mmm yummy….

this doesnt really answer ur question..but it reminds me of a questino I had..so i’ll post it with urs (:

How does cooking a veggie change it. Can rabbits eat it cooked? Is it bad for them or do they just not prefer it?

I’ve never heard of that kind of cabbage before, but with any of my animals I stray away from anything that may cause gas or poopy butt. It’s just simply not worth the risk to me. I’d rather feed them something they love and something I know for sure won’t cause gas.

new_obsession, cooking a vegetable basically makes it lose it’s nutritional content. From what I understand with rabbits, it’s not BAD for them to eat cooked vegetables, but it would be healthier for them to eat them raw. Then again, that’s just what I understand from bunny research. I may be totally wrong.

Regarding cooking veggies: Cooked veggies do lose more of their nutritional value.  If your only feeding as a treat, I don’t know what harm it would do.  

Regarding cabbage and kale.   I know for some bunnies it can cause gas. Some bunnies are more sensitive to this issue than others.  Kale is okay for limited feeding, but it can cause problems over time if given as a regular daily staple of their diet.  Kale is okay to add in the mix a few times  a week.  This is what one HRS article said about Kale:

"Kale, mustard greens and spinach contain high levels of oxalates, the salts of oxalic acid, which can accumulate in the system and cause toxicity over time. Rather than eliminating these veggies from your list (because they are highly nutritious and loved by most rabbits), limit your use of them to 1-3 meals a week. One method is to feed kale (with other veggies) for several days until 1-2 bunches are gone, then avoid buying it again for a week or so. The same precautions can be taken with the veggies that are high in calcium if your rabbit is prone to urinary tract stones. Particularly for rabbits who eat no or few pellets, try to include at least one veggie daily that is high in vitamin A (such as carrots, collard or mustard greens, endive, or parsley). If all these instructions seem complicated, simplify things by making sure you vary your rabbit’s diet as much as possible to avoid giving too much or too little of any one food. This makes good sense for all of us!."

SOURCE: http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-4/pellets.html  (scroll to "What Kind of Vegetables?"

we actually have some in our fridge right now, and i was going to give her some in a few days. i’ll let you know if anything happens. but so far my rabbit has not shown any sensitivities to other greens. for example, broccli does not give her gas.

btw….how loud is bunny gas? i haven’t heard anything from her…is it really quiet? she does make a gurgly sound when she is drinking water though that sounds like gas but i’m guessing thats just her sucking in air with the water

I’m not sure about when a bunny passes gas, if there is actually a sound loud enough to hear. But I think  because they can have a hard time passing it, that gas can sometimes cause serious painful problems, which can be heard with extra loud gurgling within their stomach (louder than their normal gurgling).  Many times their tummy will feel tight and bloated.  And they sit in a position that shows their discomfort. 

Hopefully that will never happen to your or anyone’s bunny here, but if it does, if not alleviated, a bunny can stop eating  or even going into shock due to the stress and pain of severe gas.  There are ways to try and alleviate this – here are some tips from the House Rabbit Society.

Administer – 1 – 3 cc of pediatric simethicone drops.

.Begin very gentle abdominal massage. Place the bunny on a secure countertop and start very gradually, rubbing the sides of the belly, and gradually working your way deeper by actually holding the belly in one hand and gently kneading it in both forward and backward directions. If bunny shows any sign of pain, back off and massage more gently. It also helps to periodically raise the bunny up on his hindquarters as you massage, so gas bubbles can move about more freely. You can also do the reverse, carefully lifting his hindquarters into the air while gently massaging, being careful to not let him kick, jump, or hurt himself.

I also offer a little pedialyte to help keep them hydrated which will help pass the gas along.

My understanding is that if the gas or bloat doesn’t go away within a few hours, then a vet needs to be called  asap.

Btw, osprey, i gave the napa cabbage to Medusa and she loved it. did not notice any digestive problems with it. try it!

My little buns like the cabbage as well!  I only give them small amounts, their regular greens are cilantro, parsley and lettuce, and my girl for some reason looooves a bluberry here and there (you hear this smacksmack of her lips when she eats it!)

BTW, if Medusa is still looking for a BF, I have a very special foster boy named Raymond that I am looking for a special home for. He’s been at my house and is practically my child but you seem like such a nice home that if Medusa wants to meet him, she can anytime!