Alfalfa…

[Cupcakesmom]

I’ve been getting mixed signals about alfalfa, so I thought I would get ya’lls opinion. I heard awhile back that alfalfa is good for bunns who have stomach issues or are recovering from something. I have also been told that alfalfa is really bad for bunnies…but it seems like everything sold out there for bunnies has some sort of alfalfa in it. What do you guys think? Do you give your bunnies alfalfa?

Also, on a side note, how do ya’ll feel about orchard grass? good? bad? indifferent?

 

Thank you

[Sarita]

Well, alfalfa is not actually a hay, it’s a legume so I cannot imagine that it would be good for a rabbit with stomach issues since it’s high in protein. I would say that it just depends on the situation on whether it’s good or not, but it is not a grass hay like timothy or orchard so it does not replace that.

[RabbitPam]

I love orchard grass. I have always steered clear of alfalfa, the bad reports having outweighed the good. For tummy issues, I would feel safe with Papaya tablets (sold in pet stores), and if you need to keep a good food med in the house, get a bag of Critical Care. It can be made into edible balls, like cookies, when mixed with water, and is often prescribed for syringe feeding by vets if a bunny stops eating and/or is on some meds for tummy. Oat hay is really great for keeping a bunny’s GI tract moving well daily, so it’s a staple hay in our house. It’s dry, but some bunnies like mine love it. Timothy hay is the most common, and orchard grass is softer so is good, too. Some bunnies that like softer hays also like Second Cut Timothy, which I believe is made by American Pet Diner. (Name right?)

[Cupcakesmom]

So, from what I gather, alfalfa as an ingrediant isn’t bad….but not more than that? My bunns favorite treats have it as an ingrediant, but its the 4th or 5th, so its not a “major” ingrediant. The girl at the pet store I went to yesterday said bunnies SHOULD NOT have any alfalfa. Mine seem to do ok with the treats I give them, so its not like its overkill with it. I try and steer clear of it as much as possible, but like I said, its in almost everything available for bunnies.

I use Timothy hat and orchard grass for my girls I will continue with that as it sounds like its healthy

[Stickerbunny]

Alfalfa isn’t “bad” for bunnies (as in toxic, like chocolate etc), but it’s high nutrients/protein and way too rich for them to have much of. I think the “good for tummy issues” would be because bunnies love it generally and if they won’t eat anything else, they’d eat that, would be my guess anyways… but there are plenty of healthier things my buns will eat when they are not feeling well (like SALAD!). Mine get a tiny bit of alfalfa just as a treat maybe once or twice a year, they devour it but it’s like other not so good treats, a very occasional thing and their more usual treat is papaya, or craisins, or a tiny piece of banana, etc. Mine get fresh farm brome hay (only hay available locally) from a guy my boyfriend knows who has horses, he gives us a bale for free every few months and I buy small bags of oxbow oat/orchard to mix in for variety. I doubt a little alfalfa in the treats you feed would hurt them, though you can also bake your own bunny treats if you want.

[Cupcakesmom]

Any “recipe’s” for treats?? I have made oat/banana ones that Dizzie loves, but Cupcake doesnt like banana…

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