My rabbit is usually eating 3 big carrots per day is that bad

[RabbitBunnyLover]

I’m afraid that it’s bad but just now I figured out about carrots and that they should eat only a mini carrot once a day and my rabbit is eating 3 large carrots per day and sometimes other things that are good but my mom won’t buy hay for her, is it dangerous? It’s been like that for 3 years I think and now my rabbit is 9 years old and I’m worried it is harming her to eat only that, and I gave her today 3 pieces of lettuce is it harmful? We never give her lettuce it was just once and it’s not iceberg lettuce.

[Dasher]

Carrots are high in sugar so yes that’s bad. It should only be given as a treat. Why won’t your mom buy hay? It’s very important and should be 80-90% of your rabbit’s diet.

[Asriel and Bombur]

Rabbits eat more than carrots…
I’m sorry, but if you’re mom won’t give her the proper care, especially as an elderly bun, you really should think about rehoming her. Bunnies need to have a diet that’s mostly fiber, not sugar. I’m honestly surprised she doesn’t have any dental issues or hasn’t had Stasis or runny stools. One baby carrot as a treat 2-3 times a week. Hay is 85% of a bunny diet and is the most important thing. 10% leafy greens, 5% pellets, and 5% treats.

[Coco]

When you do get hay (go to Walmart with your mom even) don’t get alfalfa, get Timothy or meadow hay! Alfalfa is for baby bunnies only. Save your allowance & buy the hay with your own $. If you don’t get an allowance, learn a craft to sell to family or friends & use that money.your rabbit needs your help.

[Dasher]

If you have a tractor supply close by you can get 60lb hay for $20 so it’s pretty cheap. Farm hay is also good and even cheaper.

[Coco]

Get hay somehow! For your bunnies sake.

[BinkyBunny]

Let’s try to get to the bottom of what’s going on here first and see if there might be some solutions. Rehoming a senior bunny would have some serious challenges as many people don’t want to take on a bunny that may not be around as long, nor deal with some of the senior health issues that can come with an older bunny. Not to mention stress on a senior bunny to be completely re-homed after 3 years (or have you had her for 9 years?). No guarantees a “new” person would take better care, so since this member is reaching out for help and wants to learn, let’s at least give it a go.  

Edited to add:  Others have give you good diet advice as well as  great suggestion on how to get hay too. 

Is your mom allergic to hay? If so there are ways around that.

Maybe your mom doesn’t see the need since your bunny has been fine so far. Here is how I address that. It is true, some bunnies just seem to do fine without hay….until they are not fine. Many can live a whole lifetime (lucky) without hay, but the majority of bunnies, will have some digestive issue at some point and when they hit that snag, having a high fiber diet can help prevent and get them through it. It’s sort of like the reason you wear a seat belt. 99% of the time you get from point A to Point B without a problem. But wearing a seatbelt every time you get in the car can help keep you safe, not just from accidents, but from hard urgent stops. Digestive issues in rabbits can be serious….and very expensive to treat at a vet. This article (with a great video), really addresses what I am talking about. http://www.indianahrs.org/rabbit-ca…s-hay.aspx

Pass along this info to your mom. Have her come here, and communicate with us too if she has any questions. Sometimes parents are resistant, but it sounds like you really want to do the right thing and your mom should be proud of you for that. She raised a smart caring daughter. You might have some good results if you show her what you have learned.

[Muj Mom N Bun]

Thank You BB

[RabbitBunnyLover]

She wouldn’t resist to buy hay just didn’t know that it’s important, just yesterday night I told her about the hay but this explains why my rabbit is fat, she’s 9 years old but still really energetic especially when my mom comes because she really loves my mom

[RabbitBunnyLover]

My mom just really loves my rabbit but so far nothing bad happened since the last 3 years, my mom really loves our rabbit and the rabbit loves her either, she let’s her to get into her territory. My mom doesn’t want to buy hay and I don’t get why but she loves my rabbit. My rabbit is feeling good but getting fat and old, 9 years old. I’ll convince my mom to change everything else I’ll just buy by myself and won’t ask her. But she does give her A LOT of the green things you said instead of carrots at least twice a week but it’s not enough. Ok don’t worry I’ll take a care of everything

[jerseygirl]

Does your rabbit get grass at all? Grass is good fibre like hay.

Be careful when changing her diet, especially now that she’s an older rabbit. Make the changes slowly so that weight loss is also gradual. It would be dangerous to her health to lose it too quickly, her liver wouldn’t cope.

Do you live near any farms or know anyone who has horses? That’s an easy way to get grass hay. Horse hay is suitable for bunnies.

You can also collect twigs/thin branches & leaves to add good fibre to her diet.
For example: birch, ash, willow, hazel, hawthorne, and cuttings from rose bushes, apple & pear trees, raspberry & blackberry bushes.

[RabbitBunnyLover]

The rabbit in your pfp looks like my rabbit when she was young, yes she is eating those, only hay no but now my mom said she will get as many hay as needed and we will give her carrot only as a treat but we will do it slow so it won’t hurt her. Thanks to all of you guys I really love rabbits they’re cute and I think that when I grow up I’ll try to make a lot of money to have 30 rabbits in a large safe area for rabbits only. I love rabbits <3

[dnelle]

so glad to hear that your mom is going to start buying hay!! your bunny is lucky to have someone who cares so much and will be very thankful to feel healthier

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’ll try to make a lot of money to have 30 rabbits in a large safe area for rabbits only.

That’s one of the reasons I buy lotto tickets. That would be like bunny Heaven.

Thanks for taking the time and care to make healthy changes for your bunny.

[Coco]

I don’t know where you live, but my area is full of kudzoo & my bun loves kudzoo! Someone told me that I could dry it out for kudzoo hay! I haven’t yet researched the pros & cons of it yet. But I do know that since my bun got her spay on monday, she only ate a bit of parsley, a tiny bit of hay & a few black oil sunflower seeds in shell. So this morning I cut her a bit of kudzoo & she ate a good bit of it! Right now she is back to eating her pellets! ?

[Author]

Messages