Doesn't like cold food maybe?

[Shmoo06]

I don't know if anyone has experienced this or may know some things to try. Mumbles doesn't seem to like cold food/treats. Basically he won't eat veggies, and if I leave them out for a bit, Stitch will eat them. lol. Stitch is your typical food loving bunny.

He won't eat the greens I've given him, and he won't eat baby carrots, or bananas. However, I somehow got(I think they were in the box I got with him) these "slims with carrot"-http://www.petco.com/product/4809/Vitakraft-Carrot-Slims.aspx. They're really crunchy, and he will take them out of my hand and eat them. I also tried a banana chip, and he took it right out of my hand and gobbled it up. He doesn't seem to have a problem taking them out of my hand. I don't know if it's because it's cold, smells funny, or is too soft? Although the banana wasn't really cold and the carrots aren't soft.

Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks!

 

[ldoerr]

I do not have any advice on it. My rabbits will only eat veggies if they are cold with the exception of banana. If the veggies have been out of the fridge for over an hour they will not eat it.

 

[Imbrium]

you could try leaving them out to reach room temperature before placing them in the pen so that Stitch doesn't eat them all before they reach an "acceptable" temperature for Mumbles.

I'm not sure how leafy greens (what he should be eating the most of compared to other veggies and fruits) would fare in a food dehydrator, but if you happen to have one you could give it a try. he wouldn't get the benefit of extra water from the veggies but would still get the nutrients.

have you tried a lot of different veggies? my Nala will nom the hell out of kale, sometimes eat a little cilantro and occasionally eat the central veins of lettuce but will ignore EVERY other leafy green (and I've tried everything the grocery store has to offer) - there may be something you haven't tried yet that he'd actually like.

failing that, if he's eating lots of hay and a good quality pellet, then it's not the end of the world if he won't eat veggies - there are a few folks here who feed a veggie-free diet due to digestive problems resulting from veggies.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Some of ours a very picky and then there's Finn--he's never met a food he didn't like.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Like Jennifer said, I wouldn't worry too much as long as he's a hay eater. Some rabbits just don't seem to take to fresh foods. I'll occasionally give parsley or lettuce treats in the summer and some of mine won't eat it no matter how long it's in the dish!

 

[Shmoo06]

Thanks for the input! I don't have a dehydrator, so can't try that. I tried leaving them out for a bit, but that didn't work. Mumbles sniffed it and then ran away. I feed them Oxbow pellets, and they both love their hay. I guess I won't worry too much then.

I guess I haven't tried a huge variety yet, so I'll just keep experimenting and see if Mum's takes to anything.

 

[whitelop]

You can bake kale and make it crispy, like a kale chip.
You line a non-insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350*. Wash kale well and dry thoroughly, with a salad spinner if you have one. Then tear it into bite sized pieces and bake it for like 10-15 minutes. Until its crispy but be careful not to burn the edges. Maybe he'll like that?!

To make it for people, do all those things, but toss the kale with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of season salt.