add some oats in too, but nothing else - just hay and oats. The reason for this is simple: hay is the most natural and gentle food you can easily find and feed a rabbit. They are already undergoing a great deal of stress: New people, new housing, new sounds, new smells.
While, to you, everything may be better than what they're use to, for the rabbit, it's stressful. It's new, totally unfamiliar, and scary. When you add a sudden change in diet to the stress they are already under, it becomes a recipe for disaster. So, 3 days of hay, followed by the slow introduction of pellets is the protocol I follow. It should take about a week to get them fully on their new food. If at any time you see abnormal feces, back off a little on the pellets for a couple of days, until things look normal again. Once the rabbit is up to it's full amount of pellets, you may begin slowly introducing veggies and treats if you wish. I have personally used this method with dozens of rabbits and have never had any gastrointestinal issues. Not one single case.
*Note: Watery or no feces are a medical emergency and veterinary care should be sought immediately in either event.
Never proceed to add in new foods, or increase any foods you've recently introduced, if the rabbit is producing abnormal feces.