Clover- Good or Bad?

[bartandmilhouse]

Is clover bad for rabbits? I had thought it was okay because it is on House Rabbit Society’s list of what to feed your rabbit, but someone just told me they plant clover to keep rabbits AWAY. I found that odd, so I googled rabbits and clover. The first result was that they should not eat it because rabbits can’t pass gas, and clover causes gas. What do you all think?

[Bam]

First of all, rabbits can and do pass gas. What they can’t is vomit and they might not be able to burp. This is because of their very narrow passage between the esophagus and the stomach. Horses are the same way.

Clover is fine in small amounts. It’s a legume and belongs to the same plant family as alfalfa. As I’m sure you know, alfalfa isn’t suitable for adult buns except as a treat. The same goes for clover.

Different buns have different tolerance to different things though, so start with just a few leaves or flowers and watch the poop (really the same as we do when we introduce any new food to a bun).

[LBJ10]

Clover is safe, but high in protein. It’s a legume. So I would only give it as a treat or “hay topper”.

[Gina.Jenny]

My back garden is full of clover, and the buns eat it, along with the grass. Jenny is especially fond of the stuff, no way would it keep her away, quite the opposite. However, my buns mainly eat hay and grass, with a portion or two of green leafy veg and their tiny portion of select science pellets each day is generally their daily treat, so it is probably the richest part of their diet. It is limited by the fact it can only grow so fast, and with six buns and one guinea pig all wanting their share, no bun gets too much!

[Author]

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