Vegetables for rabbits

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ilovetoeatchocolate

ilovetoeatchocolate

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Sometimes I have done searches in an attempt to try not to post another redundant question that has already been answered. So I read an answer to someone's post way back in 2004. It recommended that people (not just that one person's bunny but every bunny owner) stop feeding their rabbits vegetables and just stick to pellets and hay. Why do people say that when a lot of reputable people say the opposite? Some reputable people like the House Rabbit Society etc. They even have a list of vegetables to give to rabbits and suggest something like a cup to two cups.

Just curious. Also my bunny doesn't eat his pellets if I give him veggies! LOL! He just waits for the veggies. Should I ration the veggies then so he gets the needed minerals and salts from the pellets? He is seven years old. He is a Dutch mix.

Shannon
 
From what I've heard/ read, it is doable, but very hard to do a no-pellet diet. How much pellet are you giving him? Does he eat some pellets or none at all when you give him the veggies.

I'd be sure he's eating pellets to give him a nutrient variety, but certainly go ahead and give him the veggies.

Do you give him pellets and veggies at the same time?
 
He will get the standard recommended amount of pellets that is recommended by the house rabbit society and they will sit in his dish all day. He won't eat them. If I pick a couple up and give it to him he will eat them from my hand. Almost like his past owner did a lot of hand feeding or treats or something like that. He is from the Humane's Society.

I give the vegetables on top of his pellets in the same dish. Maybe I should mix them in together so he is forced to eat the to get to the veggies. LOL!

Shannon
 
I'd guess he'd just pick out the veggies.

What brand of pellets is he on?

My buns are each 4.5 lbs and each gets about 1/4 cup of oxbow bunnybasics T in the morning, veggies an hour or so later, then more veggies in the evening.
 
I usually feed my bunnies their pellets around 5:30 PM and then give them their salads around 9:30 PM. They always have hay out and get fresh hay at the same time as pellets. Melody usually eats her pellets right away but Alieats his over a 5 to 6 hour period.

You could try feeding the pellets first and then waiting to feed salads later.
 
I agree with Seniorcats. I too feed the pellets and veggies at different times too. My guys get thier veggies first thing in the morning, and oh god help me if i dont get it to them, the piggies are wheeking, Belles c hasing Sooty around mounting him, they are insane. Then anywhere between 5-7 they get there pellets and it is the same thing all over again, mass pandimonium like they never eat. Maybe spacing the feedings out your rabbit will be more interested in that meal.




 
Well I am home today and got some time to watch the rabbit and he seems to eat the pellets during the day. I saw him munching on them just a minute or two so I am happy about that.

Still curious as to my first question though? Why do some people recommend not feeding veggies to rabbits? I found out this because I did a search on a topic to see if has already been covered in this forum. I didn't want to post something that has already been covered over and over again. And there was someone on there from 2004 suggesting that all rabbits not eat vegetables. Only as an occassional treat. He was talking about any vegetable.

Shannon
 
Do you have a link to the thread in question?

I'm not sure. The only situation I can think of would be for young buns or buns with overly sensitive digestive tracts.

What brand of pellet are you feeding your buns?
 
I feed my bunnies pellets first in the morning, go take a shower etc, and then come back to give them veggies. If I didn't, Muffin wouldn't eat hers.

I think you can do all pellet, all veggie, or anywhere between. I tend to prefer to be closer to the all veggie side though. Breeders and anyone who wants their rabbits to grow quickly and reproduce well will be more likelly to feed just pellets. It's cheaper than veggies, packs on the pounds, is easier, and gets really muscular rabbits (for showing). It's also more reliable:they get the same thing every day, so you don't have to worry about them getting sick from the food etc. I prefer veggies because it's more fun, they really like them, and I don't want them to get bored or fat. I only feed 1/8c pellets/5lb bun/day, plus 2c veggies.

Bottom line: people can and will argue for any diet they wish. You have to decide what you want to feed, which is related to what your bunny is going to be doing. Running around in your apartment all day? more veggies. Breeding and showing? probably more pellets.
 
Hmmm let me see if I can do a search for the link. It is on this forum, advice from one of the members.

I feed my rabbit Zupreem Nature's Promise Premium Rabbit Pellets made from Timothy Hay.
 
I believe some individual members on the forum have had rabbits who seem unable to tolerate vegetables. It's really an individual rabbit issue rather than a general recommendation, I believe(not feeding vegy's, that is). In some instances, people have been talking about newly weened babies or bunnies under the age of 6 months.

A friend on another board had a rabbit who could only eat a small amount of limited greens. Too much caused Pita, the bunny to get squashy, runny poop. Pita also had a problem with pellets. She could only eat one certain brand of timothy pellets only sold in Canada. Anything over a small amount a day, gave the bunny the runs. She couldn't eat alfalafa pellets or any timothy pellets with cane molasses. Pita's main diet was hay.

Frodo bunny was rehomed to me by a friend in Canada. Frodo refused to eat much more than the smallest amount of greens - usually a few tiny inside romaine leaves. Her first owner and I both tried all kinds of greens and they would sit there uneaten. Fortunately she was a good hay eater.
 
There are a lot of different ideas on how best to feed a rabbit. Traditionally rabbits were fed only pellets, no hay-and still are by many, especially breeders with lots of rabbits to take care of. Vegetables are more of a "pet rabbit" thing, or even older before pellets were made. The good thing about pellets is that they guarantee a consistent diet with all the nutrients a rabbit needs.

My thoughts? I'm pro-veggie feeding as long as the rabbit tolerates them. Not all rabbits can. Just like some don't tolerate pellets well- like my Fey and her ATB sister Sprite- some rabbits just can't eat veggies without getting sick. I don't think veggies are absolutely necessary although they can help encourage normal chewing and tooth wear. That's why my vet and many others recommend hay and veggie diets for rabbits with molar spurs.

Have you read this thread yet? It's pinned at the top of this section.

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=16340&forum_id=48

Also, check out our other threads on feeding rabbits in the Library section. It's much easier than using the search function, especially since ours doesn't seem to work very well.

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12046&forum_id=17

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12160&forum_id=17

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12059&forum_id=17

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=13618&forum_id=17

There's no real right or wrong answer. It's just about what works best for you and your individual rabbit. Me, I'd probably skip the pellets altogether for Fey if I could get more and better veggies during winter. My other three do very well on limited pellets and lots of hay and veggies.
 
The lady i just got my new baby bunny from says she has always used oats instead of hay. i have always used hay. but i bought oats and the bunny loves them.She used to work at the st louis zoo for years and that is what they use.... anyone use oats? i give pellets,hay,oats and carrots.. my last bunny was too fat and died. as most of you read a few moths ago.. she was huge.. 13.5 lbs. she ate dog biscuits and tons of veggies and pellets.. this one i will not let get that big.. i promise.
 
I remember that the person who said that you shouldn't feed any vegetables was named Carolyn and she had a picture of a man in her Avatar. It was from 2004. Put I can't seem to find the specific post. She was not talking about young or sick bunnies I remember that. She was talking about rabbits in general.
 
like everybody else said-

try giving him his pellets in the morning and his vegies in the evening with hay all the time. thats what i do, mine prefers vegies to pellets too!



 
It's not really a problem anymore as we have a system worked out. Whether Orea was eating the pellets or not wasn't really the question.

The question that I was wondering is why a person would suggest for all rabbits to eat only pellets and hay. No veggies at all. But it is a moot thing anyway because I can't find the post!
 
I'm as confused as you about tailoring a diet to a rabbit's needs.

I've one bun who's had two stasis issues (presumably from shedding only), and I'm regauging how to proceed in terms of her diet. My other bun has had digestive issues since I got her (at too young of an age).

We've had our girls nearly a year;I'm still uncertain if greens or pellets (or both) started my Zoe on her roller-coaster of digestive problems. :?:( I do know that she seemed to do okaywhen fed solely timothy hay for six weeks' time. (I was trying to give her gut a break after more digestive stasis/poop-related issues.)

Like you, I'd love to find the one magical formula that will work for my bunnies.
 
I don't believe there is a "magic feeding formula" that suits all rabbits. The same diet doesn't suit all people... we have to find the diet that works for each of our rabbits and make sure they stay healthy and happy.

That doesn't mean thattheyget banana's all day (cause that would make them happy!), we still have strive to feed a balanced diet that keeps them healthy.
 
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