Does anyone else have a bunny that can't digest veggies?

[Suzi]

I have 3 buns, a bonded pair I have had for 18 months and they eat a nice mix of grass, hay and a variety of veggies and herbs and a small amount of nuggets daily and are fit and healthy and love everything.

I have taken on a 'new to me' bun who is 3. I have had him a couple of months now and long story short he came to me needing a substantial dose of TLC, clearly having been passed around a number of breeders and not really having any consistency in his diet. I have had numerous issues to sort out but the main problem has been his constant 'poopy butt'. I have spent the last 2 months getting him off his muesli mix food onto a good pellet, feeding him decent hay, getting him used to being out in a run grazing on fresh grass each day and he seems to have turned a corner. I don't know whether the Oxbow Digestive Support hay cakes have helped too or getting his teeth filed (although the vet I saw initially didn't think his tiny spurs would have made a difference but I had them done anyway) but he is now ok most days, eating his now properly formed cecals and I am not having to clean him at all.

The thing I am working on now is introducing him to some veggies, small amounts obviously, but absolutely tiny amounts of anything upsets him. His previous owner told me all she gave him was dry food and the odd chunk of apple, he hadn't even been out in the run at her house so no grass either. She couldn't tell me about his diet before her. All his other issues were indicative of him being kept in poor conditions for some time (lice, sore hocks, stupidly long claws, etc) so I can only assume what his diet consisted of!

Anyway, I'm sorry for the long post but I would love him to be able to enjoy a small amount of veggies each day like my others do. Does anyone have any suggestions of good veggies to try, things to def avoid? Or does anyone else have a bun that is the same and should I just accept he probably will always be the same?

Thanks in advance for any replies, he is a mini lop or a holland lop if you are in the USA.

 

[Azerane]

Not all bunns will be ok on greens, and it may be something that just has to happen. Firstly, what veggies have you been trying to introduce him to, you haven't actually said? I have heard that herbs are generally some of the easiest things to introduce, cilantro is supposed to be easy on their tummies. I would also try basil and parsley. As for actual veggies, dark leaf lettuce varieties are probably the best place to start.

 

[Suzi]

I have tried him with spinach, dark lettuce and rocket, kale, mint, coriander (cilantro), parsley, broccoli and cabbage. All in very small quantities.

The cabbage seems to have had the worst reaction from his tummy so def no more of that!

His tummy hasn't reacted as badly to the others but he's still not right after even with me giving small amounts, and if I give something every day he seems to react worse. If I stick to a little something every other day it's not as bad.

 

[Azerane]

Yeah, I've never been a supporter for feeding cabbage to bunns. It's shame that he can't handle it. You may just have to work a lot slower with him, keeping it at every other day for a longer time, or making the amounts smaller and only one new thing at a time. Otherwise, he just may not be able to have them at all. Which doesn't really affect his health if he's getting good quality pellets, but sad to know he can't enjoy them.

 

[Suzi]

Thanks for the replies. I have been giving one thing at a time, I have to say cabbage is something I never used to buy for my others as a lot of people say it's not great for buns, will just drop that one.

I will persevere with the every other day, better than nothing, and he seems to be ok with dried things like dried dandelions and dried celery so I can give him variety somehow.

Bless him, just feel guilty when he looks at me turn up with a plate of veggies and herbs for my others. It's been part of the enjoyment for me too, seeing them go mad for my 'offerings'.