Dandelion greens

[Lilsakli]

I have a very picky rabbit when it comes to veggies, can I give dandelion greens daily? It’s what he would eat. He doesn’t like romaine or cilantro.
I was reading online that dandelion greens contain high calcium and may lead to bladder sludge or stones. However, much of what I read online are conflicting. What’s the real deal?

 

[ArtistChibi]

Well let me tell you this, Shen LOVES dandelions. He won't eat the petals, but he will eat the rest of it.
Suggested Vegetables and Fruits for a Rabbit Diet | House Rabbit Society

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We use Arugula--dandelions are hard to get here and expensive.

 

[Lilsakli]

But do you guys give it everyday?

 

[ArtistChibi]

I give it as a treat maybe every other day. But since I have to give him his medication, it's been once a day for the morning dose.

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

I wouldn’t feed it everyday because they have a lot of calcium.

Maybe just play around with different veggies. It doesn’t need to be the same old romaine lettuce or coriander. My rabbit loves rocket, basil, mint, bok choy, red leaf lettuce, Savoy cabbage, and so much more. Just try out a few to see what he likes

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Small amount every day--ours get greens twice a day. No problems in 2 decades.

 

[john.thorpe1952]

Dandelions are fascinating plants and well worth looking up online.They can cause calcium problems it's true,if fed to excess,but then the trick is not to feed to excess!They are also diuretic,which means they can make the rabbit pee more than normal,thus risking dehydration.but before you get too worried,this is unlikely to occur if you exercise common sense.They do love them,and I pick them for my rabbits and tortoises,but just keep an eye on the rabbits droppings,and if the greens are causing any abnormally soft motions,cut back and just give as a treat.You will also read that the stems are toxic because of the latex like sap in them,but i queried this with a lady who wrote a book on safe,and unsafe plants for tortoises(which pretty much applies to rabbits and other small furries),and she replied that while there have beeeen a couple of cases in children who have eaten the sap and had a bit of a poorly tummy as a result,she has never known it to be a problem in animals unless you were giving large amounts without balancing it with other plants etc. Common sense is a good guide in most of these things.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Ours also get Cilantro, Parsley, Italian Parsley, Romaine lettuce, a small slice of apple and a small slice of Carrot, Water Cress, small slices of Celery and small amounts of Spinach--not too much of any one thing at a time and twice a day.

 

[Lilsakli]

Dandelions are fascinating plants and well worth looking up online.They can cause calcium problems it's true,if fed to excess,but then the trick is not to feed to excess!They are also diuretic,which means they can make the rabbit pee more than normal,thus risking dehydration.but before you get too worried,this is unlikely to occur if you exercise common sense.They do love them,and I pick them for my rabbits and tortoises,but just keep an eye on the rabbits droppings,and if the greens are causing any abnormally soft motions,cut back and just give as a treat.You will also read that the stems are toxic because of the latex like sap in them,but i queried this with a lady who wrote a book on safe,and unsafe plants for tortoises(which pretty much applies to rabbits and other small furries),and she replied that while there have beeeen a couple of cases in children who have eaten the sap and had a bit of a poorly tummy as a result,she has never known it to be a problem in animals unless you were giving large amounts without balancing it with other plants etc. Common sense is a good guide in most of these things.

John Thorpe, unfortunately not everything is common sense. I have read about dandelions online, but I am not satisfied with the conflicting information. I am looking out for my rabbits and rather be safe than sorry, which is why I am on this board seeking advice from people with personal experiences who have fed their rabbits dandelion leaves. With my picky rabbit, I cannot balance his diet with other veggies as he won’t eat any other veggies besides dandelion or kale (important to mention that he eats hay very well and gets 1/8 Timothy pellets per day). Also, when you say “fed in excess,” do you mean more than a cup? Let’s be more quantitative now...

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

John Thorpe, unfortunately not everything is common sense. I have read about dandelions online, but I am not satisfied with the conflicting information. I am looking out for my rabbits and rather be safe than sorry, which is why I am on this board seeking advice from people with personal experiences who have fed their rabbits dandelion leaves. With my picky rabbit, I cannot balance his diet with other veggies as he won’t eat any other veggies besides dandelion or kale (important to mention that he eats hay very well and gets 1/8 Timothy pellets per day). Also, when you say “fed in excess,” do you mean more than a cup? Let’s be more quantitative now...

Some people do choose to feed no veggies, so that’s always an option for your rabbit. Both kale and dandelion greens shouldn’t be fed in excess (I can’t really give a quantity for that because rabbits weigh differently. So what would work with my 5-ish pound rabbit might not work with your rabbit).

If those are the only two veggies that your rabbit will eat, it might be best to feed it as a treat rather than a meal

 

[Derek B]

Our bun would eat dandelions everyday if given the chance... so we limit to just a few every now and then as a treat. (Also, they tend to make her pee darker in colour)

 

[JBun]

If you start seeing more than a light chalky appearance in your rabbits fresh urine, or light chalky residue in a dried urine spot, then probably too much is being fed. That's how you can tell if a rabbit is getting too much excess dietary calcium.

If you are seeing thick creamy, gel like, or pasty/gritty urine, then your rabbit has bladder sludge issues and may not be able to have dandelion or other high calcium greens at all.

http://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Urine
Medirabbit: rabbits urine (contains graphic medical related photos)

 

[Bunnyman61]

I purchase organic dandelion leaves for my two rabbits. One loves them, the other is not greatly enamored of them but does consume them, albeit not all right away. I feed them this, on average, about two, maybe three times a week in modest quantities (half-cup each), and have been doing this for five years or so. I have found it difficult to find vegetables to feed them which are not high in oxalates which they like, so dandelion greens have played a useful part in their diets.

 

[Shawnna]

We use Arugula--dandelions are hard to get here and expensive.

I am in CA, they grow in my yard! I cant believe you have to buy them! WOW

 

[Shawnna]

My bun Sunday had stones twice. We figured out in part to the high levels of calcium in our water, and the dandelion's. We swapped to bottled water, and found that dried craisins the low sugar kind, helped in cutting sludge. I gave him about 10 throughout the day and over time the sludge disappeared. I thought cranberry juice helps humans why not bunnies. Better than any other advice I found elsewhere.

oh and I still have the stones, the vet said they were passed from his digestive track, did not want to look at them or test them, was grossed out I even touched them. I know the first one was stuck coming out and had to use Neosporin I wiped around it gently and it slowly worked its way out. Just a little smaller than a quarter! I hurt for him!

 

[ArtistChibi]

My bun Sunday had stones twice. We figured out in part to the high levels of calcium in our water, and the dandelion's. We swapped to bottled water, and found that dried craisins the low sugar kind, helped in cutting sludge. I gave him about 10 throughout the day and over time the sludge disappeared. I thought cranberry juice helps humans why not bunnies. Better than any other advice I found elsewhere.

Yeah. I'll probably have to do the same for Shen when it comes to the water. Our water isn't exactly the best. Might get one of those PUR faucet adapters for our water. I'll eyeball Shen if the dandelions do effect him.

 

[Shawnna]

Yeah. I'll probably have to do the same for Shen when it comes to the water. Our water isn't exactly the best. Might get one of those PUR faucet adapters for our water. I'll eyeball Shen if the dandelions do effect him.

We ended up with getting a filter for outside at the water meter where it comes inside. And another under kitchen sink and one on faucet! Filters get expensive but well worth him not getting stones!

 

[Shawnna]

Looking for the photos I took of the stones

 

[Siskellery]

Dandelion greens are great for rabbits! They help mother rabbits to produce more milk, they also have antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties! I wouldn’t feed a ton of them the first time I would feed as treats in a daily salad!