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Forum THE LOUNGE How do you measure your ‘cups’ of veggies per day?

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    • Vienna Blue in France
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        I seriously need to measure out,  record and analyse what I give my buns.

          ->     Zou 13,6 lb  6,2kg (OK, slightly overweight post spay, could probably be 12lb)
          – >    Henry = 8.8lb  4kg (slightly under,  we are aiming for 10lb)

        What is a “cup measurement” of greens for example ??!!

        I can totally understand a cup of pellets, but a cup of cabbage leaves?

        Are we talking plastic coffee cup, or ‘My big T” mug?

        My pellet guidelines say 70g per day for a “standard large” 2.5kg rabbit – does that mean I should give Zou 270g of pellets per day??!!  That seems a lot.

        HRS says 1/2 cup of pellets per 6lb – so that makes 1 cup  (I’ll weigh out 1 cup).

        HRS says minimum of 2 cups of chopped veggies per 6lb – so that makes 4 cups per day.

        I give the endives whole and cabbage leaves whole…  maybe I should buy an XXL cup (or a 1L measuring jug!) and then just stuff it full each day.

        So how do you measure your bun’s food and make your sure they keep a perfect furry waistline?


      • Luna
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          Luna is 4.6 lbs. I use a pyrex 1 cup, and drop the veggies in without pushing them down until it reaches slightly above the rim. She gets 1-1.5 of those a day. When the veggies are larger leaves like dandelion or bok choy, I rip the leaves into smaller pieces (about half the size of my palm) before putting them in the cup.


        • Reesebun
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            I normally don’t measure, I just sprinkle enough greens to slightly cover Reese’s floor (I like to imagine it’s like her eating grass off the ground- weird, I know) about 2, unpacked, cups. Is that too much? I’ll edit this post to say how much she weighs in a few mins once I weigh her. 2 lbs 6 oz


          • Odette
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              I give Odette a handful of Romaine in the morning, around 5 pm, and at bedtime. Any other greens are just a leaf or so because she is young.

              I know…I’m not helpful. But the mass on greens is weird. An actual cup of Romaine would be not much at all.


            • Luna
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                As long as Reese is still eating a bunch of hay, her weight is distributed good, and her bathroom habits are good, I think the amount is fine. I think buns are like people – some can handle a few extra calories and still be healthy, while others may need to diet.


              • LittlePuffyTail
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                  I don’t measure. I have a crock that is approx. 1 cupish so I just fill that up. One about two cups for Sterling. My vet said when measuring the veggies, it should be 1 cup packed greens.


                • cinnybun2015
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                    I don’t usually measure. I have an old cat food bowl and I usually take about half a leaf of romaine lettuce and maybe some parsley/other greens depending on the day and I only usually fill up half the bowl. (it’s shallow but probably measures about one cup). Many sites I’ve searched say, like LPT said, 1 packed cup of dark, leafy greens.


                  • BunnyFriends
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                      I just eyeball it now, but before I used plastic kitchen measurement cups. And pack it down. (You know, the type for one cup of flour, two cups of sugar, etc.)

                      I give Licorice (4.5 – 5 lbs) 1/8 cup of pellets. Winter (3 1/2 lbs) gets 1/10 of a cup, although she might be a liiittle less than what she needs. However she gets more veggies, so it evens out.

                      As for veggies Licorice gets 1 1/2 cups, and Winter gets 1 1/4. Their diet is ever changing though – when they gain weight(gaining weight is a Licorice speciality)/I decrease and losing weight I increase. So really, this is what I do ONLY when they’re at good weights. I check them every week and record it. And every week their diet might change a bit, nothing drastic of course.


                    • MoxieMeadows
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                        I just eyeball all the amounts of food I give her, lol. Not helpful I know. I never knew when they said a ‘cup’ of veggies. Packed down veggies? Loosely set in the cup veggies? LOL, I just kinda determined what was right for her…


                      • Stormybun
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                          I think it means a measuring cup (or something similar) packed with greens up to the mark of the amount you want thats how I measured Storm’s breakfast and he gets enough veggies and plenty of hay. Now that I know how much he needs I don’t measure his food as much, instead, when I go to the store to get veggies I get his 5 to 6 different kinds of veggies. I divide each of the greens into 7 containers, trying to keep the amount of each green equal in all containers so he doesn’t just end up with 3 different veggies instead of 5 or 6.
                          This gives about 1.5 cups in each container, so a week of breakfast.


                        • Q8bunny
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                            Morning and night I measure out (with his very own dedicated measuring spoon) 2tsps of pellets and a 1-cup pyrex measuring cup packed with his greens mix.


                          • Bam
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                              An American cup is about 24 cl. Vienna, since you’re in France you probably go by the metric system?

                              I don’t measure greens. To me it seems rather pointless since it the amount must depend on the type of veggies, their weight and their shape, if you cut them in small pieces or give whole leaves/ big chunks. I think it’s meant like a ballpark estimate. Like sth in between one leaf of lettuce and a whole head of cabbage =)

                              I try to give Bam a lot of greens, although now with the RVHD2-scare, I don’t pick anything outside that’s growing on the ground. He is prone to obesity so I must always take care to limit his pellets. When I’d two buns they went through a 3-liter plastic bag of dandelion and yarrow and plantain etc per day. I probably couldn’t have given more if I’d buns as big as Zou and HRH Henry, there’s not enough foraging-hours in the day.


                            • Vienna Blue in France
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                                Wow bam – a 3L bag per day !!…


                              • Bam
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                                  It’s not much if you weigh it. Not like a 3 liter bag of Brussels sprouts. It’s rather useless to measure greens by volume.


                                • Theodorusrex
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                                    ‘An approximate amount to feed would be around 1 cup of greens for 2 lbs of rabbit body weight once a day or divided into multiple feedings a day’

                                    I have went by this in the past – assuming the cup to be an american cup. I gave in and ordered a set of Amercian cup measurements because I was sick of converting everything lol

                                    Theo weighs just over 5lbs so he gets his crock well filled each evening usually a handful of mint, a handful of coriander and a few leaves of romaine lettuce or little gem lettuce. He gets quite a lot of veggies. Much more than what some of you are describing – I wonder if I am overfeeding the veg. He is just such a little eating machine!!


                                  • Vienna Blue in France
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                                      Posted By Theodorusrex on 10/19/2016 8:34 AM

                                      ‘An approximate amount to feed would be around 1 cup of greens for 2 lbs of rabbit body weight once a day or divided into multiple feedings a day’ !!

                                      Goodness gracious me, that would mean 7 cups for Zou and 5 for Henry !!  LOL  Egg cups ok! Or Brandy glasses… 

                                      This is a photo of how many pellets is ‘recommended’ on the pellet bag for a 6kg bun… they’re on a big dinner plate.

                                      The plastic cup next to it (for scale) is a ProPlan one used to measure dried dog food. My marker lines are bunny pellet weights.

                                      80g works out to about 3 big handfuls !

                                      and these are what I call ‘normal size’ cups (mugs) with 2 endives modelling their smashing waistlines

                                      So 1 endive = 1 cup (ish!)   (The endive on the left is real fatty !)
                                      Henry would quite comfortably chomp through 3 or 4 endives a day given the chance…. but then IF he’s ‘supposed’ to be having 5 cups…?.  


                                    • Theodorusrex
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                                        I should’ve said, that quote came from the list of safe foods on the HRS website rabbit.org – the list I’ve always used when checking if things are safe.

                                        5cups is rather a lot!! But then is that 5 cups tightly packed or 5 cups of veg just thrown in! Cups seem a silly way to measure veg.


                                      • Vienna Blue in France
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                                          Have you ever tried throwing a large green curly cabbage leaf in a mug??!! LOL. Its surface area is about 4 times the mug’s opening!!!


                                        • Azerane
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                                            I don’t measure, I just feed as much as I can pile on a plate without it falling off, lol. I’ll take a picture tomorrow, and then maybe try and measure it in packed cups. I think it’s about 3 though. I always assumed the measurement meant a 1 cup measure, with the greens pushed in so that they were firmly pressed together to fill the air spaces.


                                          • Q8bunny
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                                              I use a nice spring green plastic plate for Chewie and if I need to eyeball his greens, I figured that the amount of leaves I smoosh into my pyrex cup fits like a “just right” little pile on that plate.


                                            • Vienna Blue in France
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                                                Looking for tips and advice please ! Tips for best way of keeping 6 heads of lettuces…?! ( yes 6, enry would get through one whole one a day if I let him)

                                                Store whole lettuce or remove leaves, wash and pack in a (several!) Tupperware box?

                                                The last bunch I bought (they are sold at the local “town farm” 3 in a box) started going slimey and droopy after 4 days when I just shoved them in the fridge.

                                                Also – Bought 30 endives too (for 3euros, bargain!) which should last my guzzlers 6 days… maybe…
                                                And 4 boxes of roquette for 1,50…

                                                Yum yum nom nom


                                              • Luna
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                                                  My lettuce heads tend to stay fresh longer when I keep the leaves on and put the whole head in tightly closed tupperware with a sheet of paper towel under the lid, then put it in the fridge.


                                                • Q8bunny
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                                                    Whole head bottom up in a tupperware with a folded dry paper towel beneath it and a wet paper towel on the stem where the root used to be.


                                                  • Vienna Blue in France
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                                                      Good god women, what size tupperwares do you have? And how big a fridge? LOL
                                                      I have 5 heads so i shall try several different places. thanks


                                                    • Q8bunny
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                                                        Plastic bag would do just as well, given your bulk eaters.


                                                      • Azerane
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                                                          I keep my lettuce on the kitchen bench. The ones I buy come with the little root ball, so I put it in a plastic cup, put water in to 3/4 of the way up the root ball and just leave it out on the counter. Cos lettuce seems to love this method and lasts two weeks, the fancy red leaf makes a week as well.

                                                          I haven’t worked out how to store endive yet, at the moment it wilts after a few days in the fridge, and I just have to make sure I soak it for about 1/2 an hour to crisp it up before serving to the bunnies. Trouble is once it wilts, it’s easier for it to go slimy. Bok choy also wilts in the fridge, but I don’t find it’s as prone to going slimy as the endive.

                                                          I tried washing the lettuce, drying well and storing in the fridge with paper towel, it didn’t last well at all.


                                                        • Q8bunny
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                                                            I used to find hydroponic lettuces grown locally and sold with the root bulb. Alas I think that farm went under because it’s been over 6 months since the last box.
                                                            For me, endives do well wrapped in a moist paper towel in a plastic bag in the fridge now that the air is so dry again.
                                                            Our bok choy is very prone to spoilage since by the time it gets to us it’s wilted already


                                                          • jerseygirl
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                                                              Yeah the HRS recommendations are a guideline rather then a strict diet to adhere to. It’s varies rabbit to rabbit.

                                                              I used to eyeball the amount of greens served. My guys don’t even get daily greens any more and I’ve found they are better for it. I find too much commerical greens can be problematic. I do give them lots of foraged stuff when I can though At the moment they’ve been getting lots of parsley and plantain mostly. A little cos (romaine) and some sage also. My wheat and oat grass are passed point of using now. Still waiting on some good willow, but have lots dried. 

                                                              What sort of hay do you give VB?

                                                              I have a rabbit I look after when his owner goes away and he is just on a hay and veg only diet and he’s always maintained a great weight. He’s about 4kg. He gets 3 bowls of veg a day, so it probably equates to about to about 4 packed cups (??)
                                                              Ailis is 5kg and doesn’t get many pellets, mainly because I feed them lucerne (alfalfa) based pellets. I think it’s the oat hay that keeps them in good form.

                                                              For storing veggies, have you taken a look at this old discussion? https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/108739/Default.aspx
                                                              It’s the one linked on the BUNNY INFO / Diet page.


                                                            • jerseygirl
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                                                                Posted By Azerane on 10/22/2016 12:02 AM

                                                                I keep my lettuce on the kitchen bench. The ones I buy come with the little root ball, so I put it in a plastic cup, put water in to 3/4 of the way up the root ball and just leave it out on the counter. Cos lettuce seems to love this method and lasts two weeks, the fancy red leaf makes a week as well.

                                                                I haven’t worked out how to store endive yet, at the moment it wilts after a few days in the fridge, and I just have to make sure I soak it for about 1/2 an hour to crisp it up before serving to the bunnies. Trouble is once it wilts, it’s easier for it to go slimy. Bok choy also wilts in the fridge, but I don’t find it’s as prone to going slimy as the endive.

                                                                I tried washing the lettuce, drying well and storing in the fridge with paper towel, it didn’t last well at all.

                                                                Have you tried planting the root ball once you’ve used up the leaves?  I stuck one in the garden bed a the other day to see what happens. Im a black thumb though so I don’t have high hopes. 


                                                              • Vienna Blue in France
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                                                                  I knew there was a reason I should have got 2 tiny buns…..

                                                                  I have discovered this week wrapping an open banana in kitchen towel (with skin on, opened only as far as you need it) keeps fruit flies away (where do they come from?!) and keeps it edible for a week !! Handy for antibio time for Henry (last day)….

                                                                  Jersey – alas I am ashamed to say I don’t know what hay it is – it says “Hay” on the outside of the packet… by the make of Vadigran


                                                                • Bam
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                                                                    Fruit flies are drawn to vinegar (they are actually vinegar flies), so you can make vinegar traps to lure them away from fruit. They drown in the vinegar/water mix.


                                                                  • Vienna Blue in France
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                                                                      Oh! Interesting – but where do they come from?

                                                                      No flies one day. Then leave a banana open and within 3 days you are surrounded by theml ! (real buggers to kill (by clapping) too, very erratic flight paths !!)


                                                                    • Bam
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                                                                        where-do-fruit-flies-come-from

                                                                        My mother uses a combo of vinegar-traps and one of those tennis-raquet-like battery-driven flyswatters. 


                                                                      • Vienna Blue in France
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                                                                          Oooo yes I’ve got one of those rackets too – wouldn’t be without it now !! Saves so many bloody stains on the wallpaper !!!


                                                                        • jerseygirl
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                                                                            Jersey – alas I am ashamed to say I don’t know what hay it is – it says “Hay” on the outside of the packet… by the make of Vadigran

                                                                            From what I could find, it looks like they do a Meadow Hay.


                                                                          • Vienna Blue in France
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                                                                              Thanks Jersey

                                                                              I should go to a local horsey place and see what they sell for their beasts. Even a stables and steal half a bail or something…
                                                                              All your hay looks so much more appetising (green with wide blades) than mine.


                                                                            • Azerane
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                                                                                Posted By jerseygirl on 10/22/2016 2:16 AM 

                                                                                Have you tried planting the root ball once you’ve used up the leaves?  I stuck one in the garden bed a the other day to see what happens. Im a black thumb though so I don’t have high hopes. 

                                                                                No, I have not tried that. Not sure it would be worth it. I try growing lettuce every year and it never goes terribly well, this year seems a little better because it’s cooler they haven’t bolted straight to seed.

                                                                                I finally did the thing I said I was going to do a couple days ago. Prepared their greens then measured it and took a photo for reference. Today it came in at 3 and 1/2 cups. Though it probably averages about 2 and 1/2 to 3 cups, today’s a little bit more than normal. You can see how much that equates to piled on the plate. Apollo gets full just over halfway, but Luna’s a big fat greedy guts who just keeps eating till it’s gone. Apollo often will come back again towards the end to help her polish off the last of it. Today’s veggies include, cos lettuce, red leaf lettuce, endive, bok choy, silverbeet, coriander, fennel and grass.

                                                                                Here’s where Apollo gave up. Luna did too, but only to use the litter tray. She was straight back to it as soon as she was done in there  I don’t think she has a “full” setting, lol.


                                                                              • Vienna Blue in France
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                                                                                  Ahhh that’s so cute. That looks a scrummy feast !
                                                                                  Do you give the pellets at a different time?

                                                                                  I’ve never been as impatient as I am right now to put my two together (successfully!) so they can do this.

                                                                                  I really think we should swap a bun each, Apollo and Zou should go together (2 similar physiques with limited tums) and Luna and Henry (orangey lops with no ‘full’ setting as you say !)


                                                                                • Azerane
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                                                                                    Yeah, I do give the pellets at different times. Pellets first thing in the morning, and in the evening. Salad usually happens after lunch or early afternoon. Although when we were away I had our friend just give evening pellets and salad at the same time.

                                                                                    Haha, you can take both the big eaters! I’ll take my cuddle bun Apollo and pretend that Zou will want to cuddle me too


                                                                                  • Vienna Blue in France
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                                                                                      Oh she’ll cuddle too if you lay down with her…..

                                                                                      And Henry cuddles – so that’s sorted… when I come over I’ll bring him with me…..


                                                                                    • BubblesJo
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                                                                                        I really don’t measure how much I give Chester   He likes his veggies a lot, so I just give him of 2-3 different things. I found an old pic of him having dinner that seems pretty representative of what’s going on. Also has a tissue box for sizing, which was why I took the photos in the first place. Chester is about 2Kg.


                                                                                      • Q8bunny
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                                                                                          Chester is Chewie’s size. What a cutie patootie.

                                                                                          And Az! Your buns! I want to steal them


                                                                                        • BubblesJo
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                                                                                            Chester and Chewie together would be ridiculously cute. And then they’d plot to run the world and eat all the bananas


                                                                                          • Q8bunny
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                                                                                              Scary but true

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                                                                                          Forum THE LOUNGE How do you measure your ‘cups’ of veggies per day?