How to Feed Greens to Your Rabbit

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Ensure your veggies are fresh.

   Spoiled veggies are bad for rabbits.
   
   In fact, rabbit stomachs are even more sensitive than human stomachs to rotting food.
   
   Check the texture and smell of your greens before feeding them to your hopping friend.
   
   If they feel excessively soft or spongy, or smell spoiled, do not feed them to your rabbit.Red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, raspberry leaves, cilantro, dill leaves, bok choy, watercress, and wheatgrass are just some of the fresh greens your rabbit might enjoy.
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   Step 2: Choose organic when possible.Organic vegetables are grown without pesticides and harmful chemicals that can hurt your bunny.

   Buy organic greens when shopping to keep your rabbit healthy. , If your pet seems exhausted, loses its appetite, assumes a crouched stance when urinating, urinates only in small trickles, or seems to be in pain while urinating, contact your vet.
   
   These are signs your pet might have consumed excess calcium.
   
   Broccoli, while not technically a green, is also relatively high in calcium and should also be fed in minimal amounts. , Avoid giving your rabbit plants that are high in oxalic acid like parsley, mustard greens, and spinach.
   
   Try feeding your rabbit a green with high oxalic content like parsley for one week, then leave it out of the diet the next week. , This variety of lettuce contains a laudanum-like compound that can hurt your rabbit when consumed in excess.
   
   Choose dark, leafy lettuce types like red leaf and romaine to ensure your rabbit stays healthy., Each rabbit has a personality and its own unique preferences.
   
   While dandelion greens, for instance, might not bother one rabbit, they could cause another to have gas.
   
   Some rabbits like kale, while others do not.
   
   Always shape your rabbit’s diet in accord with what you know it likes., Because young rabbits have sensitive and developing gastrointestinal tracts, they cannot eat fresh veggies for some time after being born.
   
   Wait until your rabbit is about two months old before introducing greens into its diet., Before introducing greens or any other fresh food to your rabbit, it should eat some grass hay (as opposed to alfalfa hay) for at least two weeks.With at least two weeks of grass hay in its system, your rabbit’s gut will more easily process and absorb the new greens. , Rabbits should eat one cup of greens per every two pounds of its body weight each day.For instance, if your rabbit weighs ten pounds, it should eat five cups of greens per day. , Even when you’re buying organic, your veggies might have been in contact with something yucky.
   
   Rinse your veggies in cool water over a colander before serving them to your rabbit.
   
   Do not use soap or other cleaning products to wash your greens. , Instead, add one new type of green every two to three days.
   
   This way, if your rabbit has trouble digesting one or another of the greens, you’ll be able to easily identify which caused the problem. , After rinsing them off, there’s no need to wait for your greens to dry before feeding them to your rabbit.
   
   The extra moisture will help hydrate your bunny., This is the best way to feed your rabbit.
   
   You could choose to feed all the greens at once and allow your rabbit to nibble on them throughout the day, but adding the greens to the rabbit hutch in two batches will keep the second batch fresh. , Observe your rabbit and take note of anything out of the ordinary that could be a sign of health problems.
   
   For instance, if excessive or soft stool accompanies your rabbit’s consumption of a certain green, remove it from the diet and replace it with an alternative.If a certain green is disagreeable to your rabbit, soft stools will develop within 24 hours of feeding your rabbit the new green. , Many greens (swiss chard, for instance) dye your rabbit’s urine red due to natural pigments in the plant.
   
   This is not harmful to the rabbit and should not be cause for concern.
   
   However, if you see sludgy or bloody urine, contact a vet immediately., A mixture of greens will also ensure your rabbit gets a good balance of nutrients and vitamins.
   
   Ideally, each meal should have two or three different types of fresh greens. , This will keep your cage clean and prevent bugs from gathering to consume the rotting produce.
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   Step 3: Keep the calcium content to a minimum.A high-calcium diet can cause bladder stones

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   Step 4: urinary tract issues

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   Step 5: kidney stones

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   Step 6: and other digestive problems in bunnies.Greens that are high in calcium like kale

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   Step 7: mustard greens

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   Step 8: and collard greens should be fed sparingly to your rabbit.

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   Step 9: Look out for greens with high levels of oxalic acid.Oxalic acid can be consumed by rabbits in small amounts

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    Step 10: but in high levels it can be toxic.

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    Step 11: Avoid iceberg lettuce.

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    Step 12: Know your rabbit’s likes and dislikes.

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    Step 13: Wait until your rabbit is old enough to eat greens.

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    Step 14: Feed your rabbit grass hay.

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    Step 15: Decide what volume of greens your rabbit should eat.

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    Step 16: Wash your veggies.Vegetables often ship with pesticides coated on them.

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    Step 17: Introduce fresh greens slowly.Don’t introduce a variety of new greens to your rabbit’s diet all at once.

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    Step 18: Serve your rabbit’s greens wet.

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    Step 19: Feed half the greens in the morning and the other half in the evening.

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    Step 20: Look for potential problems.

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    Step 21: Check your rabbit’s urine after feeding a new green.

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    Step 22: Try to feed a variety of greens.Like people

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    Step 23: rabbits will tire quickly of eating the same thing all the time.

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    Step 24: Remove uneaten veggies.At the end of the day

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    Step 25: remove any greens your rabbit did not eat.

Detailed Guide

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