Back to the rabbit food: I spent the day after i got the rabbit looking online for feeding alternatives. Angoras are rather big bunnies but if there are wild rabbits and they thrive, i can probably scrounge up something for Mopsy too. I do have a bag of organic pellets from Purina, called their "garden blend" and it has all sorts of dried things, sunflower seeds, and grasses along with the pellets, but still- not awesome.
While searching through the interwebs for rabbit info, i found several very comprehensive lists of things that can be found either at the grocery store, in your poorly weeded lawn (or mine), or farmers market. I've been using my food dehydrator to put a lot of it away for the winter, when everything will die off. It hasn't been too labor intensive yet, because a lot of this stuff is just around my yard, so about once a week i've been taking out a basket to collect the leaves and plants.
I found a great and fully comprehensive, alphabetical list of plants that are poisonous to rabbits, I found that hay is an important item to have available to your rabbit, especially Angoras because it helps keep them from getting hairballs. Rabbits can't puke it up, so blockages can be lethal. However, you don't want to feed a lot of Alfalfa hay, because it is classified as a legume, and is too high in calories. Orchard hay, brome, and timothy hay are great choices. (I give mopsy a handfull from the cow and goat hay every day and she really enjoys that.
SO that should be the main portion of their diet. The next largest part of their diet needs to be leafy greens. Pretty much if a horse can eat it, bunny-pants can. (That is: if you have a horse. If not, ill include a list.)
This webpage has a TON of info about amounts and types of feed, as well as how best to provide for your little bunny friend: Its called the House Rabbit Society and can pretty much tell you anything you ever wondered about rabbits: http://www.rabbit.org/care/veggies.html
This site has a long long list of plants that are poisonous to rabbits, many of them can be found around your home, so caution and knowledge are power. http://www.adoptarabbit.com/articles/toxic.html
So far, what i have collected are rose petals, grasses with seed heads, dandelion greens and plantain (not the banana-like fruit, but the grassy-weed thing you find in your yard. Google it. I recently read that pumpkin seeds are a natural wormer as well.
I've found that a lot of European people are big rabbit owners. A lot of the forums and sites I have found are based out of there.
Basically, what I am getting at with this post is that store generated rabbit food is not the best option for your pet- it will take a little extra effort but your rabbit will thank you. Since i have started providing plant based food, my rabbit will leave her pellets and wait until i bring her the "good stuff" so you will see the difference quite quickly. It really is the best choice. However, I am NOT saying it's the only choice- do what you feel is best, but a little research never hurt. This site has an article about testing rabbit feed at a ranch: http://www.raising-rabbits.com/rabbit-food.html
Here is that great page i found that lists veggies your rabbit can eat: http://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/safe-foods-for-rabbits
Also, here is the one about what plants are poisonous, and this was my favorite list i found, alphabetical order and what-not: http://www.3bunnies.org/poisonous_plants.htm
So i hope this is helpful, and here is a photo of Mopsy eating REAL food :)
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