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hippity18

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i want to know what you all feed your babies ive been on so many websites that say yes you can feed your bunny this or no you cant feed your bunny that but then other people so anyway, then i hear for treats you can give them fruit but then another says fruit is toxic, so im just gunna ask the real bunny owners. so far i give my bunny butts tomato cilantro spinach cauliflower broccoli strawberry kiwi banana timothy hay bermuda hay rabbit pellets and alfalfa pellets. oh and of corse carrots!
 
Rabbit pellet diets are designed to be balanced diets, and are most effective when given in limited amounts once the bunny is mature (6 months) with unlimited hay. After about 6 months old, you'll probably want to use timothy-based pellets and hay (versus alfalfa-based, which is great for growing bunnies and breeders, but too high in calcium and protein for pets).

Sugary foods, including fruits and carrots, are best reserved as treats for rabbits, as they can cause loose stools. Usually that means limiting them to a couple times a week.

Dark greens are an EXCELLENT choice for rabbits (some even recommend giving 1-2 cups per 5 lbs of body weight daily). These would be things like kale, cilantro, parsley, romaine lettuce, dandelions (flower, leaf and everything), beet and carrot tops, and limited amounts of spinach.

Please be careful with the tomatoes, make sure you don't serve any of the green parts as they ARE toxic (tomatoes are part of the nightshade family).

Also be careful with the broccoli, cauliflower, which can cause gas (being in the cabbage family). Rabbits can't burp or pass gas, so any gas that develops in their system will likely stay there, causing them to bloat, which can be deadly if not treated by a vet quickly. The same goes for beans. Some rabbits are able to handle these in small quantities, others it will kill. Since you've been giving it to your rabbits, they're probably able to handle it. Just keep an eye on their behavior and eating habits. If they quit eating or start getting loose stools, cut back or remove these from their diets.

The reason there are so many variances in the lists is that different people have had different experiences, and so might put some "sometimes okay" foods on the "do not feed" list, or if their own rabbits liked it without problems put it on the "safe" list. I personally won't feed my rabbits tomatoes or any type of cabbage, but plenty of people get away with it. I go by the rule that if you're not sure the rabbits can handle it, don't feed it to them.
 
thank you so much for all the information. my rabbits are pretty hardy so they have been handling alot of foods i wasnt sure about like spinach and cauliflower i will reduce the fruit to a couple times a week. and whats this i hear about potatoes? they cant eat them raw but they can eat plain baked french fries? if im wrong please correct me.
 
I think that's right. Potatoes are another one of those plants I don't feed my rabbits. I think it might have something to do with the heavy starch, but I could be way off base on that one. Either way, I think I remember reading something somewhere about cooking potatoes (as long as it's not in oil, and unsalted if you're feeding them pellets) made them safer for rabbits to eat (but on a general premise, I prefer to give my rabbits raw greens, so potatoes are still out IMO).
 
Yes, definitely forgo any gas-causing vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower. I also agree that fruits should be cut down to just a few times per week as a treat only, as that much sugar is not good for them.

Bunnies love salad mixes of dark leafy greens and carrots. It sounds like you are spoiling him rotten, what a lucky bun!
 
yea my girls love their salad for sure! speaking of salad whats the best leafy greens i could give them to help their digestive system? i heard lettuces itself is poisonous but some people give their buns dark leaf lettuces?
 
I know that broccoli and some other vegetables can cause gas, but rabbits can fart and pass some gas that way... So it's not super dangerous, right?
 
Bunnycat wrote:
I know that broccoli and some other vegetables can cause gas, but rabbits can fart and pass some gas that way... So it's not super dangerous, right?

No, bunnies can not pass gas or burp. I believe that it cn cause bloat which any gas that the bunny has it stay's there and needs a vet right away if a bunny were to get bloat.


 
Oh my, I never knew that brocolli and cauliflower causes gas. I have been feeding my bun these for the past 4 days, as I just introduced it to her. If she has been okay these past few days, do you think I have anything to worry about??

I am going to stop feeding to her immediatly... :(
 
i never knew broccoli caused gas and rabbits couldnt fart either i knew that they couldnt vomit. i thought everything in the world farts? hmm guess i was wrong but why do you say iceburg lettuce is useless?? oh and thanks for the tips guys!
 
Iceberg lettuce is just about all water, such that it actually takes more calories to digest than it provides. There's also not much as far as vitamins go, making it worthless. Rabbits do like it, but it's best only to give it to a rabbit that seems to not want to drink or needs to be rehydrated quickly. Celery is the same way, although not quite as bad since it has more fiber.
 

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