Are you trying to figure out which vegetables to feed your rabbit with? Some are poisonous to these animals, so it's always good to know what's safe. Therefore, keep reading!
Steps
Step 1. Know how much food to feed the rabbit
In the US, the Indiana House Rabbit Society recommends two cups of fresh vegetables a day for 2.3 pounds of body weight.
Step 2. Find out which vegetables are the healthiest and most suitable
Among these are:
- Parsley
- Romaine lettuce
- Spinach (small amounts. Can be toxic if given too much.)
- Chinese cabbage
- Dandelion leaves
- Mint leaves
- Mustard
- Pea pods (remove peas, they should never be given to bunnies. Give them only the pods.)
- Brussels sprouts
- Chard
- Broccoli leaves
- Kale
- Coriander
- Dill
- Green part of carrots (Carrots, while fine in small amounts, contain too much sugar to be fed regularly.)
- Celery leaves
Step 3. Introduce the vegetables one at a time
This way you can check if the rabbit shows signs of sensitivity towards one vegetable or another, and you will avoid upsetting its digestive system too much. Start with just a small amount of a vegetable, monitoring any intestinal disturbances that occur, such as diarrhea.
Step 4. Aim to feed him 6-8 different vegetables / greens per day to provide him with a variety of nutrients
Step 5. Avoid rhubarb leaves
Advice
- Give him some fruit as a treat and in limited quantities (1-3 tablespoons).
- Make sure you provide him with an unlimited amount of hay (preferably Timothy hay) to munch on.
- Due to the "friendly bacteria" in the gut, any changes in the diet must be made gradually. This avoids sudden changes in the types of bacteria present in the gut (which will hopefully prevent you from producing liquid stools).
- Add water to the vegetables so they stay fresh. If the rabbit never tastes vegetables, try cutting them into small pieces and mixing them with hay or pellets. In this way it is difficult to see them and the rabbit perhaps eats them as if they were a delicacy. Try to cut them gradually into bigger and bigger pieces, so they will take on more and more the appearance of vegetables and the rabbit will get used to it in a few days or weeks.
- Make sure there is always water available in a bottle or bowl.
- Don't forget to change the hay every week.
- Try to buy Timothy hay pellets from your vet as well. Your doctor is likely to be able to get it fresher than products carried at grocery and pet stores. You can also buy it in specialized stores. Get grass hay; alfalfa should be given to rabbits less than seven months old, while Timothy hay should be given to rabbits older than seven months.
- Always feed very small amounts of food (1/4 cup per two pounds of rabbit weight), especially high-fiber, low-fat pellets.
- Don't give him iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes.
Warnings
- Some experts say that it is not recommended to change vegetables within a few days to avoid digestive upset. However, as long as each new vegetable is introduced in small quantities and gradually, the rabbit should adapt properly. Contact your vet if you want more information.
- A sudden change in diet is not recommended, especially in young rabbits.
- Alfalfa or clover hay, although tasty for rabbits, are too rich in protein and calcium to be fed regularly. It is best to give it fresh grass hay such as Timothy, oats, bromine, bay grass or wheat. (However, alfalfa / clover hay is acceptable for young rabbits.)
- Potatoes and tomatoes are poisonous for rabbits. Make sure always to know what is suitable for your rabbit before feeding it.
