Kale?

[nicole859]

My bun is very picky as far as veggies he will eat and he seems to really enjoy Kale.  But I have seen some veggies list that say you feed this sparingly.  So my question is how much is too much?  I have been given him a couple leaves of Kale with his other veggies every day.

[Sarita]

That should be fine. Kale is good for them.

[Stickerbunny]

The reason they are on the sites for sparingly is because kale is high in calcium and buns don’t need excessive amounts of calcium. It’s calcium is very easily absorbed as well, unlike some other veggies. Not sure how much is too much, but I am sure you can take Sarita’s word that a few leaves won’t be too much.

[nicole859]

Thanks!

[longhairmike]

i would limit kale to one big stalk per bun per day… collards even smaller portions,, unless you want to experience the wrath of a room-clearing bunny shart

[LizzieKnittyBun]

After what I’ve read and heard from different bunny owners, I would give kale sparingly. The House Rabbit Society suggests giving it only 1 to 3 times a week, definitely not every day. The bunny owners I’ve talked to said that their bunnies LOVED kale… but that it gave them the runs and they had to cut down on it.

[LizzieKnittyBun]

Here’s the House Rabbit Society’s bun shopping list.  Each veggie with an asterix should only be given 1-3 times a week.

Try to replace the kale with bok choy and see if he likes it, since they’re both varieties of cabbage.  Both our buns love it, and bok choy can be given every day.

 

[NaturalRabbit]

Regarding the list, wheat grass seeds are easy to find and grow yourself!
Same with peppermint. Good luck with your bun!

Definitely don’t give too much kale… bunny splarts and tummy aches will rise!

[BinkyBunny]

I didn’t give any Kale to Jack because he had a problem processing calcium properly (turned to sludge or stones). But with Vivian I give it to her about two to three times per week, OR I will add just smaller amounts to her overall larger green choice if I give it to her more than that. She gets alot of greens so by adding kale to what is already a large variety of greens, percentage wise, she doesn’t get too much.

[MissBunns]

Oh my gosh I didn’t know that. Bunny and Jack LOVE it, it’s their favorite. They get a few leaves each, every day. And it’s one veggie that doesn’t upset Bunny’s tummy….

Should I not cut back since the amount clearly isn’t bothering them? Or is it a problem that slowly sneaks up on you?

[BinkyBunny]

EDITED MY POST because I am not thinking clearly about Kale.  And the *  has caused so much confusion in the past.   I will need to correct the BB veggie list too.  But the HRS veggie list http://www.rabbit.org/care/veggies.html  says to use Kale sparingly — it not only has a * but it has a “!” next to it which means!)=Use sparingly. High in either oxalates or goitrogens and may be toxic in accumulated quantities over a period of time. 

The problem is that on the veggie list here which was supplied by an HRS board member says this about Kale: Most rabbits can handle vegetables that are high in calcium or oxalates, as long as the vegetables are served in moderation, and the bunny doesn’t have kidney or urinary tract problems. If you have a healthy rabbit, do not hesitate to serve her wonderful vegetables such as kale, just because they are high in calcium.

So I need to clarify which is correct!  I am confused now. 

In the meantime, BunnyandJack –I am assuming you don’t mean the whole kale leaf — just a few pieces you tear off?  Otherwise, if you meant they get a  full kale leaves, then I would say that may be a bit too much and either give very small amounts daily or only feed the full leaves 1 – 3 times a week as recommended. 

[FluffyBunny]

I’ve been giving it to my bunnies, on and off, for a couple years now without any problems. If your bunny has any problems with calcium or has a very sensitive stomach, you shouldn’t give it. However, from what I’ve seen, healthy bunnies do just fine getting kale every day – in fact, it’s tasty and very rich in nutrients, and is a great cheap veggie to give them.

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