New rabbit owner

[Sandy]

Good morning all. My bunnies Milkshake and Pizza are now 12 weeks old. I have only fed them pellets and timothy hay up to this point. I have read that i can now start with leafy greens and veggies. I read to give 1/2 oz. Does this sound rignt by you guys? Also it says to introduce different hays like oats and grass hay. Do you mix all the hay together with the timothy? Does it matter if i were to start with cabbage since i have that on hand or do i need to wait and get the greens? They are doing beautifully and i dont want to mess up! Thanks so much

[Deleted User]

Great names for bunnies!
Starting with leafy greens at this point is definitely okay. Just start out on one leafy green to see how their stomachs handle it. Every bun is different. Some buns are able to handle greens starting at 3 months, and some have to wait until 6 months. That’s why it’s so important to slowly introduce them. Every few days to one week add in a new green. Start with something that should be very easy on the tummy like romaine. If they have loose or runny poos then don’t feed it to them anymore as their stomachs might not have the proper gut environment to digest them yet. I wouldn’t start with cabbage, as it is known to cause gas in some buns. 

You can definitely also give them more options for hay. A lot of buns like oat hay and orchard grass. Orchard is my boys’ favorite and they go insane the minute I open the bag to top them up.   

[Azerane]

Yes you can start with leafy greens now. But start very slow. Pick one green such as romaine lettuce or bok choy and offer a small piece the size of your finger, the next day if there’s no been issues with poop slightly increase the size of the piece. Build up over the course of a week to a bigger piece. If after a week there are no tummy or poop issues then you can start introducing the next green If at any point there are tummy or poop issues, stop feeding the green you were introducing for a 1-2 weeks and then try again. Some rabbits have trouble with greens at a young age if their mum wasn’t eating any, others accept them well. With young bunnies it’s always better to be cautious because a gut upset can be a lot of trouble.

I find that once bunnies are older and on a large variety of greens daily, that it’s much easier to introduce new greens and doesn’t require as much caution as when first starting out.

[Sandy]

My husband bought some Romaine lettuce today and neither rabbit would eat it. Any suggestions what to do or try next? Thanks

[LBJ10]

Some rabbits aren’t too impressed by mature romaine lettuce. No biggie. You can try something else instead.

[Wick & Fable]

Green lettuce is a bigger hit typically. I find Wick enjoys the colored leafy greens. Sometimes romaine is at best light green, and I think rabbits sense that it’s just water, therefore not tasty! Basil and cilantro are quite popular.

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.

[MountainBuns]

My rabbit just loves romaine lettuce or collard greens. Remember to start off small with the veggies.

[Azerane]

I would keep trying with the romaine, you have already bought it so rather than just deciding they don’t like it, keep trying. Sometimes with new foods for Bandit I had to offer them for days in a row before he decided to even try them. With every new green. Once he really tried something it was then ok with him to eat, it was getting him to try that was the hard part. So I would just keep offering a small piece of romaine a few times a day until you can get them to try.

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