RaspberrySwirl
Well-Known Member
It seems like a frequent question fromnew bunny ownersis- "what vegetables can I feed my bunny?" or"What should I feed my bunny?" I think some of the bunny guru's havethe answers memorizedbut as I was "cleaning" my hard drive Ifound the original list I had and thought it easiest to copy and pasteit here. I liked this information because I found it veryinformative without overkill. Plenty of Veggies I could findat my local grocery store without a long list of stuff I'd have to goto a specialty market for.I printed the list and keep a copyon my refrigerator and one in my purse for the grocery store..
AS FAR AS I KNOW THIS INFORMATION IS ACCURATE. I AMNOT A PROFESSIONAL. I COPIED IT FROM A WEBSITE AND THEREFORE AMASSUMING IT WAS THERE FOR PUBLIC USE. I AM NOT THE AUTHOR.
What should I feed my bunny?
[align=right][/align]
Regardless of what cartoons say, your bunny cannot survive oncarrots alone (although carrot tops are a great source of nutrition,and carrots are a great treat).
Your bunny's digestive system needs fiber, and lots of it. Inthe wild, a rabbit grazes throughout the day, and is used to having avery active digestive tract. For that reason, it's recommended that youprovide your bunny with unlimited amounts of fresh timothy hay everyday.
Feeding timothy or another grass type of hay is importantbecause it is lower in calcium and calories than alfalfa, which is veryrich. You may feed alfalfa as an infrequent treat, but the level ofcalcium makes it a poor choice for daily feeding, and it can contributeto sludgy urine and, eventually, stones.
A selection of vegetables is also an important component of abunny's diet. Feed approximately one cup of vegetables for every 4 lb.of body weight. Select three or four vegetables from the list shownbelow. The more variety, the better the selection of vitamins andminerals provided.
If your bunny is not used to vegetables, add these to the dietvery slowly, starting with very small amounts. The high water contentin vegetables can contribute to soft stools or diarrhea if introducedtoo quickly. Cut back the amount of vegetables and increase more slowlyif this occurs.
Fruits are high in sugar and water, and should be limited to 2tablespoons per 5 lb. of body weight. Avoid feeding fruits if yourbunny is on a weight reduction program. Choose fruits that are high infiber, lest the fruits just add empty calories to your bunny's diet.
Remember that bunnies are very small, even when compared to asmall child. Treats should be given in very, very small amounts. To arabbit, a banana chip is like a whole pizza is to a child!
Avoid feeding human treats such as breads, pastas, snack foods,or other processed foods. They do not have the vitamins and mineralsbunnies need, and may contribute to an imbalance of bacteria in thedigestive system. As with many animals, there is a compound inchocolate that can be toxic to rabbits, so never feed your bunnyanything containing cocoa orchocolate.
Vegetables
Lush, leafy greens contain morevitamins and minerals than things like iceberg lettuce. You should notfeed iceberg lettuce because it is nutritionally void -- it's nothingbut a little cellulose and water. While it isn't dangerous, people havebeen known to feed it to the exclusion of other more nutritious things,resulting in dietary deficiencies.
Items marked with * are high in Vitamin A. Try to feed one ofthese each day. Items marked with (!) should be used sparingly and insmaller amounts than others.
Be sure to give these very sparingly as they are high in sugar. Choose those that are highest in fiber.
AS FAR AS I KNOW THIS INFORMATION IS ACCURATE. I AMNOT A PROFESSIONAL. I COPIED IT FROM A WEBSITE AND THEREFORE AMASSUMING IT WAS THERE FOR PUBLIC USE. I AM NOT THE AUTHOR.
What should I feed my bunny?
[align=right][/align]
Regardless of what cartoons say, your bunny cannot survive oncarrots alone (although carrot tops are a great source of nutrition,and carrots are a great treat).
Your bunny's digestive system needs fiber, and lots of it. Inthe wild, a rabbit grazes throughout the day, and is used to having avery active digestive tract. For that reason, it's recommended that youprovide your bunny with unlimited amounts of fresh timothy hay everyday.
Feeding timothy or another grass type of hay is importantbecause it is lower in calcium and calories than alfalfa, which is veryrich. You may feed alfalfa as an infrequent treat, but the level ofcalcium makes it a poor choice for daily feeding, and it can contributeto sludgy urine and, eventually, stones.
A selection of vegetables is also an important component of abunny's diet. Feed approximately one cup of vegetables for every 4 lb.of body weight. Select three or four vegetables from the list shownbelow. The more variety, the better the selection of vitamins andminerals provided.
If your bunny is not used to vegetables, add these to the dietvery slowly, starting with very small amounts. The high water contentin vegetables can contribute to soft stools or diarrhea if introducedtoo quickly. Cut back the amount of vegetables and increase more slowlyif this occurs.
Fruits are high in sugar and water, and should be limited to 2tablespoons per 5 lb. of body weight. Avoid feeding fruits if yourbunny is on a weight reduction program. Choose fruits that are high infiber, lest the fruits just add empty calories to your bunny's diet.
Remember that bunnies are very small, even when compared to asmall child. Treats should be given in very, very small amounts. To arabbit, a banana chip is like a whole pizza is to a child!
Avoid feeding human treats such as breads, pastas, snack foods,or other processed foods. They do not have the vitamins and mineralsbunnies need, and may contribute to an imbalance of bacteria in thedigestive system. As with many animals, there is a compound inchocolate that can be toxic to rabbits, so never feed your bunnyanything containing cocoa orchocolate.
Vegetables
Lush, leafy greens contain morevitamins and minerals than things like iceberg lettuce. You should notfeed iceberg lettuce because it is nutritionally void -- it's nothingbut a little cellulose and water. While it isn't dangerous, people havebeen known to feed it to the exclusion of other more nutritious things,resulting in dietary deficiencies.
Items marked with * are high in Vitamin A. Try to feed one ofthese each day. Items marked with (!) should be used sparingly and insmaller amounts than others.
- Vegetable seed sprouts
-
[*]Basil (fresh leaves of basic are a favorite treat ofDinkum's!)
[*]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
[*]Radicchio
[*]Radish tops
[*]Raspberry leaves
[*]Romaine lettuce (no iceberg or light colored leaf)*
[*]Spinach (!)*
[*]Watercress*
[*]Wheat grass
Be sure to give these very sparingly as they are high in sugar. Choose those that are highest in fiber.
- Apple
-
[*]Banana (banana chips, too)
[*]Blueberries
[*]Melon
[*]Orange (including peel)
[*]Papaya
[*]Peach
[*]Pear
[*]Pineapple
[*]Plums
[*]Raspberries
[*]Strawberries
