Bunnies and Apples?

[Akane]

We have sugar gliders and parrots which eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Bunnies get the cast offs so they eat melon rind, bell peppers, kiwi, sprouts (radish, bean, sunflower, .... ), snow peas, blueberries, papaya, mango, baby carrot slices, premixed herb salad, banana, cucumber, butternut squash, and anything else that is at risk of going bad before it can be fed out. Apples are one thing we don't feed often. They are high sugar with less healthy sugars like fructose (reason I can't eat them anymore) and less useful nutrition so we just pass them up for other fruits.

Our rabbits always have clover/grass mix hay. The clover only because they are breeding/growing pedigreed rabbits. Non breeding adult animals should have grass or early cut grain hays not legumes like clover and alfalfa.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
I lost this thread! Had to search for it.

Really, that little of an amount? Keep in mind, this is a LARGE New Zealand white rabbit here, not a little bunny. Also, someone mentioned loose stool; that doesn't happen. She has healthy firm pellet poop. I'll cut it back a bit to be on the safe side.

And yes, her primary diet is rabbit pellets and timothy hay.

 

[thekid]

an apple a day keeps the bunny doctor away

 

[Mykee]

My two rabbits love apple.

I give them a small slice occassionally because it is just a treat. They are ten lb. cinnamon buns, so they could probably eat more without a problem. Are spinach, kale, and swiss chard fine for them? I have heard that they have too much calcium.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

My rabbits LOVE apples. They get them for treats every now and then

 

[secuono]

Too much of a good thing along with the core & seeds I've always read is bad. But the 'meat' of the apple and skin is fine, all things in moderation.
Wild rabbits in our yard eat the fallen apples from our trees.

 

[Mommysongbird]

I have to jump in here!

We have a lionhead and so does my mom (brother and sister). Our rabbit will eat an apple when I have them, but his main thing is carrots, he loves them. I try not to give him to much cabbage, but I have cabbage he gets a few leafs. He gets his daily ration of pellets/mix but timothy hay is something that he doesn't eat much of, he just seems to not like it very well.

My mom's rabbit on the other hand will eat anything that comes near its nose. She even eats bread, LOVES the stuff and she is not the first rabbit that my mom has had that loves bread, any kind. My mom also beleives in feeding her rabbit lots of cabbage and I keep telling her that is why the rabbit doesn't drink her water, the cabbage has water in it, but probably not enough to take care of her daily intake.

What are your thoughts on cabbage??

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
I don't give her the core or seeds. I cut it in half, core out the center and seeds and give her half of a small apple. I do this every other day or so. I've seen no repercussions from it, stool looks good, her health is good and her behavior is good, so I don't think it's too much. I've often wondered if I core and seed them needlessly, but never wanted to risk it.

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
I don't know about cabbage mommysongbird, I've never given my bunny any. Maybe someone else here will know. I wouldn't think cabbage would give her adequate water intake though, I would be sure she still gets plenty of water.

 

[ScissorChick]

Some say cabbage is fine, some say it's not.
It's not recommended

Heres a list of safe veggies, every thing with a ! beside it means Use sparingly.

Raddichio
Broccoli (leaves/stems)
Brussels sprouts
Carrot & carrot tops
Celery
Mustard greens
Parsley
Pea pods (snow pea/sugar snap pea)
Peppermint leaves
Chinese celery
Alfalfa, radish & clover sprouts
Baby bok choy
Basil
Beet greens (tops)
Bok choy
Cilantro
Clover
Collard greens
Dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides)
Dwarf choy sum
Endive
Escarole
Gai long
Green peppers
Kale (!)
Mint
Watercress
Wheat grass
Yu choy
Radish tops
Raspberry leaves
Romaine lettuce (no iceberg)
Spinach (!)

It's recommended to pick atleast 3 types of veggies daily. I normally give my rabbit

herbs. - Parsley, Cilantro, Basil, Mint, that kind of stuff. Each veggie really needs to be

introduced one at a time. If your rabbit starts having loose droppings, the last introduced

veggie should be immediatly removed.

Laurajean
Yes, only a few tiny peices of apple. I know they love them sooooo much, but to much can

make them sick. Some rabbits can eat little more than others, but not to much more.

Never feed the seeds/core.

ScissorChick