• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Can you know too much about rabbits?

susie bun

susie bun

Wise Old Thumper
Everywhere I look I find something I'm doing wrong. :( The list seems to be endless. I actually saw spring greens in a list with the 'normal' high calcium foods, and today I've discovered raisins may be bad for rabbits (Spenser has Bunny Nature fruit salad that includes this, and I find scattering it in his hay gets him moving around the hutch a bit more). Cabbage can apparently cause gas. I am surrounded by people who think I know too much about rabbits, and am beginning to think they have a point. Spenser has always been fussy, but his recent offness with food coincided with my reduction of pellets to increase hay-eating. I think I need to spend more time just enjoying having my rabbit. :love:
 
There are many 'rules' whats good and whats bad, and a lot contradicts. I mainly go by my rabbit. Bunsk likes raisins, so he gets some. Bunsk needs greens so he gets spring greens very often.

I think you can get to the point where you know so much, nothing seem good, healthy or good enough :roll:
 
No, I don't think you can know too much. The more you learn, the better you can do for the bunny/ies in your care. You need knowledge, and then you need the understanding behind it. My new favourite saying is that rabbit care is about knowing the rules and understanding when to break them. You can't really know that unless you learn and keep learning.

That said, it shouldn't get in the way of any care you give, it should just enable you to give the best care you can whilst enjoying your rabbit; it should make the rabbit experience better.

I think for you (although I may be completely wrong), the issue is not your knowledge, its your anxiety about Spenser, and maybe that's what you need to work on?
 
susie bun said:
Everywhere I look I find something I'm doing wrong. :( The list seems to be endless. I actually saw spring greens in a list with the 'normal' high calcium foods, and today I've discovered raisins may be bad for rabbits (Spenser has Bunny Nature fruit salad that includes this, and I find scattering it in his hay gets him moving around the hutch a bit more). Cabbage can apparently cause gas. I am surrounded by people who think I know too much about rabbits, and am beginning to think they have a point. Spenser has always been fussy, but his recent offness with food coincided with my reduction of pellets to increase hay-eating. I think I need to spend more time just enjoying having my rabbit. :love:
Click to expand...


I've been wondering this myself recently! :wave: I've kept rabbits for 23 years but only recently found this forum, and learned so many things I didn't know before. My rabbits have generally been happy and healthy so I think maybe we should worry a bit less :?
 
ripminnie said:
I've been wondering this myself recently! :wave: I've kept rabbits for 23 years but only recently found this forum, and learned so many things I didn't know before. My rabbits have generally been happy and healthy so I think maybe we should worry a bit less :?
Click to expand...

Having knowledge doesn't mean you have to worry, it means you have the tools to ease worry.
 
There's no one way to look after rabbits, in my opinion, its about gathering knowledge to enable you to make an informed choice about how you want to look after them, what their diet is, what their life style is, etc.

There is nothing concrete about rabbit ownership.
 
I disagree..I think the more you learn the more you can give the best care for your rabbit;).....WE think our rabbits are healthy & happy...but WE dont actually know...thats like saying a kid with obesity issues who likes sweets & appears happy is happy.....we know whats healthy in general for people...so for us to learn whats healthy for rabbits in general is what we need to do to give the best care....so a natural "wild" diet like normal wild rabbits and the occasional treat of whatever they enjoy is fine....just because our rabbits appear happy when we feed them rubbish does not mean its any good for them in the long run...... I used to have a parrot who adored peanuts...and ended up getting cancer in its beak....after alot of vet & homeopathic advice...no peanuts - some homeopathic meds (after the other meds didnt work) and the cancer receded and the parrot lived happily for another 2 years...this could have been avoided if I had known how bad peanuts were for these birds...ignorance is not bliss when our pets health is our responsibility...so no I dont think you can know too much...it definatly means you can give better care & make better decisions......:D
 
susie bun said:
Everywhere I look I find something I'm doing wrong. :( The list seems to be endless. I actually saw spring greens in a list with the 'normal' high calcium foods, and today I've discovered raisins may be bad for rabbits (Spenser has Bunny Nature fruit salad that includes this, and I find scattering it in his hay gets him moving around the hutch a bit more). Cabbage can apparently cause gas. I am surrounded by people who think I know too much about rabbits, and am beginning to think they have a point. Spenser has always been fussy, but his recent offness with food coincided with my reduction of pellets to increase hay-eating. I think I need to spend more time just enjoying having my rabbit. :love:
Click to expand...

It's the same for us! everyday you here the latest medical report stating conflicting reports about what is good and what is bad for you then the next day its the opposite! We are so desperate to do the very best for our buns its easy to get caught up in it, thinking too much and worrying too much. Sometimes I think Ive never been so stressed with a furry like I have with the bunnies! I reckon you're right! you have to take a back step and just try and enjoy your little handsome fella. It seems all bunnies have their own little personalities and funny little ways. Ive stopped worrying about the type of food as the bunnies like what they like and thats it (I have tried them on a big variety of things). Im not going to try and push something on them that they wont eat just because I feel it is healthier for them. I know they have a fairly good diet, albeit a bit high in calcium, and mine fortunately eat a lot of hay. As long as I feel they are happy and content in themselves thats really all that matters to me :D
 
chelle said:
I disagree..I think the more you learn the more you can give the best care for your rabbit;).....WE think our rabbits are healthy & happy...but WE dont actually know...thats like saying a kid with obesity issues who likes sweets & appears happy is happy.....we know whats healthy in general for people...so for us to learn whats healthy for rabbits in general is what we need to do to give the best care....so a natural "wild" diet like normal wild rabbits and the occasional treat of whatever they enjoy is fine....just because our rabbits appear happy when we feed them rubbish does not mean its any good for them in the long run...... I used to have a parrot who adored peanuts...and ended up getting cancer in its beak....after alot of vet & homeopathic advice...no peanuts - some homeopathic meds (after the other meds didnt work) and the cancer receded and the parrot lived happily for another 2 years...this could have been avoided if I had known how bad peanuts were for these birds...ignorance is not bliss when our pets health is our responsibility...so no I dont think you can know too much...it definatly means you can give better care & make better decisions......:D
Click to expand...

:wave: I'm so glad someone thinks the same as me about knowledge. 'Ignorance may be bliss, but knowledge is power', springs to mind.
 
My bunnies love raisins too :) I make an effort to give them a varied diet. I think as long as you're not feeding them huge quantities of fruits etc. and it's not all the time, its not going to be a problem.
 
Sky-O said:
No, I don't think you can know too much. The more you learn, the better you can do for the bunny/ies in your care. You need knowledge, and then you need the understanding behind it. My new favourite saying is that rabbit care is about knowing the rules and understanding when to break them. You can't really know that unless you learn and keep learning.

That said, it shouldn't get in the way of any care you give, it should just enable you to give the best care you can whilst enjoying your rabbit; it should make the rabbit experience better.

I think for you (although I may be completely wrong), the issue is not your knowledge, its your anxiety about Spenser, and maybe that's what you need to work on?
Click to expand...


Ooh great comment Sky-O :D!
 
we never stop learning, what i know know compared to 7 years ago when i first got a bunny!! :) It does get confusing sometimes though as you say!
 
Just wanted to add I agree with Chelle's post (we posted at the same time) and just wanted to clarify I dont feed my two rubbish food just coz they like it (although Daisy would love to be fed FCs at every opportunity :lol:) what I meant was, like Susie bun was saying, it's so difficult to find basic bunny veggies that dont have one thing or another thats not good for them and you can go mad trying to find suitable veg that ticks all the boxes and then the bunnies refuse to eat it :roll:
 
Boudicca said:
Just wanted to add I agree with Chelle's post (we posted at the same time) and just wanted to clarify I dont feed my two rubbish food just coz they like it (although Daisy would love to be fed FCs at every opportunity :lol:) what I meant was, like Susie bun was saying, it's so difficult to find basic bunny veggies that dont have one thing or another thats not good for them and you can go mad trying to find suitable veg that ticks all the boxes and then the bunnies refuse to eat it :roll:
Click to expand...

I mean this too, Re-reading my post makes me sound like I feed my bun anything he likes.
 
If I hadn't learned about all the scary things like statis and URI's at least three of my bunnies would not be here today and that is something I am truely thankful for. I want to do the best for my bunnies and love learning as much as I can. I'd really love to read the Textbook of Rabbit Medicine and Richard Saunders book (can't remember the name) and can't wait till I've saved enough pennies.
 
if i didnt have my thirst for knoledge and members on here did have the knowledge to help me i would have 6 dead baby bunnies....
you can never have to much knowledge hun
 
I also think that when it comes to bunny food, we can sometimes be guilty of over-complicating things. Yes a variety is nice but it's perfectly ok to stick to say 3-4 veggies that you know are good for them & are on the "green" list. A good pellet + lots of fresh hay and your bun doesn't actually need anything additional.

If you have the time/inclination to go foraging for natural noms then all the better and your bun will be very pleased to compost them for you :lol: but these are extras and I think sometimes people can get themselves in a pickle worrying about too much variety :wave:
 
Boudicca said:
Just wanted to add I agree with Chelle's post (we posted at the same time) and just wanted to clarify I dont feed my two rubbish food just coz they like it (although Daisy would love to be fed FCs at every opportunity :lol:) what I meant was, like Susie bun was saying, it's so difficult to find basic bunny veggies that dont have one thing or another thats not good for them and you can go mad trying to find suitable veg that ticks all the boxes and then the bunnies refuse to eat it :roll:
Click to expand...

I think a variety is more important :thumb:

Although I don't actually feed that much of a variety :oops: Usually they just get herbs in winter, bit more of a variety in sumer as things to forage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Sammy&Patch
Can too much fresh grass make a bunny overweight?
Replies
10
Views
2K
bunny momma
bunny momma
Sammy&Patch
Gingerbread and pasty urine, too much calcium!
Replies
7
Views
12K
Shimmer
S
~ILoveMyBunny~
Ivermectin and dutch rabbits?
Replies
4
Views
2K
MightyMax
MightyMax
Back
Top