Adding new veggies to diet?

[mrmac]

What is the best and safest way to get my buns to eat more veggies? I got some spinach at the store to get them used to that a little bit. Last night before I went to bed I took some of their pellets out of the bowl and filled it up the rest with the greens and some grapes. This morning most of it is still there just wilted and yucky now, I know they had to have eaten some of it, but I am just worried they wont eat the veggies at the around 2 cups range. They are not huge fans but I know it is healthier for them in the long run, any help is much appreciated!

[KatnipCrzy]

Just keep offering them the veggies- my bunnies usually refuse to eat something new for the first couple of days.  Last week I tried alfalfa sprouts with them on 2 out of 3 bunnies was eating them by day 4.  I have different bowls that I use for greens as opposed to pellets- as any moisture on the pellets ruins them by turning them to mush.  But you do not even have to use a bowl or plate you can just put the greens in the cage.

Don’t give up- just keep offering them daily- eventually they will try them and become “hooked” on greens and veggies.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hi mrflais, how many gragpes are you feeding them and are those gone?  If the grapes are gone: They should only be offered as a treat and so you may want to hold off on giving that portion to them until the veggies are gone. What your rabbits are trying to do is “blackmail” or “train” you into only giving them a sugary treat and not eating the veggies like they really need to.  A lot of rabbits tend to shy away from “new” veggies to them and you still need to just try offering a little to them. 

This is really a gem of an article on feeding veggies to your rabbits, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do:

http://www.coloradohrs.com/articles/diet_misc_feeding.asp

Here is a listing of rabbit-safe veggies:

https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=144

 

 

[MooBunnay]

I agree with not doing the grapes until your bunnies are doing well with veg. Try some fragrant herbs to spark their attention – cilantro and parsley are very big hits here at my house!

[mrmac]

No grapes were eaten I just put like a half a grape cut in to two pieces in the bowl, they were not touched. I will keep trying at it, I tried to put it in a different bowl in the cage and someone pooped on them so whatever I changed they didnt like! hehe What is the best way to portion out pellets for them?

[Beka27]

For portioning pellets, I use a regular kitchen measuring cup. I use it as a scoop in the food container, plus this way I can see at a glance how much they are getting. For adult buns (5 pounds) over 7 months, they need to be reduced until they are at 1/4 cup per day. If your buns are smaller, you can reduce further to 1/8 cup. Many buns can eat all of their pellets in only an hour or a couple hours, so that is when the hay is so important. They will eat it for the remaining time until veggies/pellets the next day. I give approx 5-6 cups of veggies (for two buns to share) in the morning. They graze on them and on hay all day long betw/ naps. By early evening, all of the veggies are gone. They then move onto eating more hay. Pellet time is not until 9 or 9:30. They get a 1/2 cup to share and I refill their hay. They eat those within an hour or two, then all they have is hay overnight.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

LOL Mine are the same (well Ok not Chuck he’ll eat anything-last night he accosted me trying to get a cherry halls out of my mouth )

I generally have to offer a new veggie (and throw the scorned wilted veggie out the next day) three or four times before they’ll eat it.

I wonder if that’s somehow related to how they ensure they do not ingest poison in the wild? Or more likely it’s just them showing us that no amount of care of expense will make them happy and we are disdainful beings who are unworthy of being their slaves? Yes that’s probably more like it. :p

[mrmac]

Haha…I will start cutting their pellets back and putting more veggies in. I put a handful of spinach in last night, no measurement just trying to get them to eat it, and this morning it is gone except for those few stray wilty ones! So maybe I will get a couple new things tonight at the store, and see if they will eat them, just to try and get them introduced to a few more things. Are there any that they tend to gravitate towards? I guess just not quite sure what to introduce first? Thanks so much for the help! That is a good article!!! It made me chuckle a little cause that is such the personality of my buns!!!

[FluffyBunny]

Mr. Bunny really likes green leaf lettuce, radish greens and carrot greens…I know that most bunnies also like parsley and cilantro (which Mr. Bunny hates O.o ).

[mrmac]

I got them some new veggies adn they wont touch them…they will wait to eat until I give them their pellets. Tried some romaine and parsley.

[Sarita]

Sometimes you have to keep introducing the same veggie over and over – rabbits can be very suspicious about new vegetables.

[Balefulregards]

Scarlet – That was a great article that I had not yet seen.

And SO true. Coco is punishing me deeply for boarding her for the past 5 days, so no matter what I offer, she is sulking.
While I know she is wildly happy to be home ( I caught her in full binky last night when she thought I was asleep) she is boycotting the cilantro, dill and romaine. Although they must not have given her the Orchard Hay she loves right now, as she as most enthusiastic about THAT.

As an aside, I do know that there is scientific evidence that a child has to see a food item on average of 7 times before accepting it ( This was something I used for the parents of the infants and toddlers in my care). We seem to be evolved with an initial “Food rejection” response and it wouldn’t surprise me to figure that rabbits have a similar response.

My only other bit of advice is to be Strong. As long as there is a good portion of Good Hay available and Water, then the rabbit won’t starve. In every change with Coco ( from the alfalfa pellets to the Timothy….from the weaning off of pellets to the Hay) she will stand fast for a day or so. Then she’ll dig in like there is no tomorrow.

[Scarlet_Rose]

You’re welcome Baleful!

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