Diets

[Matsuro]

....and came upon this site, rabbit.org. I have a few questions for fruit they give this list:


[font="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"]Fruits:[/font]

[font="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"]Apple
Blueberries
Melon
Orange (remove the peel)
Papaya
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Plums
Raspberries
Strawberries

Absolutely NO chocolate (poisonous!), cookies, crackers, breakfastcereals, bread, pasta, yogurt drops, or other "human treats." There isresearch to suggest these items may contribute to fatal cases ofenterotoxemia, a toxic overgrowth of "bad" bacteria in the intestinaltract.[/font]




[font="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"]My question is what OTHERfruits are okay? What about watermelon? Mango? Etc. They don't havecraisins(sp) on the list, but I have heard plenty of people give themto their rabbits. What about Kiwi?[/font]


[font="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"]For Veggies they give this list:[/font]
[font="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"]Vegetables:[/font][font="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"]Alfalfa, radish &clover sprouts
Basil
Beet greens (tops)*
Bok choy
Broccoli (mostly leaves/stems)*
Brussels sprouts
Carrot & carrot tops*
Celery
Cilantro
Clover
Collard greens*
Dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides)*
Endive*
Escarole
Green peppers
Kale *
Mint
Mustard greens*
Parsley*
Pea pods (the flat edible kind)*
Peppermint leaves
Raddichio
Radish tops
Raspberry leaves
Red Leaf lettuce
Romaine lettuce (no iceberg or light colored leaf)*
Spinach *
Watercress*
Wheat grass


Anything I should add to these lists?
[/font]​

 

[Crystalballl]

You can add Banana. My bunslove their banana.I just buy the naturally driedbanana chips. No sugar or additives. But like allfruit and treats. It's a treat. Not too many!

Edit: And yes, Craisins are okay too. I buy my buns dried cranberries. They go nuts for those too.

Crystal

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

This is from HRS, which it where it looks like you got your list, good job!:great:

But they also say this...

Sugary fruits such as bananas and grapes should be used onlysparingly, as occasional treats. Bunnies have a sweet tooth and if leftto their own devices will devour sugary foods to the exclusion ofhealthful ones.

 

[katt]

Matsuro wrote:

[font=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]My question is what OTHERfruits are okay? What about watermelon? Mango? Etc. They don't havecraisins(sp) on the list, but I have heard plenty of people give themto their rabbits. What about Kiwi?[/font]

some fruit is, some isn't. . .

watermelon is okay if giving a bite or 2. . .thewater content in watermelon is really high, and might give your bun theruns. . .

mango is okay. . . my buns love the stuff!

i have no clue about kiwi. . .

craisins are a treat. . . 1, maybe 2 a day for afull grown, adult rabbit is the most i would feed. . . my rabbits get 1a day personally, they should get less then that. . . but herman livesfor craisins and is rather addicted to them. . . if he doesn't get his1 craisin a day, he will search high and low for the bag and won't stoptill he gets his fuzzy little paws on them. . .

 

[Matsuro]

Yes its HSR, San Diego Chapter!!

It took a while to find a good list.

Although I have never seen Kale and such in my area. So I may have togrow some. I found a site that sell seeds of different fruit, veggies,etc.

They have a hyrbid fruit called "Three Flavor Mix"

"Exclusive – color-coded seeds enable gardeners to growluscious, perfumed hybrid Galia, Cantaloupe and Honeydew melons, allfrom one convenient packet."

The website site: reneesgarden.com, and go under seeds.

I like the list, I would think growing some of the things is better because you know its organic!

so far on my list is kale for seeds to buy and grow. And watercress.

Which I think I would like to grow myself.

Our planted plants tend to grow huge, I may take a picture since I don't know the species of them.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Mango is ok, not the peel, yuck. Everything in moderation...

 

[Matsuro]

Thanks, I will add that to my list.

What other citrus fruit is okay? Since Oranges are okay, isn't tangerine (sp)? Grapfruit?

 

[Hazel-Mom]

Someone on another list I'm on gives her bunsall sorts of citrus: orange, tangerine, mandarine, grapefruit,cumpuats... all without peel, though.
Mine loves cherry, but we make sure she doesn't get the stones (they can be poisonous).
They also love blackberries. We get the dried ones a lot.
Lots of people give pumpkin, both canned and raw, haven't tried mine on that yet.
Some lists also include tomatoe. Mine eats cherry tomatoes once in a while.
I've also seen pictures of buns eating cucumber, though mine turn their noses up to them.
Unsweetened cranberries are good too.

You can also add dill and sweet anis to the vegetable list, andarrugula, rocket, mesclun, and other lettuces in the "spring mix" soldin stores, celery leaves, shephard's purse and chickweed (local weeds).
On this site:
http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/diet/plants.html
are lots of suggetions for herbs and veggies to grow for your rabbit.They include borage, lovage, oregano, catnip and catmint, parsnip,several kinds of mints.

 

[Matsuro]

Thanks!

 

[katt]

be carefull with acidic fruits and veggies (like citrus and tomatoes)

it can cause soars on a rabbits lips or in its mouth. . . i wouldn't feed to much of it at once. . .

 

[Matsuro]

I will be careful when feeding them to the buns.

 

[ani-lover]

BunnySafeFruitsandVegetables

A E
AlfalfasproutsEndive
Apple (remove seeds)Escarole
ArugulaF
AsparagusFennel
Artichoke(jers)
BG
BananaGrapes
BasilGreen Pepper
Beettops H
Blackberry (leaves, stems, fruits) Honeydew Melon
Blueberry I
BokChoy
Broccoli J
Brussels Sprouts
CK
CantaloupeKale
CarawayL
CabbageLemon Balm
CarrotsLilac
CauliflowerM
Celery Marigold
Chamomile Marjoram
ChardMint
ChivesMustard Greens
CilantroN
Clover Nasturtium
CollardGreensO
CucumberOrange
D
Dandelion
Dill



PW
Papaya (removeseeds)Watercress
ParsleyWatermelon
PeachWheat Grass
Pea Pods(flat)X
Pear
PineappleY
PlantainYarrow
PlumZ
Q Zucchini

R
Raddichio
Radish sprouts
Raspberry (leaves, stems, fruits)
Red Leaf Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce
Roses
Rosemary
S
Sage
Savory
Snow Peas
Spinach
Strawberry
T
Tomato Fruit
Thyme
U

V
Violets










:?sorry some of them got messed up! i made my own list and i tried to copy it

 

[Gussy]

You list Yogurt drops asa NO. But the stores sell a lot of packaged Yogurt treats for bunnies.

 

[Matsuro]

I know Gussy, its not my list but HRS's San Diego Chapter, and they say NO Yogurt drops and lists why.

I was also confused, but since they would know, I will keep that off my list.

ETA: anyone know why they say no to the yogurt drops (and i guessyogurt in general?), bread and pasta, etc? I would think the plaincheerios would be okay? Or plain oat cereals with no sugar (or at least1 gram of suagr or two).

 

[Hazel-Mom]

They are bad because a rabbit's digestive system is not designed to process such foods high in starches and sugars.
A good explanation can be found here:http://www.wisconsinhrs.org/Articles/Rabbit%20Treat%20Foods.htm

and in this article:http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=686&S=1&SourceID=43

which states about treats:
"Stay away from starchy and high sugar content foods such as bananas,peas, corn, beans, grapes, white and sweet potatoes. Cereal grains andcereal products can cause digestive upsets due to their high starchcontent, are high in calories and in general should not be used for thehouse rabbit. These foods include: bread, cookies, crackers, rolledoats, breakfast cereals and other grain products. Although many peoplefeed these treat foods because their rabbits love them (like candy!) ifthey are fed in too large an amount, they can create obesity andchronic soft stools. Don't introduce these 'candy' items to the dietand your pet will only know good nutrition and never know about the'junk food' he or she is missing!"

There are several more articles on this, a good place to find them is:
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabcare.html#diet

Edit: I just found another great article:
http://www.leithpetwerks.com/Bunfun/nonpellet.html
It has a great explanation on why it's important to change diet gradually, too.

 

[Matsuro]

Thanks Hazel-mom, I will look into them.

 

[naturestee]

Yeah, unfortunately pet stores sell a lot ofunhealthy stuff for rabbits. The only treats I buy at petstores are hay cubes, although the new hay and herb mixes in Petsmartlook nice. All those fatty, sugary, seed-filled treats areterribly unhealthy, especially with the large sizes (like those seedsticks) or when they say you can feed several a day.

My rabbits love canned pumpkin, all except Oberon. It's alsogood for preventing GI stasis when they are shedding really heavily orfor syringe feeding to ill rabbits. I always keep at leastone can around in case of emergencies.

 

[Gussy]

So what about the claim with lactobasili stuff that's in the yogurt? Should I bother buying acidophilus drops instead?

 

[undergunfire]

I bought Yogies (yogurt drops) for my rats whenI had them, then I had a left over container of them that I thoughcould be a once a week treat for the buns (before I read more).

They won't even eat them. Mallory took it into his mouth, dropped it, and looked at me like I was poisoning him, lol.



- Amy:brownbunny

 

[naturestee]

Actually, those bacteria don't naturally live inrabbit intestines and have not been proven to actually help rabbits atall, although they can be given just in case they do help. Noneed to worry with a healthy rabbit though. Hay goes a longway to regulating rabbit digestion. Rabbit intestines are afair bit different from human intestines because of the type of foodthey're designed to eat.

If you look at any of the treat packages at pet stores, they'll claimhealth benefits. Usually at least the claim that it will makeyour rabbit's life interesting. A willow stick lasts longerand does more. I've seen "dental chews" for rabbits butthey're just mineral chews (worthless for teeth, not necessarily goodfor health either) and one was essentially a bit of hay wrapped in drydough. Worthless.

For healthy treats, try a bit of fruit or a smidge of rolledoats. My rabbits go crazy for oats, raisins, craisins, andsome types of fruit like blueberries or grapes.