Eat your vegetables!

[COOKIE'N FLUFF MOMMA]

I have been trying to get my bunnies started on their veggies for two weeks now. They wont eat any of them! They are 14 weeks old. I need some good ideas on how to feed it to them. Or is there a veggie out there that no bun can resist?

I tried putting it in their food bowl with their pellets, putting it in the middle of their cage, Feeding it to them by hand while in their cage and out running around their room, and tried just leaving it in the middle of the floor while they’re running about.

I hate to spend a fortune on a bunch of veggies they wont eat and that have no use for me to use in the kitchen. Here are some i have tried: Bok choy, carrots, cilantro, green pepper, cucumber peels, and celery. I thought they would eat at least one of those! please help

[Sarita]

I would try parsley and romaine. I’m surprised they didn’t like the cilantro. I would just put a small amount out each day too and keep it there all day.

Sometimes it takes awhile for bunnies to get it when it comes to vegetables.

Carrots are really a treat and should be kept to a minimum. They may find the green pepper too bitter. I’m not sure about cucumber peels, I have never tried this with my rabbits. Alot of rabbits don’t like celery.

Also try small amounts of fresh herbs. Some that mine like are mint, basil and dill.

[Sage Cat]

This is how it goes with my buns:
The first time I give my buns a “new” veggie – they ignore it.
The second time I give my buns a “new” veggie – they nibble on 1 or 2 pieces.
The third time I give my buns a “new” veggie – they gobble it down.

The only thing they have not eaten at all so far is asparagus – more for me!!

I would try lettuce (red leaf or romaine) or herbs (parsley or cilantro).

Bell peppers are sweet not bitter – my little ones like the red & green. Bunny’s typically like bitter greens like Beet greens & mustard greens. However, I would not start out with those.

[Beka27]

the ones you’re giving are ones that are not too popular usually. the tops for most buns are dark lettuces (romaine, endive, escarole, red leaf, green leaf), parlsey (the flat leaf is more fragrant and more nutritious i hear). also popular are the greens (collard, mustard, and dandelion).

get one kind of dark lettuce this week and give it to them everyday for a week. i’ll bet they eat it by the end. if that goes well, get the same lettuce next week and add parsley. give it everyday. add one at a time until you have several that they like. you can then alternate those in and out, trying new ones occasionally.

[jerseygirl]

Maybe give only one new veg at a time. See thread  ”Picky Bunny” under Behaviours forum also.

[Princess*Smudge]

I am the one with the “Picky Bunny” from the thread mentioned above by Jerseygirl. Smudge would not eat ANYTHING until I tired washing some romane lettuce and leaving it really damp for her in a bowl and giving it to her before she got pellets (I also had to cut back on pellets) before she was getting pellets first thing in the morning and filling up on them and her hay, now she gets her greens in the morning and the pellets later at night. This way she is hungry when the veggies are served and she enjoys it so much more than her pellets. Try giving the lettuce damp (I don’t even shake off extra watter just rinse and rip into smaller pieces and into the bowl, it really helped for some reason with her, maybe she liked the moist texture better I’m not sure. Also the only herb I have gotten her to eat thus far is dill. As soon as its close to her cage she can smell it and is at the door begging. I’ve found that sticking to the basics really helps, Smudge wont eat carrots as treats or just about any other “sweet” treats. Also go with the same advice others gave you and try to introduce one new veggie multiple times, I found that once she had her veg routinely in her cage she got curious and now comes to expect it. Good Luck and keep trying!!

[rabbitsmba]

You can also try spritzing them with pure apple juice to tempt them….

[MooBunnay]

What is your bunny’s current pellet schedule? If I feed my bunnies their vegetables right after pellets they usually will not eat the veg for a couple more hours, and then it is not as fresh. Try giving your bunny’s their veg BEFORE their normal pellet time, and then wait awhile before giving pellets. I have one bunny that is actually somewhat frightened by strong smelling herbs, she’ll thump and run away from them but things like romaine and red leaf lettuce she LOVES!

[COOKIE'N FLUFF MOMMA]

Since my bunnies are only 14 weeks i give them unlimited pellets, all day. I’m going to the store tonight to buy some more different things suggested. Thanks everyone!

[Author]

Messages