More Treat Advice Needed

Shop deals on ebay
Advertise with us
shop deals on amazon
Love your rabbit
Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
BunnyMommy

BunnyMommy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2004
Messages
2,988
Reaction score
1
Location
, Georgia, USA
Hi, everyone. I've been slowlyweaning Sherman off of the treats and am now down to one every now andthen (his new favorites are raisins, craisins, and yogurtdrops). His doctor told us that he was getting too fat (hehad gained weight when he went to get his nails trimmed) and he didn'twant his digestive system to be affected (this was one of my concernstoo). I feel so sorry for him though that it hurts because hedoesn't understand why he's not getting as many now. Myparents were over yesterday and he's used to my mom giving him treatstoo, but I told her that for his health's sake he's limited on them nowand wouldn't let her give him any.

My heart was just breaking yesterday. He kept beggingand begging and periscoping looking for treats but none were coming.

I guess my question is this, are there any treats that Ican give him on a more frequent basis that won't present a healthchallenge for him? Or is there something that I can do as analternative to treats that will satisfy him?

My poor baby. This is really hurting me. Ifyou could only see that sweet face and those doleful eyes when he'sbegging ...
 
Flopsy,

Those are healthy for people, but not so much for rabbits. They are high in sugar content which is bad for the bunnies.

[align=center]~************************************~[/align]
BunnyMommy,

Have you tried just letting family members feed him pellets? My boysfigure anything out of my hand is better than something in a bowl. Theygo nuts over pellets from my hands even if they are the same ones intheir still full bowl.

Laura, Mocha, & Spice
 
MyBunnyBoys, actually that sounds like agood suggestion. Not only did I feel sorry for Sherman but Ifelt sorry for my mom too. She really wanted to give himtreats too. In fact, everybody who comes over herelooks forward to giving him a little something.
 
My bunny wont eat from my hand. :(Sheisnt too crazy on anything but timothy hay and pellets. She did eatsome brussel spouts. and turned her nose up at part of a strawberry igave her. silly rabbit won't even let me give her treats.

Cristy
 
Hi BunnyMommy,

MyBunnyBoys gives an excellent suggestion on substituting treats withpellets. I do that with Tucker and as long as he's chomping,he's happy. Just don't start to overdo it withpellets.

Fresh Timothy Hay also goes a long way in keeping them from being bored.

No one likes a diet. He'll get over it. Littlemonger that he is. Don't feel guilty. Just keeptelling yourself it's for his health and longevity.

-Carolyn
 
Thanks so much, Carolyn. :)

I do keep fresh Timothy hay in his hay rack and litter box allof the time, but when I tried to use it as a feed-from-hand treat too,he looked at me like, "Mommy, you've got to bekidding." lol!

I think that using the pellets (as you say, on a limited basis)is going to be a great idea. In this way, my family memberscan continue to bond with him too. Everybody wants to givehim a little something when they come over. He's justloving all of this attention.
 
Well, then you may have to cut back a bit on theportions you give him so that when people do come over and wish to givehim treats, he's not overeating.

The doctor's exactly right. His weight is going to be aproblem for him. Just keep telling yourself that once heloses some weight, he'll be able to have his treats again, or at leastlimit people to giving him one raisin as opposed to the box.:)

-Carolyn
 
Yes, Carolyn, thanks. Excellent advice.

One of the problems, I found, was that my family wasoverfeeding him his treats. When I give him raisins I givethem to him one at a time and try not to give him more than 10 in asingle day. I came to found out that when my back was turnedothers would pour a number of them into the palm of their hand and lethim eat them that way. Multiply this by multiple familymembers ... and well, you get the picture. :) Ofcourse, he (Sherman)wasn't going to let me know what wasgoing on. ;) lol!

When we took him to get his nails trimmed the first thing thatthe vet exclaimed was, "Good grief! What has this rabbit beeneating?!"
 
Sherman is such a little scammer!! LOL, I canjust see him giving those cute little bunny eyes and twitching his noseat everyone, saying "its ok, I can have more treats, mommy won'tknow" BOL.
 
Apollo goes crazy for danelions and clover. Ikeep a big bag of each in the fridge. So whenever we give him a treathe gets half a leaf or one flower at a time. That way he feels likeshe's the luckiest bunny in the world and I know it's good for him. Mydog begs I can say no. I can't say no to Apollo. I think rabbits haveto be the world's best beggars. Between the eyes, and the paws, littlenose sniffing, the ears, and the way they stand there-oh-I turn to mushand cannot say no.

Tina
 
The other thing you can use for a treat is oldfashioned Quaker Oats, or any store brand, but be sure it is oldfashioned and not quick oats. Oats will add body fleah, butnot fat, and is good for the digestive system. Mine get someevery night, pellets in the morning, measured by weight ofcourse. one ounce per pound of bun. You shouldweigh your bun and then see how much he should have to maintain theweight he is. If he needs to loose then cut down the amountof pellets. A good quality pellet, with 16% protein is finefor a pet bun and he sould be back to his slim self in notime. The oats won't make him fat and it is a treat as theylove them. Donna
 
I give my bunnies a bit of oatmeal as a treat tooand they go crazy for it. We try to stay away from store bought treatsand give them pellets, and oatmeal instead. Of course, my littlepiggies do get carrots & fruit, but if you know just whatyou're giving them you can be sure they're not overdoing it. Often the"rabbit treats" at the store just contain too much sugar and additives.

I know what you mean. It's so hard to say no to those cute little faces.
 
Cuddlesmom, yes. He loves dandelion greens and parsley.

Tina, where did you find clover?! Mygrandmother was telling me that she had a rabbit when she was youngerand that he loved clover. He used to eat it right out of theyard. I've been looking for it in the stores but haven't beenable to find it. I'm wondering if a nursery like Pike's wouldhave it. Even thinking about growing it. Mercy,what I won't do for this bunny! :?

Tina said:
I can't say no to Apollo. I think rabbits have to bethe world's best beggars. Between the eyes, and the paws, little nosesniffing, the ears, and the way they stand there-oh-I turn to mush andcannot say no.
Click to expand...
It's good to know that I'm not the only one thatfeels this way! Man, he's so hard to resist.:?

Donna and Sarah, thanks so much for these tips! :D
 
I have a ton of clover right here in the yard.It grows everywhere here. I was joking with my hubby that it should bethe state flower lol. We may be moving to Georgia next yearand Apollo without clover would be a very unhappy Apollo.

I found somewhere that sells seed. If you to

http://www.outsidepride.com/clover.asp

It's $12.99 for 2 lbs worth of seed.

Tina

 
Oh my Goodness !!!!! I'msupposed to limit Bugsy's food?:shock: I leave a big bowl in cage allthe time, he chomps when he wants to. He's notoverweight, he's about 2.5 lbs. which is aboutright for a dwarf , isn't it?-----Kim


 
Kim,

Up to 8 months old: unlimited feed because they're still growing.

After that, it's recommended:

2-4pounds of body weight: 1/8 cup ofpellets per day

5-7pounds of body weight: 1/4 cup ofpellets per day

8-10poundsof body weight: 1/2 cup of pellets per day

11-15pounds of body weight: 3/4 cup of pellets per day

or an ounce of pellets for every pound of body weight.

It's been statedthat if they finish the bowl before the endof the day, not to refill it before the nextday.Feeding unlimited amounts can lead to obesityand serious health problems resulting from the high calcium andcarbohydrate, and low fiber content in pelleted foods.(Humane Society)

Some rabbits have more control over not overeating than others.

Timothy hay can't be overfed.

-Carolyn





 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top