Why I Started Niblee™: Purpose Before Profit
Having grown up in the alfalfa-rich farmlands of Scott Valley, I've always believed animal care should be personal, precise, and never compromised by industry shortcuts. Everywhere I looked, rabbit feeds were mass-produced, relying on bulk commodities, overprocessed ingredients, and warehousing methods that prioritized shelf life over true freshness. None of these formulas considered the real, nuanced needs of rabbits—a species that evolved to thrive on constant grazing, structured fiber, and a dizzying array of micro- and macronutrients.
Niblee™ was born out of necessity: I couldn't find a truly "farm to fork" rabbit feed, made in small batches with visual ingredient inspection, local sourcing, and a "no-filler, no-shortcuts" philosophy. The commercial feed market simply didn’t serve today's health-conscious pet owners—or our rabbits—with the integrity they deserve. So we cut hay, not corners.
The Foundation: High-Level Rabbit Nutrition Requirements
Rabbits have unique, delicate nutritional needs that cannot be met by just any generic pellet. Their digestive, dental, and metabolic health depend on a precise balance of:
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Long-stem fiber for dental wear and digestive motility, preferably from diverse, high-quality forages (like alfalfa, timothy, orchard grass, teff, and Bermuda hay).
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Moderate, species-appropriate protein (12–18% DM) for muscle, fur, enzyme production, and growth.
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Structured fiber (Crude Fiber 14–27%, NDF ~40–45%) to keep their gut moving, prevent stasis, and foster healthy cecotrophy.
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Clean fat sources (2–4% DM), favoring an optimal Omega-6:Omega-3 ratio (~3:1–6:1), to support skin and coat quality, metabolism, and immune function.
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Balanced micronutrients: Vitamins A (10,000–16,000 IU/kg), D3 (800–1,200 IU/kg), E (50–100 IU/kg), carefully titrated B-complex, and minerals (Ca 0.6–1.0%, Ca:P ratio 1.5:1–2:1) for bone, teeth, vision, reproduction, and immune health.
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Essential extras: Rabbits require fresh sources of key vitamins (notably A, D, and E), along with trace elements and probiotics to maintain gut health and resilience to stress.
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No unnecessary fillers or byproducts: Soy, corn, molasses, and cheap fibers disrupt gut health, introduce allergens, and offer little true nutrition.
These details are supported not only by veterinary consensus, but by decades of research into herbivore digestive physiology and optimized pellet formulation (see studies in the Journal of Animal Science, Veterinary World, and expert reviews by CABI Publishing and Pearson Education).
What Makes Niblee™ Different
Niblee™ was built one ingredient at a time, around the real needs of rabbits—not the needs of agribusiness.
1. Farm-to-Fork Integrity and Freshness
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Small batch production: Ingredients are hand-selected, visually inspected, and processed immediately. No warehousing, no deterioration.
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West Coast premium hay: Only Grade 1 sun-cured alfalfa and grasses from California, Oregon, and Washington—regions renowned for their low mold risk, ideal leaf-to-stem ratios, and nutrient density.
2. Multi-Hay Fiber Matrix
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Not just alfalfa or timothy: Each pellet blends sun-dried alfalfa, orchard, timothy, teff, and Bermuda, offering a spectrum of fibers for digestive function, dental health, and natural foraging enrichment.
3. Precision Nutrition, Not Guesswork
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Custom-dosed vitamins & minerals: Every microgram is hand-measured, never dumped from a generic pack.
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Optimal Omega-3:6 ratio: Stabilized flaxseed and rice bran power the formula, supporting anti-inflammatory pathways, coat condition, and immune balance.
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Functional fat sources: Designed not just for energy, but long-term wellness you can see in the coat, weight, and behavior.
4. Cutting-Edge Digestive & Immune Support
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Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Postbiotics: Live Lactobacillus strains, mannan- and fructooligosaccharides (MOS/FOS), and postbiotic yeast cultures build robust, resilient gut health.
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Superfoods: Spirulina (1% inclusion) delivers potent antioxidants, immune modulators, and bioavailable protein—supported by rabbit nutrition studies demonstrating real benefits for growth, immunity, and resilience.
5. Never Any Fillers, Soy, Corn, or Artificial Anything
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No by-products, no sweeteners: Niblee™ is naturally palatable from real food—aromatic hays, organic whole oats, field peas, and stabilized plant oils. No added sugars, no artificial flavors, and absolutely no soy, corn, or wheat middlings.
6. Evidence-Driven, Transparent Formulation
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Backed by science and decades of real-world results: Our formulas reflect not only published nutritional standards, but years of observation, collaboration with veterinarians, and direct feedback from rabbits and their owners.
Closing: Feed With Purpose
Niblee™ is more than a feed—it's a new standard for what rabbit nutrition should be. If you believe your rabbits deserve real, physiologically targeted nutrition, not commercial shortcuts, then Niblee™ was built for you. Our promise: Every ingredient serves a purpose, every batch is made with care, and nothing is left to chance. Feed with Niblee™, and feed with confidence—it’s nutrition as nature, science, and your rabbits intended.