not keen on veg!?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 16sd replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 5 months ago by BinkyBunny.

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- 09/27/2009 at 7:25 AM
  rach83
  Participant
  57 posts
  Lily is strangely not that keen on fruit and veg.
  
  my last rabbit LOVED his fresh food,
  
  have tried her on broccoli (seemed her favourite but gone off it a bit now)
  
  apple, carrot, mini sweetcorn, cucumber, etc.
  
  she likes raisins, and her pellet food, and hay the best.
  
  any great things to try that will get her eating more veg??
  
  thanks
- 09/27/2009 at 7:40 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Well, I would keep trying. Maybe try some basil, green leaf and romaine lettuce, parsley, cilantro, dill.
  
  I would consider decreasing her pellets as well to encourage her to try her vegetables. Give her the veggies in the morning – no pellets and then at night decrease her pellets as well – how much pellets are you giving her?
- 09/27/2009 at 8:10 AM
  rach83
  Participant
  57 posts
  A full bowl a day, and she eats the lot. didnt want to limit it because she’s still growing at 4 months.
  
  she certainly has a good appetite on her! Just being fussy with the veg, loves something oneday and refuses it the next!
  
  cheeky beggar!
- 09/27/2009 at 8:13 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Well as long as you feed her the unlimited pellets she is going to fill up on those which is probably why she won’t eat her veggies as much. I think that type of veggie behavior can be normal for many rabbits too.
- 09/27/2009 at 8:13 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  When my young bun was getting unlimited pellets, he hardly ate any veggies either. Now that he’s on a limited amount, he definitely eats way more veggies. He’s still pretty picky about the type, but he’ll eat romaine, leaf lettuce, chicory, and endive. I would keep trying different things, but know that once you limit pellets she’ll probably eat a lot more.
- 09/27/2009 at 8:17 AM
  rach83
  Participant
  57 posts
  OK thanks guys, i will start giving her less pellets. hopefully she’ll eat her veg instead! just dont want her to be unhealthy not having enough fresh stuff.
  
  will start tomorrow and let you know how it goes.
  
  she seemed so tiny and thin when i bought her home i just wanted to get her munching, so probably over-did the pellets a bit
- 09/27/2009 at 8:33 AM
  KatnipCrzy
  Participant
  2981 posts
  Just keep offering! When Cotton was little I also thought she would NEVER eat veggies/greens like she is supposed to. As she got older, and became more willing to try the veggies- she starting eating them more and more. Now she scarfs down her greens/veggies- though she will dig thru the bowl to find her favorites first.
- 09/27/2009 at 9:58 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  In addition to beginning to decrease the pellets, I’d also recommend you focus on getting healthier veggies for her. Apples and carrots are considered “treats”. Sweet corn I’m confused about. Buns should not have corn. Cucumbers don’t offer much in the way of nutrition or fiber. Broccoli is good, but can cause gas or stomach upset in some bunnies and should be fed in limited quantities. The best veggies for her will be the dark, leafy greens that the others mentioned: romaine, parsley, green-leaf lettuce, collard greens, etc…
- 09/27/2009 at 2:50 PM
  rach83
  Participant
  57 posts
  right, thankyou, will get the better veg mentioned, i am learning all over again after not having a bun for 8 years!
- 09/27/2009 at 9:31 PM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  Sometimes you have to offer something a couple of times before they’ll eat it. Just leave it there for a few hours, and try agian (with a fresh sample of course) the next day-eventually they’ll give it a nibble and realize its yummy.
  
  Parsley is something every bunny loves-give that a try
- 09/28/2009 at 4:50 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  It’s a learning curve with buns, definitely!
  
  Parsley is great, many bunnies prefer the flat/italian leaf parsley over the curly/garnish type parsley. Both are good and edible, but I know my buns will snarf more of the flat-leaf…
- 09/28/2009 at 10:26 AM
  Furface
  Participant
  618 posts
  Posted By rach83 on 09/27/2009 08:10 AM
  
  A full bowl a day, and she eats the lot. didnt want to limit it because she’s still growing at 4 months.
  
  she certainly has a good appetite on her! Just being fussy with the veg, loves something oneday and refuses it the next!
  
  cheeky beggar!
  
  I thought that at only 4 months old you were suppose to feed unlimited pellets & carefully add 1 veggie per week so as to watch for any that upset the little tummy.
- 09/28/2009 at 10:51 AM
  Jenna, Chubs & Comet
  Participant
  617 posts
  I have a friend with a bunny who will not eat one single fresh food- not even the sweets like apple or banana. So forget the parsley or anything else! However, I told her to try cilantro and she’s had some success with that. Ziggy (her bun) will still not eat it every day, but sometimes he does which is better than never. So maybe try cilantro? That’s a favorite of mine for my bunnies too, because it makes them smell so good after they eat it. They smell like cilantro all day!
- 09/28/2009 at 8:35 PM
  mrmac
  Participant
  2156 posts
  Two of my three will not touch a veggie! PERIOD! No matter how many times I offer it or leave it, nothing. They HATE parsley and cilantro cause of the smell. They love bananas and carrots and dried fruit though. Just have some cooky buns!
- 09/30/2009 at 1:01 AM
  BinkyBunny
  Moderator
  8776 posts
  Posted By Furface on 09/28/2009 10:26 AM
  
  I thought that at only 4 months old you were suppose to feed unlimited pellets & carefully add 1 veggie per week so as to watch for any that upset the little tummy.
  
  Furface – that is a great reminder for “young bunnies” . Many times I get caught up in the correct diet and forget about the age! The veggies can be introduced at 3 months – one at a time.
  
  Rach – Check out this House Rabbit Society Diet Article which shows at what age to feed what – http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html#basics
  
  The article offers detailed info about what to feed as they age. This can be modified a little bit though depending on the reaction of individual bunnies.. For example if a young bunny starts gaining too much weight or is having problems with unlimited pellets.
- 09/30/2009 at 1:25 AM
  rach83
  Participant
  57 posts
  Thanks for all the help guys, i have given her a little less pellets the last day or so, not alot less, she’s certainly not fat.
  
  and been offering some carrot and parsley. She loved the parsely. Will take it slowly anyway and just try a new thing now and again.
  
  Think i have been going too much on what my last bun was like, and he was a food monster LOL. if he even heard the fridge or a packet he would be on you like a shot!!! but he was older too, i forget she’s only a baby still! hopefully we have many veggie munching years ahead of us yet
- 09/30/2009 at 1:35 AM
  BinkyBunny
  Moderator
  8776 posts
  Oh yeah! Sounds like Parsley is a hit. Just feed that for the first week and don’t add a new green in yet for another week. This way you can see how her system is handling the greens. Wiith her digestive system still being rather young, it’s stil building up the gut bacteria needed to break down all the yummy new food. So one at a time is good and parsley is a great start.
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