can veggies make a rabbit fat?

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This topic has 10sd replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 1 month ago by Hoppy Valentine.

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- 01/21/2012 at 8:20 AM
  DutchRabbitsFtw
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  273 posts
  can veggies make a rabbit fat? i think i am giving my rabbit the right amount of veggies; maybe a LITTLE bit more than average but i just love watching him eat and that little crunch he makes when he chews! but its not too much. he usually eats it all in one sitting in 10-15 minutes. (he has some leaves from parsley or cilantro left because they fell off from the stem but he eats all of the veggies if i dont take out his veggie dish)
  
  but can veggies make a rabbit fat? to be specific: red leaf lettuce, parsley, and cilantro and celery. also i did hear somewhere that red leaf lettuce and parley and celery arent good for rabbits? i heard that if given to rabbits for a long time (like everyday for a few months or something) then they will get kidney stones? is this true? could i just change out the veggies? would it be okay to give him the same veggies everyday? i just got him a week ago and he has already been introduced to parsley cilantro and lettuce. i just added celery this morning (i cut them up dont worry). i do plan on adding a new type of veggie next week or next next week. proabably… collard greens or something. my mom goes to this huge grocery store every week on saturdays (today; so i’ll be getting some more red leaf lettuce since im all out) but we can go to kroger anytime. (dont know why im saying this…? lol)
- 01/21/2012 at 8:37 AM
  Elrohwen
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  7318 posts
  No, veggies won’t make a rabbit fat. Veggies are low in calories and are mostly water. Pellets will make them fat, and I suppose it’s possible that veggies could make a rabbit chubby if it was disposed to be chubby (and very inactive), but a normal active rabbit won’t get fat on veggies. Mine get at least 2 cups a day (each) and aren’t fat. They get very limited pellets.
  
  All of the veggies you listed are just fine. Some rabbits are very prone to bladder sludge or stones and a vet might recommend to limit certain higher calcium veg (like spinach and some greens) but most rabbits can eat them just fine. Lettuce, parsley, and celery aren’t high in calcium.
  
  Most of us recommend a variety of veggies just because variety is always healthy. However, they don’t *have* to have a variety. One of my rabbits is picky and can have a sensitive tummy, so they eat romaine, leaf lettuce, and parsley every day and are fine. Sometimes I’ll feed the other bun some different veggies that I’m cooking with since she likes new things and doesn’t have tummy issues, but that’s a very small part of her diet. If your rabbit likes a variety, maybe pick a new type of veggie every week when you go shopping (you can keep lettuce as the base and maybe try different herbs or different greens mixed with it).
- 01/21/2012 at 8:54 AM
  DutchRabbitsFtw
  Participant
  273 posts
  oh okay, thanks. yes my rabbit is very hyper when hes in the mood i tried giving him one leaf of baby spinach and he wouldnt eat it lol D: which i dont understand because when i first got him i asked his foster mom if hes been introduced to veggies and she said that he has and that he gets fresh spring mix every night. but isnt spring mix made up of mainly spinach and lettuce? lol.. oh well :b.
  
  i plan on adding more veggies to his diet every week or every other week, i want to make sure he doesnt get the runs. o.o.
- 01/21/2012 at 8:55 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  Spring mix is pretty vague – it’s usually a mix of baby lettuces but can have spinach in it too. Just depends on the brand.
  
  Not all rabbits will like all veggies (my boy hates most of them) and sometimes it just takes introducing them a few times. My girl wouldn’t eat banana the first five or so times I tried to give it to her, but she eventually tried it and now it’s her favorite treat.
- 01/21/2012 at 9:00 AM
  Stickerbunny
  Participant
  4128 posts
  My rabbits love spring mix, but they aren’t big fans of spinach when I buy it by itself – go figure ! lol You’ll find a lot of times buns will like a certain texture/taste/whatever that a brand has, like… romaine lettuce from dole is SO much better than the farm fresh, dark green, much cheaper romaine from local farms around here (according to them). They can be weird, ha. Spring mix that I get is baby spinach, lettuces (romaine, red leaf, etc), raddichio and arugula.
  
  My buns favorites are cilantro, parsley, carrots, celery, broccoli (careful, it can give some buns gas), kale and romaine.
- 01/21/2012 at 9:18 AM
  DutchRabbitsFtw
  Participant
  273 posts
  ohh ha that makes more sense :b. my rabbit LOVES veggies, in the morning when i bring it into my room he gets so excited lol. he really likes cilantro and parsley the most. red leaf next. and celery is sort of eh… but i just gave some to him this morning so its not a big deal. i get my veggies in like.. an actual “head” lol (if that makes sense?) instead of buying them in a bag. i think they are around the same price? (:
- 01/21/2012 at 10:15 AM
  Monkeybun
  Participant
  10479 posts
  As long as he is eating a ton of hay, alot of veggies is fine
- 01/21/2012 at 12:14 PM
  Sarita
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  18851 posts
  Only if you add salad dressing :~) But really what makes a rabbit fat is inactivity and pellets.
- 01/21/2012 at 6:50 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17225 posts
  Posted By Stickerbunny on 01/21/2012 09:00 AM
  My rabbits love spring mix, but they aren’t big fans of spinach when I buy it by itself – go figure ! lol You’ll find a lot of times buns will like a certain texture/taste/whatever that a brand has, like… romaine lettuce from dole is SO much better than the farm fresh, dark green, much cheaper romaine from local farms around here (according to them). They can be weird, ha. Spring mix that I get is baby spinach, lettuces (romaine, red leaf, etc), raddichio and arugula.
  
  My buns favorites are cilantro, parsley, carrots, celery, broccoli (careful, it can give some buns gas), kale and romaine.
  
  Mine love that Spring Mix too. I get them the organic kind that comes in the tubs. They are crazy for it. Regular romaine? Won’t touch it.
- 01/22/2012 at 7:12 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  I save the spring mix for my salads and the bunnies get romaine by the head. Haha.
- 01/23/2012 at 4:09 PM
  Hoppy Valentine
  Participant
  73 posts
  Hoppy gets the same stuff daily he gets cilantro parsley raddichio belgin endive endive basil and mint he is kinda picky and seems to love the expensive stuff the best. Just like a kid.
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