bunniesmum
New Member
small pieces of Potato, and sweet potato SKINS, which have a lot of nutrients and fiber.
A rabbit that doesn't eat hay....
- Thread starter Momma Stitch
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Potato: Unripe fruits, leaves and stems are toxic -- according to MediRabbit
Ripe potatoes are also very high in carbs, sugar and starch (and actually low in fiber) -- not good for rabbits in any way.
As for the skins of sweet potatoes, I'm seeing some dissenting opinions, but generally it is not recommended. (The sweet potato is not in the nightshade family as are regular potatoes.) This following site says not to feed it.
http://www.onlinerabbitcare.com/can-rabbits-eat-sweet-potatoes/
The House Rabbit Society also has potato greens and sweet potatoes on their poisonous list.
Imbrium
Jennifer
Yeah, I definitely wouldn't feed any part of a potato or sweet potato to rabbits (including the potato chips that Layne swears we need to share with him).
I hadn't actually heard the unripe/ripe potato distinction before... for sugar gliders (we've got a cute pair of 'em), the safe/unsafe food lists specify raw vs cooked (with raw being toxic regardless of if they're ripe or not). Either way, raw potato is a safety gamble at BEST. Even cooked, both sweet and regular potatoes are starches - chock full of carbs. Carbs in general (NOT just sugars) elevate blood sugar, raising the risk of diabetes when eaten in excess.
"In excess" doesn't take a whole lot for a rabbit because their natural diet is very low carb and they're more prone to diabetes than other pets. Rabbits do have a major sweet tooth and a wild rabbit would gorge itself on fruit if it was in season and accessible to ground level... but a wild rabbit would most likely succumb to illness, injury or predation before it was old enough to develop diabetes. In captivity, our pet rabbits live significantly longer, making it especially important to keep them on a high (indigestible, like from hay) fiber and low carb diet.
I hadn't actually heard the unripe/ripe potato distinction before... for sugar gliders (we've got a cute pair of 'em), the safe/unsafe food lists specify raw vs cooked (with raw being toxic regardless of if they're ripe or not). Either way, raw potato is a safety gamble at BEST. Even cooked, both sweet and regular potatoes are starches - chock full of carbs. Carbs in general (NOT just sugars) elevate blood sugar, raising the risk of diabetes when eaten in excess.
"In excess" doesn't take a whole lot for a rabbit because their natural diet is very low carb and they're more prone to diabetes than other pets. Rabbits do have a major sweet tooth and a wild rabbit would gorge itself on fruit if it was in season and accessible to ground level... but a wild rabbit would most likely succumb to illness, injury or predation before it was old enough to develop diabetes. In captivity, our pet rabbits live significantly longer, making it especially important to keep them on a high (indigestible, like from hay) fiber and low carb diet.
My first rabbit was a very sweet mini rex. She had quite the personality and was a little stinker sometimes. She hated hay, no matter what i tried. She would eat some veggies when she felt like it; but, lot of times i would just throw them away as she wouldn't touch them. She loved her pellets though, i just kept her pellet hopper full and she was happy. Never over ate them, she was always healthy. She chewed alot of wood to keep her teeth ground down. She lived to be 12. I think Rabbits are a lot like people in that they eat what they like. They know what they want and eat what they want. If they are healthy and happy that is all that matters. She was smart enough to know what she wanted and keep her teeth ground down. 12 years was pretty old, and she was never sick a day. Always very happy as long as she had her pellets. I eventually just gave up giving her hay and gave her veggies once in a while and she ate what she wanted. Rabbits are all different just like us, so don't fret if your rabbit is different and doesn't eat what he/she is supposed to. As long as they are healthy, that is the important thing. Many may disagree with me; but, my 12 year old rabbit was proof of this.
^ Anna, that isn't "proof." It's antecdotal. It's like saying I know a guy who smoked all is life and lived to a ripe old age, therefore smoking isn't all that bad.
Along with the scientific research behind diet recommendations, we've also seen plenty of support for those recommendations here on RO. We've seen rabbits that do overeat pellets and therefore refuse hay. When pellets are reduced, they start eating hay. We've seen some become obese from overeating pellets. We've seen some that cannot tolerate too many pellets.
I agree that all rabbits are different and some can tolerate much more in the way of an unhealthy diet (just like the guy who smoked) but that is no reason for us to encourage anything other than a healthy diet.
Along with the scientific research behind diet recommendations, we've also seen plenty of support for those recommendations here on RO. We've seen rabbits that do overeat pellets and therefore refuse hay. When pellets are reduced, they start eating hay. We've seen some become obese from overeating pellets. We've seen some that cannot tolerate too many pellets.
I agree that all rabbits are different and some can tolerate much more in the way of an unhealthy diet (just like the guy who smoked) but that is no reason for us to encourage anything other than a healthy diet.
somebunnylovesme
Well-Known Member
I had a rabbit that wouldn't eat much hay. He would eat everything else including leafy greens. I took him and discovered he had bone spurs growing out of his molars. The vet said that the he wasn't eating hay due to that issue. So I had to get his teeth filed down every 4-6 weeks and had him eat softer hay such as meadow grass.
VioletRose
Well-Known Member
VioletRose
Well-Known Member
The importance of HAY as 80% of a rabbit's diet cannot be over emphasised
https://rabbit.org/the-importance-of-hay/
https://rabbit.org/the-importance-of-hay/
Please don't get me wrong. I DO NOT encourage a no hay diet, it is in fact a very important part of a rabbit's diet. I was just trying to say that all rabbits are different just like us. Just because one rabbit doesn't like hay doesn't mean all rabbits shouldn't eat hay.
The point I was trying to make is just because your little rabbit doesn't like hay or won't eat hay doesn't mean he/she is sick or unhealthy. They are all different and some are more picky than others. Please don't ever give up trying other things for your rabbit besides a total pellet diet. Hay is essential and a much needed part of a rabbits diet.
The point I was trying to make is just because your little rabbit doesn't like hay or won't eat hay doesn't mean he/she is sick or unhealthy. They are all different and some are more picky than others. Please don't ever give up trying other things for your rabbit besides a total pellet diet. Hay is essential and a much needed part of a rabbits diet.
iHop
Member
We once had a giant flemish that simply wouldn't eat hay. No way, no how. We think his breeder was a pellet-only situation. But he did somewhat nibble on the timothy hay cubes, so you may want to try those.
Yeah, I do agree with the idea of trying hay cubes. I don't know if you have Walmart where you live, but I get my hay cubes there. They are a fairly good price and you get a lot. My bun is obsessed with these and will nibble on these multiple times a day. Here is a picture (not the ones I get at Walmart) of ones that you could find at a pet store. Best of luck to you!
somebunnylovesme
Well-Known Member
Hay cubes are a great treat instead of other pet treats, such as cookies and dried fruit. Hay is important for a rabbit digestive track but, the long strands of hay are very important for wearing down the back molars. I would have the rabbit checked out to see if it has bone spurs.
Not all hay cubes are equal, so check the ingredients. The good ones have hay as the only listed ingredient. If they still sell what they used to, there are other cubes that have added junk like molasses.
somebunnylovesme
Well-Known Member
Ugh, the molasses. Bunnies don't need it! Pet companies will put that stuff into products to get them to eat it.
