Nuts about Nuts

[LadyKat]

At the risk of being a Forum Hog I have another question.

Can you feed your Bunny Nuts and seeds?

My friend who has two dwarf rabbits said dwarfs should not be fed these. What is the truth?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Nuts are quite fatty, so not good for rabbits. Seeds aren't good either for similar reasons.

Rabbit are herbivores, so the best foods are vegetation. This can be hay, grass, or fresh veggies.

Personally, I do not and will not give seeds or nuts.

 

[LionHeadDad]

While nuts are fatty and certainly shouldn't be given as a standard food. They are OK as an occasional treat. Most pet stores sell treats branded for rabbits with nuts and seeds in them. Monty and Jessica thoroughly enjoy them but I limit how often I will give them to them.

 

[Kipcha]

It's one of those things that are pretty much junk food to bunnies. They'll like them, they'll eat them, but they aren't good for them, so I would really say I'm against giving them nuts or seeds.

 

[Must_Love_Pets]

The only seeds I give my buns are black oil sunflower seeds. I only give them becasue I show my buns and it gives them a very shiny soft coat. In moderation and about 2 weeks to a month before a show. Thor goes CRAZY over them too.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

LionHeadDad wrote:

While nuts are fatty and certainly shouldn't be given as a standard food. They are OK as an occasional treat. Most pet stores sell treats branded for rabbits with nuts and seeds in them. Monty and Jessica thoroughly enjoy them but I limit how often I will give them to them.

Pet stores are notorious for selling stuff that is not good for rabbits (or other species for that matter). Just because they sell something, doesn't mean it is good or that you should buy it. Remember than pet stores want to make money, so they will tell you to buy something so they get a sale rather than tell you to go somewhere else for something better.

Most pet stuff is marketed to people with little or no concern for the health of the pet. Your rabbit does not care of a treat is colourful, but you might.

It is very important for you as a pet owner to know what is good for your pets rather than rely on pet stores to tell you to buy something because they sell it.

 

[LionHeadDad]

Korr_and_Sophie wrote:

LionHeadDad wrote:

While nuts are fatty and certainly shouldn't be given as a standard food. They are OK as an occasional treat. Most pet stores sell treats branded for rabbits with nuts and seeds in them. Monty and Jessica thoroughly enjoy them but I limit how often I will give them to them.

Pet stores are notorious for selling stuff that is not good for rabbits (or other species for that matter). Just because they sell something, doesn't mean it is good or that you should buy it. Remember than pet stores want to make money, so they will tell you to buy something so they get a sale rather than tell you to go somewhere else for something better.

Most pet stuff is marketed to people with little or no concern for the health of the pet. Your rabbit does not care of a treat is colourful, but you might.

It is very important for you as a pet owner to know what is good for your pets rather than rely on pet stores to tell you to buy something because they sell it.

While in general I agree about pet stores. I do trust this one as I used to work there and everyone there does care about the animals more than making a buck. They are the ones who even initially told me that the treats were OK to give to the rabbits but only in moderation. Similar to cake not being good for me but I'll still eat it once in a while. As long as your bunny gets good exercise it should be fine. In the long run it's a personal call I'll give my rabbits a few once in a while but if you're going to is up to you.

Also LadyKat I just saw your avatar and looked at your other photos Smudge is ADORABLE.

 

[Stone_family3]

I often give my mini lop belldandy a whole sunflower stalk, she loves them. usually the leaves and stalk are gone before the sunflowers and the birds often times get the seeds before she does. Though the breeder I got her from told me i could give her some sunflower seeds in her food mix.

 

[ASKidwai]

You can!

Just limit it to when he's nice or maybe as a bribe

 

[lagomorph]

Nuts and seeds are vegetation, and in the wild, rabbits eat them, but not a lot of them, because they have so much other plant matter to choose from. I don't give them, but mine free range in a large yard, and eat whatever weed seeds they want. They don't overdo it on any one food when they have a lot of options. I would probably only give them to an indoor or caged rabbit only infrequently, and in very small amounts.

 

[MiniLopHop]

I used sunflower seeds and oats mixed together to help my mini lop and angora gain weight. When I first got them they were super skinny. Now the mini lop is a normal weight and she misses her seeds (breakfast still has a few oats) but I don't want to have her continue to gain. The angora is still a bit on the skinny side, I think he puts all of his energy into making hair and getting into trouble.

 

[SOOOSKA]

Buttercup gets sunflower seeds everyday.

He's 13 on August 8, he's a little underweight because of his illness a couple of years ago, he has a growth in his tummy too, which is inoperable. So yes I probably give him too many but at his age he deserves to get what ever wants.

Susan

 

[majorv]

Must_Love_Pets wrote:

The only seeds I give my buns are black oil sunflower seeds. I only give them becasue I show my buns and it gives them a very shiny soft coat. In moderation and about 2 weeks to a month before a show. Thor goes CRAZY over them too.

These are the only seeds we give our rabbits, and no nuts at all. I agree, the black oil sunflower seeds condition the rabbit's coat, but they can be fattening if you give too much.