Do rabbits change their greens intake by season?

[joea64]

I’ve been noticing recently that Panda and Fernando have been dialing back a bit on their daily greens consumption. They ate pretty much the entire bowl everyday during warmer weather, but now that it’s getting cold, they’re starting to leave “leftovers” in the bowl – not a lot, maybe 1/10 to 1/8 of what’s offered to them. Also, they’re taking their time now about eating their greens; they generally cleared the whole bowl in a couple of hours during warm/hot weather but they’re taking a more leisurely approach, nibbling overnight as opposed to nomming it all down right away. Since they’re eating their hay and pellets as heartily as always, I don’t believe there’s any cause to worry (since buns, as I understand, generally mainly eat greens for water content and variety/taste anyway, as well as the nutrients in the dark green leaves), but I find it interesting. Do your own bunnies do more or less the same thing with their greens during the winter months?

P.S. I wonder if Panda and Fernando are just not finding their usual spring mix (from Walmart) quite as tasty these days. I’ve noticed myself that the quality seems to be dropping off some – probably should try a different source (Costco?) this weekend when I reload the greens larder.

[Bam]

I have noticed that Bam can get “enough” of a certain green, like apple leaves. 1-2 week later, apple leaves are popular again. But in nature are seasonal eaters. Some plants are only interesting in early spring. Other plants are popular later in the season. Some of it of course has to do with availability, but there’s more to it than that. Plants have varying nutritional content in their different growth stages.

[Luna]

I think you’re right that they might just not be finding their usual mix to be as tasty. Actually, Luna noms more in the winter months than in the summertime. I try to tell her that she is domesticated and doesn’t need to stock up reserves for the winter .

[Sirius&Luna]

Mine definitely get bored of things that they get a lot. Celery is always left till last, and spring greens are less popular so last longer. Maybe try mixing some herbs into their regular mix to make it a bit different. I try and add a sprinkle of herbs every day.

[sarahthegemini]

Mine devour their plate of greens in about 5 minutes, if they didn’t it’d be because something was wrong. Always have. They do reject certain bits sometimes, I assume it’s not up to their standard or something lol

[joea64]

(Post #1000!!!)

I’m actually thinking of changing up their greens next week. I know bok choy is a bun favorite, so I’ve been considering getting them a bunch of it – it’s pretty cheap – along with a couple of other greens. I have the feeling that it’s as simple as their getting bored with spring mix day in and day out, as @Luna and @Sirius&Luna propose, plus which I think the Walmart greens have been looking a bit limp lately even when bought fresh; I suspect this is a frequent problem with winter vegetables, even those shipped from warmer climes.

[Wick & Fable]

It could be the instilling of food security. Wick no longer finishes his pellets in one sitting, as well as his vegetables. He’s learned it’ll be there later, so he doesn’t need to eat it all. He also gets less crazy when opening the fridge and fiddling with treat bags. He just sits and waits now.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[joea64]

Posted By Wick on 12/07/2017 9:32 AM

It could be the instilling of food security. Wick no longer finishes his pellets in one sitting, as well as his vegetables. He’s learned it’ll be there later, so he doesn’t need to eat it all. He also gets less crazy when opening the fridge and fiddling with treat bags. He just sits and waits now.

I like that answer.  P&F definitely seem to be getting a lot more comfortable with living with me as time goes by; not a day goes by that they’re not doing some kind of lounging or flopping. The other evening, for instance, Fernando was lounging, half-asleep, on the upper deck of their condo inches away from my face, while Panda was flopping out blissfully in the hidey box out in the X-pen enclosure right next to my feet. Overall, they seem to be getting more leisurely about taking their regular meals nowadays – but they still go wild when it’s treat time!

[Deleted User]

I feed spring mix to Ophelia and I notice that sometimes she is less enthusiastic about it. I’m sure it gets old to eat the same thing over and over. I spruce up the salad with other things like fresh herbs or bell pepper, or I sprinkle in some dried herbal blend (Small Pet Select). She gets really excited with the addition of herbs. I usually do some upgraded salad like every other day to keep things interesting.

[joea64]

Posted By BunNoob on 12/07/2017 11:09 AM

I feed spring mix to Ophelia and I notice that sometimes she is less enthusiastic about it. I’m sure it gets old to eat the same thing over and over. I spruce up the salad with other things like fresh herbs or bell pepper, or I sprinkle in some dried herbal blend (Small Pet Select). She gets really excited with the addition of herbs. I usually do some upgraded salad like every other day to keep things interesting.

How curious – I was wondering just a couple of hours ago what you and Ophelia were up to these days!

Good suggestions – I think P&F are definitely going to be getting something new this coming week.

[Deleted User]

Ophelia is doing well. I should hope, since the 3am binky madness on the bed hasn’t calmed down

As for me, I’m having a tough time. I’m glad I have Ophelia though, caring for her helps me not be so down in the dumps.

[Fluffykins]

Hope you’re ok BN x

[sarahthegemini]

BunNoob I wondered where you had been! Glad Ophelia is making you smile

[joea64]

To update, I included some sage leaves – the herb they love above all others – in their salad last evening along with the parsley and cilantro I’ve been using this week to jazz up the spring mix base. There was only a small quantity of leftover leaves in the very bottom of the bowl this morning, from which I conclude that a spoonful of sage helps the salad go down in a most delightful way. (I’ll just show myself out this door now, thank you. )

I’m planning to drive across town to Petco tomorrow to pick up some more Simple Rewards treats (they’re cheaper there than Petsmart) and see if there’s anything nice there for bun presents, so I’ll stop at the Harris Teeter nearby which has dandelion greens in their produce section. (Harris Teeter, by the way, is a regional subsidiary of Kroger, so if you have a Kroger nearby, you should probably be able to get dandelion greens there too.) Maybe some bok choy as well, and collard greens (I’m a Southerner and my buns should learn to enjoy this Southern staple ). All three have the HRS stamp of approval.  (EDIT: Just found out about the snow predicted for tomorrow.  The heaviest accumulation is east of the I-95 corridor, but it’s still likely to be a slip-sliding day in Manassas, so I might have to put off my Petco/Harris Teeter expedition until Sunday.)

[Deleted User]

If you’re looking for gift ideas, Small Pet Select has this little stocking with some treat chews, sea grass twists, and holiday herbal blend! I think it’s $12.94. It’s a cute little novelty!

[Bam]

Hi BN!! Missed you! Sorry to hear you’re going through a tough time. I’m glad you have Ophelia to make you smile

[joea64]

Posted By bam on 12/08/2017 9:02 AM

Hi BN!! Missed you! Sorry to hear you’re going through a tough time. I’m glad you have Ophelia to make you smile

One of the greatest things that Panda and Fernando have done for me is that they can just about always make me smile when I come back in through the front door of my apartment in the evening after work, call them and see them running up to the grids of their condo.

[Author]

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