Bunny vitamins?

[HeatherMarie]

I was ordering some bunny supplies from petguys.com and one of the things I got was Bunny Vitamins that you add to their water. My first thought was "oh! the babies will be drinking water soon, i'm sure it'll be good for them, and Widget just gave birth to seven little kids, I'm sure it'll be good for her too!" but now I'm second guessing myself. Is it safe? and is it necessary? Anything else you far-more-intellegent bunny owners would like to tell me about giving my babies Vitamins?

:X thanks
HM


8 in 1® UltraVite™ Vita-Sol™ Multi-Vitamin for Rabbits & Guinea Pigs 4 oz.

UltraVite Vita-Sol™ Multi-Vitamin is a water soluble multivitamin concentrate which supplies essential vitamins for the proper growth and maintenance of your guinea pig or rabbit. Just add to your pets water. Shipping weight: 1/3 lb.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Each Fluid Oz. Contains (Minimum Values Unless Otherwise Stated):
Vitamin A
75,000 I.U.
Vitamin D3
7,500 I.U.
Vitamin E
10.0 I.U.
Thiamine
18.0 mg.
Riboflavin
19.0 mg.
Vitamin B6
19.0 mg.
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
36.0 mg.
Niacinamide
120.0 mg.


Ingredients:
Water, Polysorbate 80, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Vitamin A Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin C), Sodium Benzoate (A Preservative), Riboflavin-5'-Phosphate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Source of Vitamin E), Cholecalciferol (Source of Vitamin D3).

 

[tundrakatiebean]

I saw some of these at a pet store the other day. I know salt and minereal licks are a general no-no, but I thought the vitamins might be a back-up to a good diet...

good question.

 

[HeatherMarie]

i didn't know the salt licks were a no-no either :? i got them a while back for The Sugar and he loved them so i just ordered the new babies some..... :?

 

[tundrakatiebean]

they aren't BAD they are just aren't needed with a good diet (or at least that's my understanding)

 

[HeatherMarie]

whew.... :lipsrsealed: he didn't have it for the minerals exactly, he just loved to make it spin and nibble it....

 

[HeatherMarie]

Adding to my question::: I'm googling the whole vitamin thing, and i saw that it is recommended to give 2-3 papaya tablets? i've never heard of this....does anyone else know what this is about?

 

[tundrakatiebean]

Papaya has an enzyme that helps break down/split apart fur in digestion so that you don't end up with string bracelets of poo. Some people give papaya tablets - I use dried papaya.

 

[pamnock]

A healthy rabbit eating a balanced diet including a small amount of commercial pelletsdoes not require any additional mineral or vitamin supplements.

Papaya enzymes cannot digest or break down hair, nor can it break apart the mucous coating feces or trichobezoars. Bromelain is also not known to be effective. It takes very strong chemicals to quickly break the chemical bonds of hair, and we can't feed any of those chemicals to rabbits without killing them. :shock:

Nature's "scrub brush" is fiber - available in many forms to a rabbit through a balanced diet. An adequatesource of moisturein the diet is also essential, especially for rabbits on a dry concentrate diet.

There are a number of causes of peristalsis in rabbits including hereditary disorders that effect the nerves lining the intestinal wall, parasite infections, stress, viral infections,growths or defects in the intestines or mesenteryand disease. Excessive weightandhigh carbohydrates diets can also be factors.



Pam

 

[tundrakatiebean]

My mistake, Thanks Pam!

 

[naturestee]

I agree with Pamnock 100%.

 

[HeatherMarie]

Thank you guys! Even though it is not required, my question is it couldn't hurt right? Or could an excess of the vitamins be bad for my bunnies?

 

[undergunfire]

HeatherMarie wrote:

Thank you guys! Even though it is not required, my question is it couldn't hurt right? Or could an excess of the vitamins be bad for my bunnies?

I doubt it would harm your rabbits, but the extra vitamins are simply not needed. Your rabbits are getting all the vitamins and salt that they need from their pellets. I would suggest just throwing this bottle of vitamins away or sending it back to the place you ordered it from.

8 in 1 brands are extremely low quality, as well. Read the product name as well, it states "Multi-Vitamin for Rabbits & Guinea Pigs".....remember that rabbits and guinea pigs are not the same and have different health needs.

I highly suggest not using this product, but finding a suppliment instead, if you are really conserned about the amount of vitamins your bunnies are getting.

 

[ra7751]

Hi,

I think Pam gave great advice. As far the vitamins or anything else that is added to drinking water (including those weak and useless antibiotics sold at farm supplies)....that does two things. It makes a profit for the folks that market and sell it....and more important, it contaminates the water. There is enoughbad stuff in our water already so I don't like adding to it. I have used one particular vitamin with some older rabbits and it's a powder that you sprinkle on their food. Don't use it anymore because I never saw it have a real positive impact. Nothing beats a well rounded and appropriate rabbit diet for overall nutrition using high quality foods.

Randy

 

[HeatherMarie]

Thanks you guys, I will do just that (send it back). Thanks for the help!