What do your bunnies daily veggies look like?
- Thread starter Gelly
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I like to feed a variety so I have introduced many different veggies to them. They get red leaf, green leaf, romaine, cilantro, parsley, kale, collard greens, spinach, bell pepper, bok choy, spring mix, broccoli, celery, carrots, and many other veggies I'm forgetting about. The ones in italics are the ones I typically feed. My male has issues with veggies high in calcium so I usually don't buy those because I don't think it's fair to feed them to his friend and not him especially because he really likes them.
SableSteel
Well-Known Member
I feed no veggies. I'd rather rely on a nutritionist whose entire job it is to formulate a complete diet of pellets than try to eyeball it myself in vegetables. My rabbits don't tend to like greens very much anyways, when I in the past have given some spinach, parsley, and cilantro.
Because, unfortunately, companies don’t always follow what’s best for a rabbit or consumer rather what’s best for their pockets. Im in school food science so I know the field. Even pet food companies try to cut corners. It’s a shame. But please keep doing whatever you’re doing if it’s working for you! I’m just so skeptical but your bunnies are probably very well-cared for and there’s no one right way to do things.
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A variety of greens like described by Alyssa is something one needs to work up to. So when you are "experimenting" it's a good idea to keep that in mind. It's best to introduce just one new type of green at a time. Start out with a little and, if tolerated by bunny, offer a little more of that same green each day for several days. Only after several days will you know for sure whether or not bunny tolerates that particular green. (some greens may also take several introductions before a bunny decides to actually taste it)
Once your bunny is used to a number of different greens, then you can mix and match as desired. (Do consider carrots like fruit-- just a treat.)
I tend to not offer a variety all at once though it is perfectly fine to do so. Instead, I commonly offer one type -- say red leaf lettuce -- for several days in a row (until the head of lettuce runs out). Then I choose something else for the next few days. I find I waste less by doing it this way.
Once your bunny is used to a number of different greens, then you can mix and match as desired. (Do consider carrots like fruit-- just a treat.)
I tend to not offer a variety all at once though it is perfectly fine to do so. Instead, I commonly offer one type -- say red leaf lettuce -- for several days in a row (until the head of lettuce runs out). Then I choose something else for the next few days. I find I waste less by doing it this way.
Since you're in the field, have you ever heard of Sherwood's pellets? It wasn't too long ago that their fresh pellets were mailed to customers in a clear plastic box placed within a cardboard box. It is only recently that they've gotten commercial packaging.
Their website is filled with info on their products that you may find interesting -- I think Sherwood is a molecular biologist or something similar.
http://sherwoodpethealth.com/the-science/
Dortmund likes romain lettuce, basil, cabbage, carrots, green and red peppers
He loves and is obsessed with bananas, mandarine oranges, and cilantro
He hates pumpkin, sunflower sprouts, raspberries, and parsley
He is ambivalent about turnip greens
I feed him a mixture of second cutting timothy and orchard grass. I also give him a quarter cup of pellets (small pet select) every day. And I give him the occasional dried blueberry as a treat.
He loves and is obsessed with bananas, mandarine oranges, and cilantro
He hates pumpkin, sunflower sprouts, raspberries, and parsley
He is ambivalent about turnip greens
I feed him a mixture of second cutting timothy and orchard grass. I also give him a quarter cup of pellets (small pet select) every day. And I give him the occasional dried blueberry as a treat.
I've always read that carrots should be treated like fruits because of their sugar content. I just now decided to check a little more into that (yeah, should've done this a long time ago).
Assuming 100 grams for each of the following, carrots have almost 5 grams of sugar which is about the same as strawberries. That surprised me on the strawberries.
Blueberries, oranges, and apples have about double that amount of sugar -- 9 to 10 grams. (mandarin oranges have more than regular oranges).
Raisins have a whopping 59 grams of sugar.
Romaine lettuce has 1.2 grams.
Assuming 100 grams for each of the following, carrots have almost 5 grams of sugar which is about the same as strawberries. That surprised me on the strawberries.
Blueberries, oranges, and apples have about double that amount of sugar -- 9 to 10 grams. (mandarin oranges have more than regular oranges).
Raisins have a whopping 59 grams of sugar.
Romaine lettuce has 1.2 grams.
Ooh! Up my alley. Will have a look! I’m still in my schooling portion of my career. I’d either like to focus on baby food or pet food which are both heavily regulated in the states. There’s a lot of money in it but more importantly a lot of room for growth and improvement.
Edit: just checked it out and super fascinating. I love when brands have enough faith in their consumers to understand the science behind the product and share it with us. A good brand will have transparency.
I’ve been following some of your posts! How’s Dortmund’s moose? Have to say I got a really good laugh over that. Rémy has a plush cow. Same situation. Lovely creatures non-neutered boy bunnies are. He has an appointment this Thursday. Will be sad to see cow and Rémy drift apart.
I panic when my nephews come over because as much as they love the bunny and the bunny loves them, I’m afraid if I turn my head one of them is going to slip him a twizzler or something. Their tummies are so dedicate!
Allen Wrider
Well-Known Member
In Quinn's case, she will eat red leaf and romaine lettuce, radish tops, carrot tops, and hibiscus leaves. She also loves to graze on dandylions/greens in her outdoor pen during the day. I don't go out of my way to throw too much else at her, because she's happy and healthy with a mix of those, but you can also consider parsley, cabbage, basil, cilantro.... Just make sure that when you try new veggies, everything is done in moderation so as not to overwhelm your bun's belly. You want to be able to try a little bit and wait for adverse reactions before going to add more.
For treats, you can do rose hips (rosebuds), hibiscus flowers, dried cranberries (different from craisins, NON SALTED), banana, carrots... I'm sure there are more but as Quinn tends to stick her head into whatever I'm eating, I'm only listing things I know are safe in small doses.
My bunnies eat only Timothy hay, though I'll occasionally get them a mix of Timothy and orchard grass if I remember to order it before I go to the feed store in my area. They used to love the grass, but as time passed, they prefer just the choice bits in the Timothy hay.
For treats, you can do rose hips (rosebuds), hibiscus flowers, dried cranberries (different from craisins, NON SALTED), banana, carrots... I'm sure there are more but as Quinn tends to stick her head into whatever I'm eating, I'm only listing things I know are safe in small doses.
My bunnies eat only Timothy hay, though I'll occasionally get them a mix of Timothy and orchard grass if I remember to order it before I go to the feed store in my area. They used to love the grass, but as time passed, they prefer just the choice bits in the Timothy hay.
TreasuredFriend
Well-Known Member
Our sanctuary crew, rescues, fosters primarily get low-calcium (oxalate) greens.
Salad bowls for the previous 16 years consist of: romaine, cilantro, thin sweet pepper slice, thin slices of celery, thin carrot slice, and occasional non-gassy green like carrot tops. 3-4 x a week I add a small pc. of fruit in the bottom of their salad bowl. Sure enough, they sniff out the sugary treat item first.
Some of the kids immediately went "off" with cucumber bit, broccoli tidbit, 1/4 brussels sprout, cauliflower, kale, spinach. I pay attention to who tolerates a partiular veggie well, and who does not.
I stay away from the cruciferious veggies.
We offered green leaf when the romaine was removed due to e.coli outbreak. Certain kids here are less fond of red and green leaf.
Certain buns will take their teeth and remove the romaine, cilantro, alternate green-variety item, and enthusiastically flip it on the carpet! -- They sort out their salad! Personalities!! --
Max amount of greens/veggies in their nightly salad bowl is about 1 & 1/4 cup.
a.m. serving; Oxbow joint support tab, 1 pc. of rinsed romaine and/or cilantro strand. p.m. serving; Approx. 1 T. of Oxbow Adult Essentials or KMS dry food pellets.
Salad bowls for the previous 16 years consist of: romaine, cilantro, thin sweet pepper slice, thin slices of celery, thin carrot slice, and occasional non-gassy green like carrot tops. 3-4 x a week I add a small pc. of fruit in the bottom of their salad bowl. Sure enough, they sniff out the sugary treat item first.
Some of the kids immediately went "off" with cucumber bit, broccoli tidbit, 1/4 brussels sprout, cauliflower, kale, spinach. I pay attention to who tolerates a partiular veggie well, and who does not.
I stay away from the cruciferious veggies.
We offered green leaf when the romaine was removed due to e.coli outbreak. Certain kids here are less fond of red and green leaf.
Certain buns will take their teeth and remove the romaine, cilantro, alternate green-variety item, and enthusiastically flip it on the carpet! -- They sort out their salad! Personalities!! --
Max amount of greens/veggies in their nightly salad bowl is about 1 & 1/4 cup.
a.m. serving; Oxbow joint support tab, 1 pc. of rinsed romaine and/or cilantro strand. p.m. serving; Approx. 1 T. of Oxbow Adult Essentials or KMS dry food pellets.
Well, since nobody else posted pictures...
Duckfarmer1
Well-Known Member
I think it is wonderful that you use a nutritionist..my son got his certification this summer..anyways..so you know, a rabbits main food should always be Timothy hay...then pellets can be added..buy the hay is essential for their proper digestion...I offer free feed..but always free hay so my bunnies can make the choice..but if they are sick..pellets are the first to go
SableSteel
Well-Known Member
I'm just sharing what my rabbits eat, not asking for advice. I've been feeding the same thing for over a decade and haven't had problems with it, and it seems to be working (great growth, no loss in weaning, no GI stasis, diarrhea or enteritis), so I have no plans on changing it. In my opinion, pellets should really be the basis of a rabbit's diet, because so much of that rabbit's diet depends on consistency and the pellets (at least, a good brand of pellets - not the type of pellets usually sold in pet stores) should consistently provide everything a rabbit needs nutritionally. My pellets are hay based as well; any pellets with wheat or grain or anything but hay as the main ingredient are usually trash. But I know that feeding mostly pellets is not a popular opinion here, because we seen to get information from different sources. There's more than one way to feed a rabbit, and this seems to be the way that works best for me. (and each rabbit has a best way to feed it as well; I have a couple that I supplement with oats, BOSS and/or hay depending on what works best for them. each rabbit is different, so there's no one-size-fits all method of feeding them)
Duckfarmer1
Well-Known Member
I absolutely agree that pet store stuff is poopy. I also make sure my pellets are stacked with being hay based because of digestion. I’ve never tried BOSS on my bunnies. Have it for my goats. Same with the oats. I will have to try that. Do you think it matters where you live or how low the rabbits spend on the ground? I’m asking because I’ve lost 12 to GI Stasis that. During the summer we’re living in rabbit tractors. The movable pens on the grass I watch Living Traditions Homsteading on it uTine and they teach rabbits raising. Etc. anyway. Those were my only sick rabbits. I’m in NW PA. That was the only difference. None of my rabbits are on the ground other than for little times now
Duckfarmer1
Well-Known Member
As for greens. I have 35 acres. So I bet you can guess what they get a lot of. Dandelions!! Boy do they love them. They smell me coming. Lol. It’s yucky today so I have a boatload of kale in the car
Duckfarmer1
Well-Known Member
Oh. I forgot to add. We also have a farm market at our driveway. Very tiny. Just for fun. But we give the rabbits green beans and squash tomatoes sugar snap peas. Beet tops Everything tops almost. Lol. Boy Just lots of stuff from the garden
Duckfarmer1
Well-Known Member
This is excellent advice. Introduce slowly
this is excellent advice. If you introduce slowly then you can watch for adverse reactions. Or positive ones! Enjoy it all!
