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What veg are good for rabbits and which should be avoided/not given often?

Liz47

Wise Old Thumper
Hello :wave: I was just wondering which veg are good for rabbits as I am looking to check if my rabbits are getting the best diet veg wise. I have read lists on the internet but none of them say which ones are really good for them so what veg is good for rabbits and can be given often? And which veg should be avoided? And which veg should be given not often and why? Thankyou :)
 
Curly kale tends to be very popular, but it is high in calcium. Unfortunately this is Spenser's favourite food. :roll: Parsley is also popular, but high in calcium, although flat leaf is better than curly. Spenser's staple food is spring greens, and if I can't get them the outer and very green leaves of a cabbage will do. Spenser is not keen on carrot, but I think it's high in sugar so buns shouldn't get too much of it - same with apple.
 
This might help...

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/info-sheets/safefoods.htm

Some things such as carrot root, mange tout, pea pods, baby corn are high in sugar.

Some things such as kale and parsley (esp the curly variety) are high in calcium.

Some things such as brassicas - broccoli, spring greens, cabbage can cause gas in some rabbits but be fine in others.

Whatever you introduce it needs to be done slowly and check for signs of gas or sticky bottom.

HTH.
 
I've never had a problem with carrots for buns that need to increase weight. I find herbs go down the best. Brocoli they love but i'm so cautious with this now. I tend to avoid. Spring greens in moderation now as some of mine don't tolerate them well. Occasionally apples, pears etc- i don't really give banana- i find that too far away from a bunny's natural diet for me. Although they have tried it.

I do give more carrots than most people, but not daily.
 
Mine only really have herbs now too. I can't give carrot root cos of Mini's tummy. Anything sweet sets her off unless it's in tiny amounts so she sometimes gets a bit of banana cos they love it but only ever a pea sized amount and probably only once every 3-4 months.

They do get dandelions and plantain in summer and carrot tops when I can buy them or grow them. Or the occasional stick of kale from the farm shop. But on the whole it's herbs, herbs and herbs. Oh and pea pods in summer but again Mini can only have one or we get sticky bum. I usually slip Mischa an extra one while she's distracted and give the lionheads two each.
 
I have a question about this too, when people say thing should be given sparingly or in moderation, how often are you talking?
Carrot peelings on a sunday when you've cooked a Sunday lunch or less often eg every other month or something?
 
Thanks everyone :) And thanks for the link :) What herbs are best? I can't get them at my local supermarket but I go to bigger ones sometimes which will probably have them. Beano has been fine with all the veg I have given her (introduced slowly) and tends to like everything. Are tomatoes ok? I have read mixed responses about them so haven't given them just in case.
 
Hi Liz :wave:

I have a copy of this stuck to my freezer door & refer to it often:

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/leaflet_pdfs/going_green_oct_06.pdf

Favorite herbs include: parsley, Basil, Coriander, rocket & mint. Rocket & mint are really easy to grow too so come the spring you could do some in pots :D Morrisons sell little pots of herbs at 2 for £1. I give a couple of basil or parsley leaves per bun in each evening feed so I'd say 1 pot lasts just over a week :) I've just bought some Thyme - not tried it before!

I've tried tomatoes with the buns but none have been keen. I personally wouldn't bother, there are enough other things which they like not to worry about them. Mine seem to love peppers too (all colours).

Natural food stuffs which the foster buns love include: bramble, apple, raspberry & hawthorn leaves. Dandelion (all of it). Plantain. Apple sticks (as friends & neighbours if they have a tree you can prune!). All can be dried and stored over winter too :D

You can still find bramble even now - the frost doesn't kill it! :shock:
 
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Mine like parsley, basil, coriander and mint (they eat sage but not that keen). Have never tried them with rocket but I think I will. :) Oh and mine don't really like thyme :roll: :lol:
 
Thanks :D Will definitely get some herbs for them then :) I'll introduce them slowly cos Beano's never had them before :)
 
Not so sure on what's healthy, but my rabbits adore curly kale and spring greens, and as treats little pieces of banana or carrot and blueberries. :D
 
Beano likes banana, but I only give her it occassionally as a treat. Is celery good for rabbits?
 
Curly kale tends to be very popular, but it is high in calcium. Unfortunately this is Spenser's favourite food. :roll: Parsley is also popular, but high in calcium, although flat leaf is better than curly. Spenser's staple food is spring greens, and if I can't get them the outer and very green leaves of a cabbage will do. Spenser is not keen on carrot, but I think it's high in sugar so buns shouldn't get too much of it - same with apple.

Exactly the same :lol: caspers stable food consists of spring greens :roll: as he goes off other veg and his fav is kale.. but high in calcium :roll: what will we ever do with them :lol:
 
Exactly the same :lol: caspers stable food consists of spring greens :roll: as he goes off other veg and his fav is kale.. but high in calcium :roll: what will we ever do with them :lol:

Me thinks they have you wrapped around their ickle paws :lol::lol:
 
Thanks, my guineas and rabbits love celery and I always cut it up small. Beano is so greedy, she jumps about madly when I go in on an evening as she knows it's veg time, and when I give them pellets Beano's head goes straight into the bowl! :roll: I've found that Gordon loves his hay and herbage, he will stuff his face in the pellet bowl with Beano too but doesn't eat as many as her and he waits nicely for veg by their veg bowl bless him :love: I have cut down the amount of pellets I give them now and looking forward to the summer months when they can go outside to eat grass, although Beano doesn't actually eat the grass when in her run she waits for me to pick it :roll: Whereas with my piggies we don't need a lawnmower! :lol:
 
Me thinks they have you wrapped around their ickle paws :lol::lol:

:lol: you think? :lol: .. i know :oops: cant help it, i think it all happened when i thought i was going to loose casper at his last dental, now im very delicate with him, and poppy :oops:
 
Thanks, my guineas and rabbits love celery and I always cut it up small. Beano is so greedy, she jumps about madly when I go in on an evening as she knows it's veg time, and when I give them pellets Beano's head goes straight into the bowl! :roll: I've found that Gordon loves his hay and herbage, he will stuff his face in the pellet bowl with Beano too but doesn't eat as many as her and he waits nicely for veg by their veg bowl bless him :love: I have cut down the amount of pellets I give them now and looking forward to the summer months when they can go outside to eat grass, although Beano doesn't actually eat the grass when in her run she waits for me to pick it :roll: Whereas with my piggies we don't need a lawnmower! :lol:

Beano sounds like a bit of a piglet :lol: I think I'd be like Beano if I were a rabbit :oops::lol: I'm glad Gordon likes his hay & is remembering his manners ;) Auntie Jill is very strict about bunny manners y'know! :lol: It can be a worry getting buns to eat enough hay so if you have a natural hay nommer that's great. Foster bun Bouncer is a good hay eater too but Paw paw less so. It's tempting to compensate by giving them more of other things (they always give you the "I've not been fed for a week" look don't they?! :roll:) but I've resisted and Paw Paw has certainly improved. I've found it also makes a difference where I put the hay :roll: i.e. she is unusual in that she doesnt like eating it in her litter bowl but if I stuff it into a loo roll she'll generally get stuck in - fussy madam :lol: She also LOVES apple & bramble leaves & they require the same grinding action as hay/grass so she has some most days :)
 
:lol: you think? :lol: .. i know :oops: cant help it, i think it all happened when i thought i was going to loose casper at his last dental, now im very delicate with him, and poppy :oops:

I can totally understand that. When you come close to losing something/someone/somebun you realise just how precious they are :love: I am the same with my little pony Boysie :love:
 
Beano sounds like a bit of a piglet :lol: I think I'd be like Beano if I were a rabbit :oops::lol: I'm glad Gordon likes his hay & is remembering his manners ;) Auntie Jill is very strict about bunny manners y'know! :lol: It can be a worry getting buns to eat enough hay so if you have a natural hay nommer that's great. Foster bun Bouncer is a good hay eater too but Paw paw less so. It's tempting to compensate by giving them more of other things (they always give you the "I've not been fed for a week" look don't they?! :roll:) but I've resisted and Paw Paw has certainly improved. I've found it also makes a difference where I put the hay :roll: i.e. she is unusual in that she doesnt like eating it in her litter bowl but if I stuff it into a loo roll she'll generally get stuck in - fussy madam :lol: She also LOVES apple & bramble leaves & they require the same grinding action as hay/grass so she has some most days :)

Beano is a good hay eater too thankfully, but Gordon more. Beano eats hay wherever, she goes round eating any bits of the floor :lol: but is quite fussy about grass, it must be picked and veg, it mustn't be too wet :roll:
 
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