Rabbit’s First Salad

[HereComesTheBun]

I’m a new rabbit owner with a 16 week old Holland Lop who is on unlimited grass hay and alfalfa pellets. I’m currently in the process of introducing him to dark leafy lettuce, which he is tolerating well and just adores. I plan to add another new vegetable to his diet in a few days and will give him time on that before adding another.

I’ve spent ample time studying approved vegetable lists, so I have a pretty good idea of what and what not to give him. However, I’m a bit confused about how much salad I should give him once he has more vegetables in his diet. If I were to give him greens based on weight, he would get about a cup, but is that too much for him at this age? And would I have to decrease the amount of pellets he’s getting? I know that rabbits go on to an adult portion of pellets when they’re about seven months old, but I also want to make sure that pellets don’t become too dominant is his diet. Also, in your experiences, are there any vegetables or herbs that are harder on the stomach and that I should consider waiting to add until he’s a little older?

Thanks so much! This seems like a great community, and I am excited to be part of it. I do have his first vet appointment scheduled, but as it’s not for a few weeks, I wanted to know what I can do before then.

[Roberta]

You could start with some carrot tops, cor I ander or sweet basil, one at a time and just a few pieces to start. He could get a runny tummy if he is not use to greens.

[HereComesTheBun]

Thanks for the suggestions. Is he too young right now to get a daily amount of salad after he’s healthily eating a few vegetables? I wouldn’t give him a full cup, but start with just a little bit and then maybe increase accordingly. If he should get salad, would that mean decreasing his pellets a little? I know that the amount of pellets rabbits eat decreases when they’re about seven months old, but I’m not sure if that changes if they’re also eating vegetables.

[Roberta]

I would leave the pellets and hay as is at the moment rather than upsetting his diet and slowly introduce a few herbs one at a time. Usually pellets are decreased to encourage them to eat more hay. If he is under 6 months he will need lots of nutrients.

[Author]

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