How often to feed veg?

[DaisyMaisy]

Everytime i search up how often or how much of a veg you should feed i get different answers. For example, romaine lettuce, some sites it says it’s ok to eat daily, other places says it should be once every few days and the same veg shouldn’t be fed daily and you should feed different veg everyday. Currently I’m giving 2 romaine lettuce leaves daily and give something between coriander, peppers, parsley and basil every few days. I don’t know if i’m doing it right ??!!! Her poops are normal so I don’t know if it’s an issue

[DanaNM]

I know it can be very confusing! Romaine is definitely safe to feed daily. Of course more variety is considered better, but depending on where you live that may not be practical or possible. I aim to feed three types of veggies per day and I rotate them when I can, but I usually have a type of lettuce as one of them (sometimes romaine, sometimes red leaf, etc). In the winter they get less variety, in the summer they get more. The main “formula” that I follow is a lettuce, an herb, and dark leafy green. So could be romaine, cilantro/coriander, and kale. Or romaine, oregano (in the summer when I grow it), and swiss chard. Or red leaf, basil, and carrot tops. You get the idea! In the winter they often get mostly romaine and kale, since that’s whats available and of decent quality at my supermarket. Growing your own herbs or spring mix is also an economical way to incorporate more variety. Lettuce is very easy to grow inside if you have a sunny window or a plant light. 🙂

If you are feeding a high quality pellet and your bun eats his hay, veggies are really more of a source of enrichment than a dietary necessity. Some people’s buns don’t do well on pellets and in those cases it’s much more important to feed a high variety of veggies. Peppers I would consider more of a treat, so I wouldn’t feed too much of them, but a small amount each day is fine. 🙂

. . . 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.  

[DaisyMaisy]

Thanks for the info!! How do I know if I have a high quality pellet? Right now i’m feeding selective adult pellets and giving about 2-3 spoons a day split into two feedings but she wont settle down unless i give her some veg too and she also eats all her hay. I seen somewhere that younger rabbits up until 7-8 months need slightly more pellets so i don’t know if i’m giving the right amount? She’s 4 months old now. Also, I have lots of seeds stocked up to plant in the next couple months to save some money but the weather here is always so cold and cloudy, so i don’t think they’ll do well atm. And I’ll be more careful with the peppers!! 🙂

[Wick & Fable]

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Pellets#How_can_I_tell_if_a_pellet_is_sufficiently_nutritious?

Take a look here for multiple recommended parameters for a nutritious, good quality pellet.

Science Selective is a good quality brand though, so generally anything you get from them will be fine in appropriate quantities!

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.

[DaisyMaisy]

Thank you that’s really helpful 😀

[DanaNM]

If she is only 4 months old she should have a source of alfalfa in her diet. Most people prefer to feed a junior rabbit pellet with alfalfa, rather than having alfalfa hay, because it can be harder to transition to grass hay when a bun has been getting only alfalfa. But, you can give adult pellets and some alfalfa hay instead. At her age she can have almost unlimited pellets, which means you can give a generous amount and then refill the bowl once it’s empty. Some people do this for the first year, others only till about 6-8 months, depending on the size of the bun (larger rabbits take longer to grow). From what you described she may need more pellets. If you switch her to a different pellet just be sure to do it gradually (there are usually instructions on the package on how to do this).

You also want to introduce new greens very slowly to make sure they don’t upset her gut.

. . . 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.  

[DaisyMaisy]

Most junior pellets say they are up to 20 weeks though, so i transitioned her from her junior pellets a couple weeks ago as she will be 20 weeks soon and didn’t want to buy a whole new bag of junior pellets. I think I might get her some alfalfa hay and she can have it alongside with the hay she is eating now?

And about the unlimited pellets, Ive realised everytime i’ve gave her extra food she gets a lot of soft poo the next day, but if it is better for her I think I might slowly start increasing how much she eats and see how it goes.

[DanaNM]

Were her normal poops soft, or did she just have extra cecals? It’s pretty normal for young rabbits to have extra cecals because the diet is more rich.

And yes it would be ok to just provide some alfalfa along side her timothy, and give a bit extra pellets. I would also weigh her regularly and feel along her spine and hip bones to make sure she doesn’t feel too boney.

. . . 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.  

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