Diet Questions

[BunMarley]

I have a lion head born on Jan 20, 2017 and I know it is young to start feeding him greens already, but I’ve at least started to do my research and I have to say I’m a little confused. As you may know, different sources give different answers (I’ve even read the diet list on Binky Bunny), and of course, every situation is different also.

So, I’m hoping to get answers from you guys!

When should I introduce veggies to by bun? I’ve read anything from 2-6 months.

What veggies are suitable for everyday/ how often? My boyfriend brought home some collard greens, mustard greens & kale (without realizing it might be too young to start introducing them), but I’ve ready that they should be fed in moderation?? Then other sources say they are okay. I was hoping to get a feel of what your bunnies daily diets are.

As an extra question, when can I start feeding my bun the oxbow supplement tabs?

A lot of questions but I’m a novice owner trying to get a feel for things!
Thanks guys!

[tobyluv]

Hello and welcome to Binky Bunny! You will read different time lines for diet recommendations, but a lot of people agree that 12 weeks (3 months) is a good time to start with the greens.

There are 2 veggie lists under the BUNNY INFO tab here, the Binky Bunny list and the HRS list. I don’t know if you saw both of them or not. You will find some contradictions in the various lists and recommendations out there. According to both lists, mustard greens should be limited. Collards are mentioned on one list, but not on the other. Kale is usually a favorite of rabbits, but some people think it shouldn’t be fed daily due to higher calcium levels. Romaine lettuce, red or green leaf lettuce, cilantro, carrot tops (if you can find good, fresh ones) are some good greens to start with.

Regarding the Oxbow supplement tabs, no one is really sure how effective they are at helping with the various conditions they are to be used for. I currently use the digestive tabs for my bunnies, in the hope that it might help to ward off GI stasis (in addition to plenty of hay of course) and in the past, I used the joint tabs for two bunnies that had mobility problems. At the least, most bunnies enjoy them as treats. They are too hard to break, but they can be cut in half to use as treats. And it is possible that they help with health conditions. I know that turmeric is supposed to be very good for people, having anti-inflammatory properties and other healing properties. It is in the joint tabs. It’s also known that humans and animals don’t react the same to medicines or foods, so just because it’s good for humans, doesn’t mean it’s good for animals. You might want to see if your vet has an opinion on the Oxbow supplements.

[Paige]

I’d say to not start the supplements until your bunny has started to get the right amount of veggies per day since you do not want to upset his stomach by introducing two new things at a time.
My bunny gets the same salad every day which has romaine without the stems(I wouldn’t feed stems to start off your bunny with veggies because they are not very nutritious and they have lots of water, which can cause loose stools(my bunny has a sensitive stomach as well )) 1stalk of parsley, 1 small stalk of cilantro, 2 small pieces of baby spinach, and either one mint leaf or a small piece of dil. My bun is 4 lbs.

[Author]

Messages