Corn?

[Mikoli]

Hi,

In my rabbit's normal mix, I have noticed that there are small peicesof corn in there. Before now, I didn't really notice, since it wasn'tharming him and he seemed to like it. Recently, I switched from a mixto a only pellet mix because I ran out of his previous mix. I was goingto go and buy it again soon, as it had things in there that he lovedand he really enjoyed it, but I recently read on the internet not tofeed corn to your rabbit. Is this true? It's only little corn cernals,not a full corn, but I don't want to harm my rabbit.

Also, is it safe to feed them small peices of peanuts? They were alsoin Ollie's mix, and they're just about the only treat he will take frommy hand.

Thanks,
Rach & Ollz.

EDIT: One more question ... Ollie won't eat more than a mouthful or twoof hay ... Instead, I have to pick him grass from the backyard and givethat to him, as it's the only bulk he will eat. How can I get him toeat his hay?

 

[HoneyPot]

For the corn question... no corn. Theycan't digest the hull surrounding the grains of corn and they just haveto pass it since it doesn't break down - may lead to blockages.

__________
Nadia

 

[Mikoli]

Alright, thank you! I guess I'll find a better mix, or just keep going with the pellets.

 

[maherwoman]

According to the following thread,

"A good quality rabbit pellet DOES NOT contain dried fruit, seeds,nuts, colored crunchy things or other things that are attractive to ourhuman eyes, but very unhealthy to a rabbit. Rabbits are strictherbivores, and in nature they rarely get fruit, nuts or other suchfatty, starchy foods. The complex flora of the cecum can quickly becomedangerously imbalanced if too much simple, digestible carbohydrate isconsumed--especially if the diet is generally low in fiber. The resultis often "poopy butt syndrome," in which mushy fecal matter cakes ontothe rabbit's behind. This a sign ofcecal dysbiosis,which can foment much more serious health problems."

ALSO

"Don't feed your rabbit cookies, crackers, nuts, seeds, breakfastcereals (including oatmeal) or "high fiber" cereals. They may be highfiber for you, but not for your herbivorous rabbit, who's far betterable to completely digest celluose ("dietary fiber") than you are. Fedto a rabbit, the high fat and simple carbohydrate content of "naughtyfoods" may contribute to fatty liver disease, cecal dysbiosis, obesity,and otherwise cause health problems.

A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT CORN AND OTHER SEEDS Some types of seeds(especially things like "Canadian peas" and corn kernels) have hullsthat are indigestible to a rabbit, and can cause life-threateningintestinal impactions/blockages. Corn, fresh or dried, is NOT safe forrabbits. The hull of corn kernels is composed of a complexpolysaccharide (not cellulose and pectin, of which plant cell walls aremore commonly composed, and which a rabbit can digest) which rabbitscannot digest. We know of more than one rabbit who suffered intestinalimpactions because of the indigestible corn hulls. After emergencymedical treatment, when the poor rabbits finally passed the corn, theirfecal pellets were nearly solid corn hulls! Those rabbits werelucky."


So, I would stay away from any corn, seeds, or any nuts of any kind. Hope that helped! It's from this site:
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

Here's another good site that gives the percentages of things that pellet food should contain:
http://www.lagomorphs.com/pellets.pdf

And a site that I highly recommend for dietary information in general:
http://www.carrotcafe.com/index.html

Also, please check out what the Rabbit 101 section of the site has to say about "Feeding Your Rabbit":
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12046&forum_id=17

It has links at the top of that page to the Pellet, Hay, and Vegetablesection of the informational section of this site, too.

I know it's a lot of reading, but believe me...it's WORTH it!!

Hope all that helps!

Rosie*

 

[Mikoli]

Thank you! I'll read through the links that you gave me, and see what I can learn.

 

[maherwoman]

No problem at all! I'd much rathertake the time to find those things for someone, than not bother, andhave them lose their dear bunny friend.

Hugs!

Rosie*

 

[hunnybunny63]

i bought a treat about a month ago for mybunnies which was a 2 corn on the cobs coated in some sort of glace.they seem to like it and havent had any problems!

going bakc to nuts i found an old conka lying in the green house, weremy bunnies play, it was half eaten or at least chewed. it might nothave bene them but would it be ok for them to eat?

 

[JimD]

hunnybunny63 wrote:

conka

:huh....don't know what that is.



~jim

 

[JimD]

Mikoli wrote:

Also, is it safe to feed them small peices of peanuts? They were alsoin Ollie's mix, and they're just about the only treat he will take frommy hand.

Thanks,
Rach & Ollz.

EDIT: One more question ... Ollie won't eat more than a mouthful or twoof hay ... Instead, I have to pick him grass from the backyard and givethat to him, as it's the only bulk he will eat. How can I get him toeat his hay?

You've already gotten VERY good advice from Rosie about the corn and nuts.

Instead of peanuts....try a raisin or two. My bunnies LOVE them. Driedpapaya is also a favorite of my buns. All in moderation though.

About the hay.....not sure you can actually "make" a bun like or eathay. One of mine only picks at her's, whereas the others devour it.
You might try some timothy hay cubes. My bunsact like thecubes are some kind of treat, but they're made out of only timothy hay.
Binkie likes hay mixed in with her pellets...of course Binkie just plain likes hay in any form....little hoover bun.

~jim

 

[hunnybunny63]

JimD wrote:

You've already gotten VERY good advice from Rosie about the corn and nuts.

Instead of peanuts....try a raisin or two. My bunnies LOVE them. Driedpapaya is also a favorite of my buns. All in moderation though.

About the hay.....not sure you can actually "make" a bun like or eathay. One of mine only picks at her's, whereas the others devour it.
You might try some timothy hay cubes. My bunsact like thecubes are some kind of treat, but they're made out of only timothy hay.
Binkie likes hay mixed in with her pellets...of course Binkie just plain likes hay in any form....little hoover bun.

~jim

my Daisy is also a little hoover although she doesnt really like hay!Dandy is a bit better at eating hay but neither would eat much or be atall bothered if i didint give them any!!

 

[Mikoli]

Thanks Jim! I'll try the raisins next time I have some ...

And thank you for the information about hay! I'll try the timothyhay cubes [If I can find some around here ... It takes days just tofind somewhere that stocks good quality hay ... They try to sell usstraw instead :rollseyes]

Thanks!
Rachel.

 

[hunnybunny63]

Mikoli wrote:

Thanks Jim! I'll try the raisins next time I have some ...

And thank you for the information about hay! I'll try the timothyhay cubes [If I can find some around here ... It takes days just tofind somewhere that stocks good quality hay ... They try to sell usstraw instead :rollseyes]

Thanks!
Rachel.

lol thats not so good. glad you can tell the difference. youd besurprised how many bunny or and samm pet owner doesnt know thedifference between the 2!

 

[pinksalamander]

JimD wrote:

hunnybunny63 wrote:

conka

:huh....don't know what that is.



~jim

You never played conkers in school?! Best game ever becausei always used to fill mine with glue!

They are the seed of... some tree Can't remember which though!

 

[ec]

We call them "chestnuts" in the US (both the actual nut and the spiky "shell"). Not sure what they're called in Canada - anyone?

 

[hunnybunny63]

yer we call them chestnut somtimes to!

so is it safe for bunnies to eat the brown bit in the middle?