Bunny won’t eat orchard grass

[Minty]

3 month old mini lop Minty won’t even eat it from my hands, not a single strand. She turns her head away. I don’t seem to be allergic to orchard grass at all. Any way I can get her to eat orchard grass (oxbow)?

I seem to be allergic to (in reducing order of allergies):

1. alfalfa / lucerne

2. timothy (grass mats … I can’t imagine what the actual hay would do to me!)

3. meadow

4. ryegrass

5. oaten (oxbow)

Could compressed hay blocks be better? The brand I found wash the grass and dry it:

http://www.rabbittoysaustralia.com….ocks-450gm

Funnily enough my Dad sometimes just cuts some grass from our backyard, washes it and gives it to her and I don’t seem to be allergic to the fresh grass so that may be my last option. Is this safe? We haven’t seen any animals there. Just a possum but  I think he comes in from a tree. I’ve moved out but I sleep at my parents house to get away from the allergies…. 

Considering readigrass as well.

Cheers

[Cocoa]

Do you limit her pellets? Rabbits normally prefer to eat pellets rather that hay. My bunnies don’t eat their hay until they’ve finished their pellets. I don’t know about the grass.

[Rio and Buns]

Are there any feed stores around you that you can get a fresh bale of hay from? My buns always turn their noses up at the hay that comes in bags from pet stores.

I order my hay from sites like Small Pet Select (free shipping on $40+ orders, not sure if that applies to outside of the US), Sierra Valley Hay, and Rabbit Hole Hay. You might be able to find a site like that that’s based in your country too, to avoid possible outrageous shipping costs. Buying in bulk is cheaper in the long-run because those little Oxbow bags don’t last long and really add up.

[Sirius&Luna]

You can also try mixing in treats like dried forage (dried blackcurrant leaves, plantain, dandelion leaves etc..) so she has to rumage around in the hay to find it.

If it’s the only one you’re not allergic to, it’s worth persisting. Try the usual hay tricks like limiting other food, making it into toys, and lots of fresh top ups etc.

Readigrass shouldn’t really be the staple hay, as it’s high in calcium. I also used to buy it and found that the bags were pretty dusty, and would make me sneeze (I get mild hayfever and am mildly allergic to the hay I feed my buns), so I can’t imagine it would be good for your allergies either.

[sarahthegemini]

Compressed hay blocks might be better for your allergies but it’s difficult to know. They wouldn’t be a great option long term though because they wouldn’t wear down the rabbit’s teeth like loose hay.

If providing fresh cut grass is do-able then I would stick with that. Fresh grass is generally richer so would need slow introduction much like veggies before giving huge quantities of it. Be sure there’s no pesticides or animal waste etc but you probably already do that

If it’s not sustainable in the long run, persist with the orchard a little longer. You could even try a different brand?

[Author]

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