Picky Picky Picky!!!!!!!

[LoveChaCha]

I apologize for making so many topics lately.. but I am in need of some help with veggies

I have switched over ChaCha to timothy based pellets and she seems to be doing quite well with it. She gets less than a half of cup a day, and some romaines.

When I first fed her some romaine leaves, I had to chase her around the living room. I dropped it in front of her, and she sniffed it and finally tried it.

I went to the grocery store on Friday and bought some organic carrots with the tops and she didn’t seem to like them  She tried the tops and she ate a little bit, but didn’t even touch or bother with the carrot

Are some buns this picky? Or do I have to keep trying to chase her around to try the veggie?

I left the carrot on her veggie plate and left for a few hours, came back and it was still uneaten

[Elrohwen]

Yes, some buns are just picky! If she likes romaine, I would try the other lettuces – green/red leaf, escarole, and chicory. Otto will only eat lettuce and in a year of trying to feed him different stuff I’ve just accepted that he isn’t interested in anything else. I hoped Hannah would broaden his horizons, but so far he still just eats the lettuce and lets her have all of the other veggies.

Some bunnies are very interested in herbs, because they have a nice strong smell, so you can try those. Basil, pasley, and cilantro are favorites. And try giving it to her every day for a week – this works for some people (though not Otto).

[mrmac]

It all depends on the rabbit. My Dexter LOVEs veggies and will eat ANYTHING, Delilah will only eat red/green leaf lettuce (it took her a while to even try a veggie), and Davey refuses all green veggies period. They all love carrots though. Like Elrohwen said many bunnies like herbs, mine are the picky exceptions! They hate any herbs, parsley, cilantro, etc. They HATE the smell! I find with my trio, they like the ‘blander’ veggies like lettuce, nothing with a smell. Keep offering the veggies to her, I offer them to Davey still even though he has no interest.

[Elrohwen]

Same with Otto – the blander the better! If I try to force herbs on him he turns his head away like I’m trying to get him to eat poop or something (which is ironic, since he eats his own poop! what could taste worse than that?)

[Sarita]

Well, first I would not chase her – she is going to associate greens with this and it’s not a positive thing…just put it where you put her food and let her try it. It can take awhile for rabbits to try anything new.

[mrmac]

It took Delilah a couple months of giving veggies to Dexter before she finally gave in and tried them.

Elrohwen, it was hilarious the first time I offered parsley to Davey and Delilah! Just the smell of it spooked them and it sent them into a panic, bolting around the cage trying to find a safe spot!

[LucyTwoBunz]

Lainey will eat most ANYTHING, but Gulliver is a bit more picky although he really likes the brussel sprouts, brocolli, cauliflower-type vegis best so those are considered treats to him.  They won’t eat mustard greens or cilantro, but the other greens are well received.

[Monkeybun]

When I introduce new food to Monkey, I have to be rather rude about it lol. I have to shove it at her face until she gets annoyed and grabs it to throw it, at which point she actually tastes it.

[mrmac]

When I try that I get growled and boxed at! Davey is very ’decided’ on his idea of veggies! Just getting them to bite the veggie is half the battle!

[jerseygirl]

I think it was Baleful Regards that posted recently that her rabbits have a rule. Ignore it the first 5 times then they’ll eat it when next offered. Something like that. Just keep offering small amounts and let her discover it on her own. Maybe give it at night if she’s penned up.
Sometimes if you break a stem (like the carrot tops) or bruise herbs, it releases the aroma and entices them to try.

[LoveChaCha]

Thank you
I will do that! I have to clean up her cage tonight and will break open the carrot for her

[LittlePuffyTail]

he turns his head away like I’m trying to get him to eat poop or something (which is ironic, since he eats his own poop! what could taste worse than that?)

lol

[Rippy]

Once they start eating vegetables you have more options to give them new ones and occasional fruit treats and soon they will figure out that what you hand feed them is usually very delicious and will trust you when you give them something they have never seen before. And even the things they refuse at first will eventually get tried and eaten once it comes down to hay and healthy but not as tasty pellets.

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