Belle and her greens!

[IsabellaRobyn]

Everytime I try to give Belle greens as part of her diet she always gets an upset tummy and an exesive amount of extra cecals.  I had her on spring greens for a long time, then I had her on romaine lettuce but both have the same issue.  Belle had a urinary infection not too long ago and my vet told me to cut right back on her veggies during the process of treating her and since then I’ve noticed a massive improvement in her bowel movements.  Recently I’ve only been giving her greens every now and then (which is bad I know but she seems so much happier) and I just feel really guilty because I don’t think she’s getting the necessary dietry requirements.  I’ve had this same issue with Belle since I got her when she was just a little baby and she’s just turned one now.

Before the infection I was giving her 1/3 cup of pellets and 1 cup veggies.  Now she gets a few bits of veggies every now and then and always 1/3 – 1/4 cup pellets every day.  Obviously unlimited hay and water.

Are there any particular veggies you guys think I should try with her from your own personal experience?  She loves basil but she only gets that as a treat.  It would be a little unrealistic to try and make up a full cup of veg with just basil.  I’m looking for something I can use as her sort of main veggie?  Any help would be appreciated !

Please don’t give me a hard time for not giving her veggies all the time, I realise that I shouldn’t be doing it that way and that’s why I’ coming to you guys for help with it.

Robyn.

[Deleted User]

I’m so sorry to hear that Belle has been having problems! It sounds like you’re trying to give Belle veggies that have too high of a water content in them. Skipper can’t have too much Romaine either or it will upset her stomach too, so I can understand your dilemma. Have tried rocket to see how that affects her? Or if she is doing well with basil trying similar herbs like mint or dill may work.

[IsabellaRobyn]

I’ve not tried rocket but I could give it a shot. I don’t really want to use herbs because they are really expensive here and I would have to buy loads of them, I’d probably have to buy 3-4 few bags every two days and one bag is like £2 so that would come up to just under £30 a week on just herbs D:. £120 a month!! I’d have no food for me! I tried buying the little pots of herbs that are meant to keep growing but they always just die. My mum’s a gardener and even she can’t keep them going, so frustrating. I think the shops do it on purpose so you have to buy more!

I’m glad to hear that you’ve had the same issue with Skipper and that Belle isn’t having extra issues. I suppose I just need to keep trying different things. What do you use as skippers main veggie?

[Bam]

Just a tip: Mint is real easy to grow. It’s actually more difficult to kill a mint-plant than to make it thrive. There are many different varieties and they do well as pot-plants. It’s a perennial and in Scotland it would probably survive the winter if you grow it outside (although outdoors, the parts above earth withers in the fall and new sprouts appear in spring), it does in Sweden.

Mint is traditionally used for stomach-problems in humans and buns seem to like it a lot. My very picky and spoilt bunny Bam loves mint.

[jerseygirl]

Please don’t give me a hard time for not giving her veggies all the time, I realise that I shouldn’t be doing it that way and that’s why I’ coming to you guys for help with it.

Oh don’t feel badly about this. The “daily veggie” guidelines dont work for everyone depending on budget or where they live and some rabbits just don’t cope with commercial veggies.

It’s actually pretty common. These buns seem to do better on a diet that mimics the wild rabbits diet. Some of the green feed they graze on is nutritious too – like dandelions for example.

What exactly were the spring greens? I *think* in the US they use the term collard greens.

[Deleted User]

I honestly use rocket and kale as a main staple. Her stomach can’t stand pellets either or she’s mainly on an all hay diet with about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of veggies a day that is made up of mainly rocket and kale. I hear you about prices! a bag of herbs here is $2. It seems like herbs are more expensive where you are! I would think with the cold weather it may be easier to grow kale where you are. So if that is a cheaper option I would try that too.

[Stickerbunny]

Some bunnies have sensitive stomachs. May I ask if the greens you are trying are organic or regular? It is possible the pesticides left over after washing could be giving her the tummy upset, not just the greens themselves. Some animals are very sensitive to chemicals. What vegetables don’t seem to cause her discomfort?

[Sarita]

Some rabbits just produce extra cecals and as long as they are not abnormally shaped it’s really not a problem – well, it’s a problem for owners since we have to clean them up or the rabbit steps in them but it’s doesn’t mean there is anything physically wrong with your rabbit. It also is not an indication of an upset stomach either.

[colleenbunny]

I agree. Mint is easy to grow. At our house, we started a small bit of it in our front garden, and it has taken over. I’m wondering if bunnies can have duckweed.

[Deleted User]

It is possible the pesticides left over after washing could be giving her the tummy upset, not just the greens themselves. Some animals are very sensitive to chemicals.

Interesting point to bring up Stickerbunny. You can always combat this by soaking your veggies in vinegar/water to get rid of the pesticides.

[IsabellaRobyn]

Bam – oh that’s good to know, I’ll see if I can get a mint plant to survive haha!

Jersey Girl – I’m not really sure what spring greens are, they’ve got really long leaves. The breeder I got Belle from said that’s what she feeds all her buns. They’re quite hard to find though which is a bit annoying.

Skipper’s Mama – I’ll definitely try some rocket then!

Stickerbunny – I just get the regular one’s because I could only find spring greens in large supermarkets that only had one type. They’re not very common here I don’t think.

Sarita – The cecals come out like a big clump of mush, they’re not normal. I took a picture when she was younger and showed it to the vet and she said it definitely wasn’t normal and that there was something going on. That was to do with a different issue but they look much the same when she’s had veggies.

[IsabellaRobyn]

Bam – oh that’s good to know, I’ll see if I can get a mint plant to survive haha!

Jersey Girl – I’m not really sure what spring greens are, they’ve got really long leaves. The breeder I got Belle from said that’s what she feeds all her buns. They’re quite hard to find though which is a bit annoying.

Skipper’s Mama – I’ll definitely try some rocket then!

Stickerbunny – I just get the regular one’s because I could only find spring greens in large supermarkets that only had one type. They’re not very common here I don’t think.

Sarita – The cecals come out like a big clump of mush, they’re not normal. I took a picture when she was younger and showed it to the vet and she said it definitely wasn’t normal and that there was something going on. That was to do with a different issue but they look much the same when she’s had veggies.

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