Grass vs Hay?

[NexivRed]

What's the deal with feeding rabbits (safe) grass? I assume you can feed them as much as they'll eat as it's what they'd eat in the wild, and hay is just a close substitute for domesticated rabbits?
I was just wondering if I could feed a rabbit my overgrown lawn. I guess it's a stupid question as if I had it outside it would eat the grass, but I guess I was just wondering if you knew of any possible problems with them eating too much of it?

 

[nessar]

In theory they can eat as much as they like of it, and it wears down the teeth just like hay. See Tamsin's blog: http://www.therabbithouse.com/blog/2011/10/07/grass-hay-tooth-wear/

In practice however, you have to be more careful. You should, of course, introduce it slowly like any new food, especially with spring grass as it is richer. It is also higher in sugar than hay, and in some cases it doesnt agree with bunnies with sensitive tums, especially the spring stuff.

You also need to be careful that your lawn doesnt contain any other plants that are poisonous, off the top of my head I think dock leaves arent safe, as of course lots of plants in flower beds wont be.

 

[Stator]

You must give them little bits to begin with, too much too soon will cause upset tummies. Hay also contains seed heads, which a lawn may not, so it's important they get other nutrition

 

[megansmummy]

:wave:

Mine adore fresh grass and they get a handful each morning for breakfast with their pellets I will do it for as long as the grass is nice enough to pick and fed them!! Roll on spring and summer!!

They also get unlimted hay throughout the day

 

[NexivRed]

Okay, thanks. Yeah, I was mainly thinking about a big handful of grass for a snack or as part of a meal really, rather than substituting any hay for it.

 

[Angie B]

No-one has mentioned this so I will - DON'T mow your grass and feed the clippings to your rabbits as the clippings begin to ferment within a short space of time and this is bad for bunnies (actually it's bad for any animal that eats grass).

When I bought my rabbits in the summer they went straight out onto the grass in their run, for 8-9 hours a day and munched non-stop and were fine. They have grass now but aren't in the run on the grass as they began to dig so now they're on concrete. They do eat grass when running free now and then throughout the day though.

 

[Tatihou]

At this time of the year, there's less "goodness" in grass - more if you include dandelions, plantains etc. The spring and early summer grass is richest in sugars as the grass puts effort into growing and seeding but as the grass dies back / becomes dormant over winter, then it has the same benefit as far as fibre and working a rabbit's teeth, I think, but it's just not as nutritious.

 

[kt6382]

My boys definately prefer grass over hay! If the grass is dry I go out and cut a large tub full (bit bigger than an ice cream tub) full in the morning and in the evening. They eat it striaght away!! They also have 24hour access to an outside run that is on grass... but for some reason they prefer the grass that I cut, maybe because it is longer?? They especailly love the grass if it has other leaves in such as clover YUM and dandelions. I also tried nettles as they as bunny safe but they won't touch those!! Dock leaves are fine for bunnies, mine loved them in the spring time, but went off them by autumn, then I read some where that the chemical make up of dock leaves changes throuighout the year which is why they hated them in autumn.

I also tried to cut and dry some long grass during the summer. Didn't manage muchof this but wish I persevered because the boys love this dried grass!!!

Right, just off to cut grass and feed hay and few pellets now... I'm made, spoiling my buns by cutting grass inthe middle of the night!!!

 

[nessar]

My boys definately prefer grass over hay! If the grass is dry I go out and cut a large tub full (bit bigger than an ice cream tub) full in the morning and in the evening. They eat it striaght away!! They also have 24hour access to an outside run that is on grass... but for some reason they prefer the grass that I cut, maybe because it is longer?? They especailly love the grass if it has other leaves in such as clover YUM and dandelions. I also tried nettles as they as bunny safe but they won't touch those!! Dock leaves are fine for bunnies, mine loved them in the spring time, but went off them by autumn, then I read some where that the chemical make up of dock leaves changes throuighout the year which is why they hated them in autumn.

I also tried to cut and dry some long grass during the summer. Didn't manage muchof this but wish I persevered because the boys love this dried grass!!!

Right, just off to cut grass and feed hay and few pellets now... I'm made, spoiling my buns by cutting grass inthe middle of the night!!!

Just wanted to say that dock leaves are toxic at certain times of the year, due to the increase in oxalic acid, I've asked about it before but I think it was in the foraging thread and I cant sift through it to find you the reply as its huge :lol: