Encouragement for eating greens?

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Margalitb

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I am trying to start introducing more fresh foods into the diet of my 4-month-old Netherlands Dwarf buck, but he "poo-poo's" everything. I've tried fresh, organic kale, sprouts, and mint so far -- nothing. He is curious about the kale, but doesn't exactly dive in, and refused to get anywhere close to the mint or sprouts. He is really excited about his fresh treats, like home-made banana chips and dried cranberries (I have a food-dehydrator), but of course he can't have those too often. Is there some way I can encourage him to eat fresh greens? I have just been giving him the whole leaf, like it would be found in the wild -- should I tear it up? Should I keep trying different types of greens/fresh foods, or will that be a waste of my money if he is "meh" about the ones I've tried so far!
What a picky boy.
 
I think you should just keep trying different things. Buy small amounts if you can or something you plan on eating yourself anyway. My dwarf mix rabbits didn't like parsley and it seems like everyone else says their rabbits love it. Dandelion greens are a favorite around here. They also like green or red leaf lettuce and Brussels sprouts.
 
I can't recommend cilantro/coriander enough. Never met a bunny who didn't like it, plus it's good for their gut! I second dandelion greens too, also carrot leaves. Keep trying, some buns are just fussy. One of mine loves basil but won't touch fennel, the other is just the opposite. And neither of them will touch sprouts. Also, don't forget to rinse the veggies thoroughly before you offer them, they have pesticides on them and the smell of it could be turning your bunny off.
 
I've learned from reading another rabbit forum that many breeders recommend waiting until young bunnies are 6 months old to start feeding them fresh foods in any quantity (or even at all, for some breeders). They may simply not be ready for greens yet.
 
I do think you have to try a variety. Mine love basil, dill, parsley, sage, cilantro, rosemary but not very keen on mint. They also like dandelion greens, carrot tops, endives, lambs lettuce, rocket and I do feed them cruciferous veggies; they love broccoli, cauliflower leaves and spring cabbage. I did start them on this very slowly as it can cause gas in some bunnies but mine have never had any problems at all.

Of course, they all love the treats, banana, craisins and raisins, I also only feed in very small amounts.
 
try carrots!! my bunnies love them!!! or try apples (CUT ALL THE SEEDS OUT FIRST. THEY ARE POISIONUS FOR BUNNIES) my bunnies love apples too
 
try carrots!! my bunnies love them!!! or try apples (CUT ALL THE SEEDS OUT FIRST. THEY ARE POISIONUS FOR BUNNIES) my bunnies love apples too

Sorry to have to point this out, but the thread is about greens. Sweet foods like carrots and apples should only be given in tiny amounts as a treat. The sugar is not good for their weight or their teeth, just like us humans!
 
Ditto here, carrots are very high in sugar so only a little bit as most fruit is.
 
My rabbit turned her nose up at certain greens at first. I initially thought she didn't like them. I think that she was never exposed to many of them in her previous life so she didn't know what to think of them. Some herbs it took a few different times of offering them before she ate them. Now her palate is very refined and she loves a smorgasbord of herbs and dark leafy greens. Since your bunny is very young you will have to make sure it's ok to give greens and introduce them slowly so as not to cause GI upset.
 
Thanks for all the replies! He is now absolutely attacking the kale, so I guess he was just unsure at first! I'll definitely give cilantro a try as well.
 
Mine freaks for cilantro. As an experiment, I put down a little piece of apple (which he also loves), let him start in on it, and then put down some cilantro. He totally abandoned the apple for the cilantro. He will eat it until he reeks of cilantro from both ends.

Other than that, his favorites are definitely chicory and romaine lettuce. But, he sometimes will flat out refuse to eat even a nibble of a type of green that he has eaten many times before. I don't know why, maybe it has gone bad or has too much pesticide residue and I just can't tell. Sometimes, before I put a ton of greens into my juicer, I will let him have a nibble, lol. Just to see if they're okay.

My rabbit has a very unorthodox diet. It took me awhile to find rabbit food (I live in China and pet stores are few and far between and usually only cater to dogs) when I rescued him as just a tiny little thing, so I fed him vegetables and fruit way too early. Now, they comprise the bulk of his calories. I eat a low fat high raw vegan diet, so mostly fruit and greens, and I just give him some of whatever I'm having that day. Sort of like people feed their pigs scraps. He is my fluffy little pig.
 
I'd be careful with how much kale your bunny eats- I'm pretty sure Kale is one of the veggies that they put on the list saying that its Ok in small amounts but too much causes gas.
 

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