Treat suggestions

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 17sd replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 8 months ago by mia.

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- 08/01/2013 at 6:16 PM
  Rufus
  Participant
  334 posts
  I was wondering what kinds of treats your bunnies like?
  
  Rufus is never really that excited by food. He won’t go near food when he’s out of his cage and when he’s in his cage he’s not really that interested in food if anyone is around – he normally spends his time begging for cuddles if he can see someone. I’ve tried lots of different things to try and get him really excited about something. I’d like to find a treat he loves to help me try and train him a little bit and as a distraction for when he has his nails trimmed. Any suggestions?
  
  So far I have tried: Carrot tops, baby spinach, apple, carrots, pear, bok choy, pak choy, choy sum, chinese broccoli, broccoli, broccolini, celery, strawberries, parsley, basil and mint. Baby spinach is probably his favourite but I know I shouldn’t give him that too often and he’s still not really distracted by it.
  
  I should mention that he’s a good eater, he eats veggies, pellets and plenty of hay everyday, although he’s not that into pellets sometimes he barely eats any. The vet says he’s very healthy. He just doesn’t seem to be nearly as keen on food as rabbits I’ve had in the past. He’s much more affectionate though so maybe he just has different preferences!
- 08/01/2013 at 6:39 PM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  Have you tried foods with spicier flavors? Rocket is a big hit with my buns along with dill. Kale is another favorite. =] Some buns are just not that into veggies. My Hugo likes his veggies but he’s not overly happy crazy for them. He would much rather eat hay all day long. He LOVES his hay. As long as Rufus is eating great he’s golden. =] But you already knew that. =p
- 08/01/2013 at 8:09 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17242 posts
  Bananas = Bunny Crack
- 08/01/2013 at 8:24 PM
  Baxter n Boos Mom
  Participant
  394 posts
  My boys love craisins….and these timothy hay biscuits with apple. I chop them up into little pieces…and use them as treats.
- 08/01/2013 at 8:32 PM
  Rufus
  Participant
  334 posts
  Thanks for the tips! I did buy some bananas yesterday to try this weekend, and we have some craisins. I’ll let you know how he goes!
  
  I was wondering about Rocket and if that was ok to give him! I haven’t been able to find Kale anywhere around me to buy – I’m wondering if it’s not as readily available in Australia.I’ll keep a look out though. I’m glad to hear not all bunnies are so treat focussed!
- 08/01/2013 at 8:42 PM
  MoveDiagonally
  Participant
  2361 posts
  Mine love Craisins. It’s the only treat they go crazy for.
- 08/01/2013 at 8:48 PM
  Deleted User
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  22064 posts
  Rufus I wonder if it has the correct growing conditions in Australia to grow. I know we have a hard time getting great quality kale near us during summer time because of the heat. How cold does it get in Australia? I know kale likes cold weather, so it tends to grow better in climates that are not too hot.
- 08/01/2013 at 10:17 PM
  Rufus
  Participant
  334 posts
  Ah that must be it! It’s the middle of winter here and everyone is saying they’re freezing and wearing coats. It’s 21 degrees C (70 degrees fahrenheit). So yeah, not really a cold weather climate!
- 08/01/2013 at 11:30 PM
  Roberta
  Participant
  4355 posts
  The syren song of the Craisin is the music mine dance to…. Nermal is really quite pathetic, I will have to try to photograph it. She puts her paws on the top bars of her cage, hangs her head in between and we get the full quivering pouted lower lip treatment…. The others just hang off the side of the condo like bugs on a screen or dance round on the back feet. It’s their treat for going to the houses like good bunnies when i am leaving for work.
- 08/02/2013 at 1:48 PM
  Valkyrie
  Participant
  185 posts
  Posted By LBJ10 on 08/01/2013 08:09 PM
  Bananas = Bunny Crack
  
  HA! That is so true!!!! Merlin would do ANYTHING for banana! He also really liked pears. A couple times he even dug through the trash can until he found a pear core! Although I also had to chase him out of the dog food bowl a couple times…
  
  If he doesn’t see fruits or veggies as a treat, you might have to go the store bought route. Bromley has treats that are pieces of timothy hay covered in yogurt. Merlin used to go crazy for Choc Drops and Milk Drops.
- 08/02/2013 at 2:46 PM
  Deleted User
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  22064 posts
  Since chocolate is poisonous to rabbits (and dogs and cats too) I would NEVER give anything with chocolate in or on it. Yogourt isn’t very healthy for them either. But do please avoid chocolate anything! You can get lucky and have an animal that tolerates it but they are the exceptions and it really isn’t worth the risk!
- 08/02/2013 at 3:57 PM
  Valkyrie
  Participant
  185 posts
  Lmfao Choc Drops do not have actual chocolate in it. Did you think I was meaning chocolate chips or something?! It is a brand of rabbit treat. Yes they are not the healthiest since they are basically candy so they should be fed in very small doses. But Rufus was saying that his bun won’t respond to healthy fruit and veggies as treats but still wants to train him. Once Rufus learns how fun training is, he can start getting fruit as a treat instead. My vet introduced them to me when we were training Merlin not to be afraid of being handled.
- 08/02/2013 at 4:27 PM
  justwildbeat
  Participant
  257 posts
  I’m glad my bun thinks anything other than pellets and hay is a treat lol. Even though you mentioned Rufus isn’t excited by fruit, have you tried dried fruit/veg? The flavor and sweetness is more intense so it may be more attractive. Oxbow sells freeze dried strawberries and other food in their Simple Rewards line.
- 08/02/2013 at 5:23 PM
  hannaroo
  Participant
  317 posts
  My bunnies aren’t treat mad at all. They’d rather eat pellets than craisins banana or apple. In a way I was almost disappointed that they wouldn’t go for them but I guess it means their diet is much healthier this way!
- 08/02/2013 at 5:34 PM
  Deleted User
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  22064 posts
  Valkyrie, no I did not know you were referring to a specific treat designed for rabbits. The yogourt drops yes, but not the chocolate drops. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who was unaware and you wouldn’t want someone drawing the wrong conclusion and giving their rabbit chocolates.
  
  I don’t know what’s in the ones you get but I know it is better to avoid dairy (yogourt) and the couple of yogourt drops I saw and read the ingredients for were very high in sugar which can seriously upset the balance of a rabbit’s gi so I’ve avoided them.
- 08/05/2013 at 2:40 AM
  Rufus
  Participant
  334 posts
  Thanks everyone.
  
  That’s a great point Hannaroo!
  
  I tried banana and craisins over the weekend. I gave him two small chunks of banana and he looked pretty keen but when I came back a half hour later half of it was still there. He did eat it all eventually though.
  
  He seems to like the craisins, He’ll eat them even when he’s out and running around but it takes him a while to bother. Next up on the list is Rocket!
- 08/14/2013 at 7:32 PM
  Rufus
  Participant
  334 posts
  I think I’ve finally got a winner. Last night I offer Rufus a craisin and he came hopping straight over and ate it from my hand! Previously he just has hopped over and rubbed his head on my hand trying to get pats and then eventually eaten a treat off the floor after I got tired of holding it out for him. He’s also going crazy for rocket a bit more lately (and now I know that rocket is the same as arugula I know why rocket isn’t on any of the healthy veggies for rabbits lists!). I think he might be getting a bit more keen on his treats now his hormones are settling down after being neutered. Now my hand might have something to eat instead of just being something to try and hump all the time
  
  I have the day off work today though and because I slept in an hour or so, he pulled the ear off his stuffed rabbit. When I went to see him first thing he was eating a piece of stuffing so now I’m being hypervigilant all day to make sure he doesn’t have a blockage. *sigh* At least he’s eating tonnes of hay.
- 08/15/2013 at 9:51 PM
  mia
  Participant
  617 posts
  One thing that hasn’t been mentioned, papaya, actual dried diced ones, not tablets.
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