kelster6911
Young Bun
Hi i have a 12 week old giant lop, I have been trying him on different fresh foods and was just wondering what sort of amount of fresh food i should be giving him
thanks
thanks
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Too much fresh food?
- Thread starter kelster6911
- Start date
Dustyrabbit
Warren Veteran
It depends really.
Each bun is different.
If bun is new to you and has not already been introduced to veg you should hold off for 2 or 3 weeks, keeping him on the exact food he is used to already before making any changes or introducing anything new.
Introduce only 1 new food at a time in very small quantity, watching for changes - loose stools in particular. If all is well very slowly increase the amount over a few days, again watching for reactions. If all is well you can introduce the next new veg you want to feed in the same way.
I think the quantity you stop at really depends on the bun. I know one of mine was very sensitive when she was younger but others cope with copious amounts. I still don't feed a lot of veg now, maybe 2 inches of celery, half a handful of rocket or a small piece of broccoli, half a radish maybe. Mine enjoy wild foods - apple tree leaves, bramble leaves, dandelions, and herbs such as sage, lemon balm, mint, basil, coriander leaves.
Each bun is different.
If bun is new to you and has not already been introduced to veg you should hold off for 2 or 3 weeks, keeping him on the exact food he is used to already before making any changes or introducing anything new.
Introduce only 1 new food at a time in very small quantity, watching for changes - loose stools in particular. If all is well very slowly increase the amount over a few days, again watching for reactions. If all is well you can introduce the next new veg you want to feed in the same way.
I think the quantity you stop at really depends on the bun. I know one of mine was very sensitive when she was younger but others cope with copious amounts. I still don't feed a lot of veg now, maybe 2 inches of celery, half a handful of rocket or a small piece of broccoli, half a radish maybe. Mine enjoy wild foods - apple tree leaves, bramble leaves, dandelions, and herbs such as sage, lemon balm, mint, basil, coriander leaves.
kelster6911
Young Bun
Hi thanks for that we have had him a few weeks now and just started off doing as you say little bits at a time, he never got runny stools just slightly softer for the first day of each new food and now he enjoys, cucumber, greens, banana, a bit of carrot, celery, brocolli. I just wasnt sure if i was ok could feed him as much as he will eat cos he seems to really enjoy the fresh stuff and doesnt upset his tummy.
Dustyrabbit
Warren Veteran
Well I guess the idea is to play it by ear really cos everybun is different.
Remember hay is the very most important food and needs to make up 90% of the diet, the remaining 10% being an egg cupful of high fibre pellets (maybe more if he's a giant) and veg.
I would keep high sugar foods such as banana, apple, carrot to a very small amount very occasionally. The sugar really can cause a bad reaction in the tummy. Mine have about 1inch of carrot once a week. Some find broccoli and cabbage/greens give their buns a gassy tummy which again is very undesirable.
So, push the hay, hay and more hay would be my advice, take a look at wild foods - investigate a great thread from last year, foraging 2011, maybe grow or buy some fresh herbs to try as an alternative to the sugary/gassy choices.
If you are not familiar with Gut Stasis I would look it up in health just in case, it's best to know what to look for and what action to take. Rabbits, especially young ones can go downhill very quickly if something upsets their tum so it really is best to err on the side of caution.
Gosh, I sound a bit doom and gloom don't I! Sorry about that! But my two are quite sensitive, although they have improved with age, they will be 4 in September.
Remember hay is the very most important food and needs to make up 90% of the diet, the remaining 10% being an egg cupful of high fibre pellets (maybe more if he's a giant) and veg.
I would keep high sugar foods such as banana, apple, carrot to a very small amount very occasionally. The sugar really can cause a bad reaction in the tummy. Mine have about 1inch of carrot once a week. Some find broccoli and cabbage/greens give their buns a gassy tummy which again is very undesirable.
So, push the hay, hay and more hay would be my advice, take a look at wild foods - investigate a great thread from last year, foraging 2011, maybe grow or buy some fresh herbs to try as an alternative to the sugary/gassy choices.
If you are not familiar with Gut Stasis I would look it up in health just in case, it's best to know what to look for and what action to take. Rabbits, especially young ones can go downhill very quickly if something upsets their tum so it really is best to err on the side of caution.
Gosh, I sound a bit doom and gloom don't I! Sorry about that! But my two are quite sensitive, although they have improved with age, they will be 4 in September.
My 2 cents from what I have gathered from here and my breeder:
Cucumber = bad. Very high water content, can cause diarrhoea.
Celery = bad. Bun could choke on the long fibres :shock:
Banana + Carrot = very high sugar, should only be fed sparingly.
Have you tried adding any herbs? Herbs are very tasty for buns and most of them don't run the risks of any of the above. Mine LOVE rosemary
But they get basil, coriander, parsley, thyme as well. Also, carrot tops go down very well and were the first thing my bunny ate when she was recovering from an illness (carrot tops don't have the sugar it, in the actual carrot itself)I have heard broccoli can cause gas for some buns so it's worth keeping an eye on but my two love it
Haymonster
New Kit
Not meaning to hijack this thread, but I have a related question:
Is a cup of vegetables a day too much?
This is what I feed my guinea pigs, and it's generally the recommended amount of veggies per day per pig. I'm pretty new to rabbits, but I've had guinea pigs on and off for the last 15 years. I have a tendency to unconsciously apply whatever I know about guinea pigs to rabbits.
Both my rabbits seem to do very well on a cup each a day of veggies. We haven't had any diarrhoea or mushy poos. They were both feds large amounts of grass before they came to me - one was a stray who we took in, the other came from a rescue where she was kept outside.
Is a cup of vegetables a day too much?
This is what I feed my guinea pigs, and it's generally the recommended amount of veggies per day per pig. I'm pretty new to rabbits, but I've had guinea pigs on and off for the last 15 years. I have a tendency to unconsciously apply whatever I know about guinea pigs to rabbits.
Both my rabbits seem to do very well on a cup each a day of veggies. We haven't had any diarrhoea or mushy poos. They were both feds large amounts of grass before they came to me - one was a stray who we took in, the other came from a rescue where she was kept outside.
Elena
Wise Old Thumper
Mine are fine with cucumber and I have one who has a tendency to sticky bottom. Cucumber is basically just water so is good for hydration. Sweet things are what sets Mini off, so fruit, baby corn, mangetout and carrot.
At 12 weeks you may want to wait a while until he is slightly older and his digestive system is a little more stabalised, then gradually introduce things. A little one day, see how he is, a little more the next day. I try to introduce new things over three days.
Haymonster, a cup is probably roughly how much I feed to mine but they don't get greens every day. I forage and grow stuff as I find supermarket herbs and veg tend to be washed in chemicals. This is a typical greens plate...
As long as they are still eating plenty of hay (roughly the size of their body) then it's fine.
At 12 weeks you may want to wait a while until he is slightly older and his digestive system is a little more stabalised, then gradually introduce things. A little one day, see how he is, a little more the next day. I try to introduce new things over three days.
Haymonster, a cup is probably roughly how much I feed to mine but they don't get greens every day. I forage and grow stuff as I find supermarket herbs and veg tend to be washed in chemicals. This is a typical greens plate...
As long as they are still eating plenty of hay (roughly the size of their body) then it's fine.
runhardlivelong
Warren Scout
My 2 cents from what I have gathered from here and my breeder:
Cucumber = bad. Very high water content, can cause diarrhoea.
Celery = bad. Bun could choke on the long fibres :shock:
Banana + Carrot = very high sugar, should only be fed sparingly.
Have you tried adding any herbs? Herbs are very tasty for buns and most of them don't run the risks of any of the above. Mine LOVE rosemary
I have heard broccoli can cause gas for some buns so it's worth keeping an eye on but my two love it
Gutting. Mine love Celery and its only veg Walter will eat so far!
If you chop it up horizontally it can be ok but I just decided not to risk it
mine liked it too!
Dustyrabbit
Warren Veteran
Celery - you can use a potato peeler or knife to rip off the stringy bits, I just cut mone in to 1cm slices. GP and buns both have it daily although I think it is a higher calcium food which needs to be avoided, gosh it's difficult isn't it! Hay, hay and more hay is safest!
