greens at 7 weeks

[cerberrus]

Hi there i have been doing a tone of research but cant seem to find a solid answer. I just got my first bunny she is 7 weeks and weaned out from her mother. my big question is do i give her greens or not the mother was on greens well having them. i have fed her small amounts of kale the past 2 days and noticed nothing wrong with her poo or her. i am feeding a unlimited amount of timothy hay and pellets. i gave her treats the first day but was told not to give anymore. so my big thing is should i keep giving small kale a day or maybe once a week? or do i stay away from greens completely till 12 weeks.

 

[Blue eyes]

Do you know which greens she had access to when she was still with her momma? Those greens should be just fine to continue offering her. Since momma had greens, the kits would have gotten from her the needed enzymes to digest the greens. That is really the key.

If young rabbits did not have a momma that was fed greens, then that is a different story. Or if that info is unknown, then that is when one should wait til a minimum of 12 weeks of age to allow the baby's digestive system to mature a bit.

So if your little bun is doing fine with small amounts of greens, then it's perfectly fine to offer some each day. Just keep an eye on her poos. Hopefully they had access to some greens other than kale as kale is not ideal for daily offerings. Here is a general list to give an idea of what greens are safe for daily feeding and which are not. But for now, I wouldn't recommend adding new greens yet. Just stick with what you are aware she had available to her at her prior home.

 

[cerberrus]

young rabbits did not have a

Do you know which greens she had access to when she was still with her momma? Those greens should be just fine to continue offering her. Since momma had greens, the kits would have gotten from her the needed enzymes to digest the greens. That is really the key.

If young rabbits did not have a momma that was fed greens, then that is a different story. Or if that info is unknown, then that is when one should wait til a minimum of 12 weeks of age to allow the baby's digestive system to mature a bit.

So if your little bun is doing fine with small amounts of greens, then it's perfectly fine to offer some each day. Just keep an eye on her poos. Hopefully they had access to some greens other than kale as kale is not ideal for daily offerings. Here is a general list to give an idea of what greens are safe for daily feeding and which are not. But for now, I wouldn't recommend adding new greens yet. Just stick with what you are aware she had available to her at her prior home.

they also fed spinach,dandelions and lettuce.

 

[cerberrus]

Do you know which greens she had access to when she was still with her momma? Those greens should be just fine to continue offering her. Since momma had greens, the kits would have gotten from her the needed enzymes to digest the greens. That is really the key.

If young rabbits did not have a momma that was fed greens, then that is a different story. Or if that info is unknown, then that is when one should wait til a minimum of 12 weeks of age to allow the baby's digestive system to mature a bit.

So if your little bun is doing fine with small amounts of greens, then it's perfectly fine to offer some each day. Just keep an eye on her poos. Hopefully they had access to some greens other than kale as kale is not ideal for daily offerings. Here is a general list to give an idea of what greens are safe for daily feeding and which are not. But for now, I wouldn't recommend adding new greens yet. Just stick with what you are aware she had available to her at her prior home.

so for now if i need anything wrong with her poo i should stop feeding greens right away

 

[JBun]

You're looking for signs of it causing some mushy or watery cecotropes, or upset stomach that results in minor reduced appetite. If you notice any of these things, stop feeding the veg immediately and closely monitor bun making sure everything gets back to normal within that day.

If it's been more than a few days since the bun has been off of the greens that she's used to, probably best to start off with a small amount the first couple of days, then if all seems normal the amount can be gradually increased. If in doubt or concerned about bun being sensitive to greens in the diet at this stage, you're better holding off until bun is a bit older. Though usually a baby bun that has grown up eating veg with mom, won't have problems continuing to eat them.

More severe reactions to look out for are severe mushy or watery poop, where the fecal balls are also pudding like or watery, which is a much more serious digestive issue and is usually an emergency due to the risks of severe bacterial enteritis. If an upset stomach occurs and causes bun to stop eating, baby gas drops can sometimes help, but if bun isn't back to normal in a few hours, best to get to a rabbit vet. Or if you notice signs of bloat, get bun to an experienced rabbit vet immediately.

https://bunssb.org/bunnies/guide-bunny-poops/
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Gastrointestinal_stasis
https://wagwalking.com/rabbit/condition/distension-of-the-stomach-with-gas-and-fluid
It can be a bit complicated with a new bun and figuring out the right diet. Generally, always introduce new foods one at a time and slowly, with the exception of grass hays(almost always well tolerated). And the best way to spot if there's a problem is by closely monitoring a rabbits droppings and food intake, as well as weight and body condition. Any change in a rabbits poop or change of appetite, can signal there's some sort of health issue developing, or if a bun is feeling boney and losing weight.

Monitoring your rabbits weight

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Food/Food_main.htm
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Veterinary_emergencies
https://rabbit.org/veterinarians/

 

[cerberrus]

You're looking for signs of it causing some mushy or watery cecotropes, or upset stomach that results in minor reduced appetite. If you notice any of these things, stop feeding the veg immediately and closely monitor bun making sure everything gets back to normal within that day.

If it's been more than a few days since the bun has been off of the greens that she's used to, probably best to start off with a small amount the first couple of days, then if all seems normal the amount can be gradually increased. If in doubt or concerned about bun being sensitive to greens in the diet at this stage, you're better holding off until bun is a bit older. Though usually a baby bun that has grown up eating veg with mom, won't have problems continuing to eat them.

More severe reactions to look out for are severe mushy or watery poop, where the fecal balls are also pudding like or watery, which is a much more serious digestive issue and is usually an emergency due to the risks of severe bacterial enteritis. If an upset stomach occurs and causes bun to stop eating, baby gas drops can sometimes help, but if bun isn't back to normal in a few hours, best to get to a rabbit vet. Or if you notice signs of bloat, get bun to an experienced rabbit vet immediately.

https://bunssb.org/bunnies/guide-bunny-poops/
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Gastrointestinal_stasis
https://wagwalking.com/rabbit/condition/distension-of-the-stomach-with-gas-and-fluid
It can be a bit complicated with a new bun and figuring out the right diet. Generally, always introduce new foods one at a time and slowly, with the exception of grass hays(almost always well tolerated). And the best way to spot if there's a problem is by closely monitoring a rabbits droppings and food intake, as well as weight and body condition. Any change in a rabbits poop or change of appetite, can signal there's some sort of health issue developing, or if a bun is feeling boney and losing weight.

Monitoring your rabbits weight

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Food/Food_main.htm
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Veterinary_emergencies
https://rabbit.org/veterinarians/

okay i see thank you so much i will monitor her. if i do get nervous and feel like something might be off is it okay to just stop giving her greens till 12 weeks or will it be a problem now because she is already fed them?

 

[JBun]

It's up to you. Stopping greens won't usually cause any issues, provided bun is eating hay well and drinking well. It's introducing new veg that has to be done with more care, as it can affect the balance of microflora in the digestive tract.

Though if your bun is liking greens, she might not like having her 'treats' taken away. If the smaller poop issue seems to be improving, and if she's not showing signs of belly upset from any of the greens, I would probably be inclined to just keep feeding them. But if you're concerned the greens are causing any digestive issues, stopping greens is certainly called for.