Do rabbits need to adjust to grazing grass?

[Deleted User]

Can I just take Fern outside and let her graze freely, or do rabbits need to adjust to grass like their vegetables, fruits, and pellets? Or is grass like hay and they can eat it without a slow introduction? When my rabbit becomes 6 months old I’ll introduce a few vegetables and limit her amount to two tablespoons of pellets (I’ll be switching when she’s 7 months old to adult pellets). When she becomes an adult I will train her in the house to get used to a harness and leash. During harness training I will save my money to get a few obstacles or use a few makeshift ones to train her in rabbit agility. But I’m worried that if I take her outside she’ll eat some grass and become sick because she isn’t used to it. Thanks!

[Gina.Jenny]

Most buns, even juveniles, should be fine eating grass, though our first bunny, Chelsea got an upset tum after anything green, even any amount of grass. If you have access to clean safe grass, use some scissors, and cut a small handful, and feed that to your bun, if she is fine, give her gradually increasing amounts til you are ready to take her outside. Please be careful using a harness, some buns have been known to give themselves injuries trying to get out of an unfamiliar harness.

[Bam]

Some buns do pig out on fresh grass the first time they get to go outside, so its good if you can keep an eye. This time of year the risk of over-eating isn’t quite as big as in the spring, when the new grass is full of simple sugars. Horse owners often limit their horses’s grazing time to about 20 minutes/day in spring, some horse owners don’t let their horses graze freely until after Midsummer.

My Bam isn’t very interested in eating grass when he is outside, but all buns are different.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Spring and Fall is when the grass has the most sugar. And best time to graze is early morning on a cloudy day. I had a diabetic horse so I had to learn all about safe grazing.

[Deleted User]

Okay, but the grass can’t be freshly mowed either, right? (I’ve read that it starts to ferment and can cause upset stomachs)

[Gina.Jenny]

you cant give grass cuttings from a lawn mower, the mower heats the grass as it cuts, which is why I mentioned cutting with scissors. I guess if the cuttings are left on the grass, then you couldn’t put a bun on it, but if the mower collected the clippings, then you put the bun out, I can’t see that being a problem?

[LittlePuffyTail]

I suspect it’s the same with bunnies, but for horses, giving grass clippings was a huge nono. You are correct, Colourful, the grass starts to ferment very quickly and can cause GI upset.

[Deleted User]

My dad uses a mower with a bag, so it collects the grass that is cut.

[Deleted User]

You’re right! I agree with you.

[Deleted User]

That is nice. I also do that that we have a schedule of mower in our lawn. It is helpful and economical.

[Author]

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