Feeding a bunny Canned Veggies and Fruit

[Scarlet]

Everything I have read online has said don’t give rabbits canned vegetables or fruit because they can contain preservatives or too much salt. But what if I’m buying no GMO or preservatives and low sodium(naturally sea salt used) canned vegetables and fruit? Right now I’ve bought only vegetables. I drain them, and I check how much sodium is in it then looked up if they’re safe for animals. 

Everything online I’ve read hasn’t said there’s anything wrong with non preservatived and low sodium canned stuff, so is it okay to give this to my bunnies? 

[Yoyo]

Hi Scarlet! .. didn’t know how to answer this, when I first read it, but,.. I got to thinking about it some… what on earth, vegetables, are you even feeding from a can? The kinds that rabbits should be allowed to have,.. mainly dark leafy greens, aren’t even sold canned to begin with?? You cant even begin to compare the cost of savings, for the amounts either, from fresh to canned too.

As for canned fruits,.. no, never – I would avoid those, like the plague, when feeding to my pets.. rabbits, should have VERY limited fruits, anyhow to begin with.

Forgive me, if I come off sounding too ” frank “but,.. I really had to think on this some lol… I was trying to imagine, if I went to the grocery, and bought cans… which ones I would pick, and,.. I came back with a big, fat NONE xd

[sarahthegemini]

Yeah what veggies are you wanting to feed from a can? Rabbits should have leafy greens which as Yoyo said, I don’t think even come in cans!

[tobyluv]

Rabbits should have fresh veggies and fruit, or they may sometimes have dried (dehydrated) herbs, veggies or fruit, but not canned.

[Scarlet]

My bunny is crazy about green beans, they never make him sick. As green beans are one of those foods to be careful with bunnies, I gradually introduced them to him and made sure they would not give him the runs or cause him to get sick. I enjoy non preservative low sodium natural green beans and my bunny cannot help but steal a few of them from me. Everything I’ve looked up says that it’s only bad if there’s preservatives in them or a lot of salt. He’s had no bad reactions to this and likes the canned ones better than uncooked green beans, he wolfs them down and I watch him for any ill results but he’s fine and healthy.

I’d never feed them canned fruit either, but some canned vegetables aren’t processed like they do to fruit.

There are also canned vegetable foods like
http://media.safebee.com/assets/images/2015/1/canned-food.jpg.838x0_q67_crop-smart.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/10/28/42/1028422c51092535e7280bf28bf84ad1.jpg

[sarahthegemini]

Why not just buy fresh??

[Scarlet]

I do, asparagus, bell pepper, some orange peels and a bit of banana peels as well as plenty of hay is given to him. Celery is going to be introduced next. He just really enjoys the green beans and they’ve had no ill effects and are GMO free and preservative free so I was hoping he could still eat one of his faves.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Scarlet on 3/04/2017 1:02 PM

I do, asparagus, bell pepper, some orange peels and a bit of banana peels as well as plenty of hay is given to him. Celery is going to be introduced next. He just really enjoys the green beans and they’ve had no ill effects and are GMO free and preservative free so I was hoping he could still eat one of his faves.

The veggies that rabbits need most is leafy greens.

[Scarlet]

Could you list some leafy greens for me to get him next time I’m out. Dandelions are also being added to his diet, but the stuff I see at the store is normally ridden with pesticides or grown with questionable chemicals.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Scarlet on 3/04/2017 1:27 PM

Could you list some leafy greens for me to get him next time I’m out. Dandelions are also being added to his diet, but the stuff I see at the store is normally ridden with pesticides or grown with questionable chemicals.

Sure! Romaine lettuce, green or red leaf lettuce,  Chinese leaf lettuce, pak choi, watercress, rocket, chicory, coriander, kale, parsley (flat leaf or curly leaf), rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, dill, mint, spinach (in moderation) They’re all I can think of at the moment! Remember to just try one new veggie per week and start with small amounts and increase if the poops are okay. Ooh carrot tops and radish tops would be good. I can’t get fresh dandelion greens where I am so I get dried dandelion from thehayexperts.co.uk and my buns love it

[Scarlet]

Yeah, I’ve only had my bun for a bit over a month, each week I try bits of new stuff, so far nothing has hurt his tummy or made him get the runs, he’s a bit picky with the asparagus, loves orange peels, banana peels did good, and he’s tried bell peppers without getting sick. So I’m going through things one by one to add to his diet.

[tobyluv]

Here are 2 good articles on veggies and fruits for rabbits. I see that you are feeding orange peels and banana peels. Both of those are mentioned in the articles as foods not to be given. There was a discussion lately about orange peels, and some sources do say they are okay, while others say to avoid them.

http://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetables-and-fruits-for-a-rabbit-diet/

https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/VeggieList/tabid/144/Default.aspx

Many of the herbs and some of the veggies can be grown in containers, some even inside the house.  If you can grow them yourself, you will certainly know that they are free of pesticides.  Most grocery stores have some organic fruits and veggies.  If  you have any natural foods stores near you, they are filled with organic produce.

[Scarlet]

What I read is to be careful with peels, and if they do affect the rabbit or get them gassy -like broccoli and some other veggies- to not give them anymore as the gas can hurt them. But my current rabbit, unlike my last one, eats peels without any bloating or stomach issues. 

I’m real careful with anything one half of rabbit diet sites say should be used sparingly, and other sites say shouldn’t be fed. Things like grape vines, banana peels, and orange peels.
Often in my experience with animals the peels are safer than the fruit as there’s more sugar in the fruit than the peels. Especially since fruits are to be served as treats and the last time one of my rabbits ate an orange slice they acted a bit unhappy and wanted tummy rubs.

I’ll look into it, I live in an area with very few stores within a thirty minute drive and to go out for two hours just to hope the place has what I need. I’m definitely fond of growing the stuff myself, canteloupe and watermelon are some of the only things I’ve learned to grow yet, so thank you, I’ll look into it.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I would avoid peels just because of the pesticide most likely on them.

[Scarlet]

Posted By LittlePuffyTail on 3/05/2017 3:28 PM

I would avoid peels just because of the pesticide most likely on them.

I believe there are some pesticide free grown peeled fruit, right?

[Author]

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