Growing cat grass for rabbits?

[bunny34422]

My friend said I could try growing a pot of cat grass for Timothy to eat, never really thought about getting this so I wanted to ask. Have any of you fed cat grass and if it is safe, how often can he eat it? Is it like an occasional treat or does it not matter Any tips or advice for growing any other grass indoors like barley or wheat would be appreciated as well.. think I'll read about it some more and see if this is something I can try.

Similar question, what about real grass patches? I know they sell them for dogs, wondering if a rabbit could use it too. Like used for digging and eating or also as a bathroom

 

[Watermelons]

Cat grass is usually just oat grass or barley grass.
Hay is just dried grass.
Fresh untreated grass is great for rabbits.

Look up growing fodder

 

[Mariam+Theo]

I've grown this for Theo before and he ate some every day. It was super easy to grow but it started smelling so I threw it out.
Here was the link I used: Growing Fodder for Rabbits

 

[Diane R]

We have grown grass on windowsills for years. Normal people have house plants, we have grass... Great for bunnies but introduce very gradually like you would any fresh food. You can get two crops out of it, then it has to be dumped as it goes manky. I wouldn't get grass patches, they may be treated with fertiliser and it would make a big mess.

 

[HoppyRabbits06]

Awhile back I grew some oat grass for Pancho! He really liked it. It said it was for cats but since it was just pure oat grass it was okay for Pancho to eat.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Grown wheat grass before--fed a couple times a week in small amounts as a treat.

 

[peanutdabunny]

There is a thing called a grass diet, only fresh grass and hay. so it should be safe depending on the grass

 

[Shmibunny]

Wheat grass is great and easy to grow indoors whereas oat may turn mouldy more easily. I give my bunnies some wheat grass every day (cut and rinsed on a plate). They also get other greens. It takes about a week from soaking the seeds overnight until harvest. The wheat grass would grow longer, but I like to cut it then to "free up" the trays for the next batch and avoid white mould.

There are some tips online and I've been meaning to post my own but basically:
- First soak the seeds overnight. Then put them in a kitchen sieve and rinse twice a day with cold water until a little pale sprout is peeking out, and before the roots, which will also start growing, get too long.
- Sprinkle onto a tray of wet dirt -- a tray with holes and an "undertray" is best so that any extra water can drain out. No need to cover the seeds with dirt.
- Then, cover (with another undertray for example) for 1-2 days, and water about once a day and let the extra water drain.
- Once you see 4-5cm pale grass, water one more time thoroughly, drain, and keep on a window sill. It will then turn green and keep growing. I don't water the grass on the windowsill at all. It grows fine, won't get mouldy this way, and by the time it's time for harvest, the dirt has dried but the grass is still healthy and strong. Cut with scissors and wrap the bundle of grass in kitchen paper and store in a plastic bag in the fridge. It keeps for about a week. Rinse with lukewarm water thoroughly before giving to bunnies. And make sure you use safe seeds, dirt, water etc.

 

[Robbiemybunny]

Wheat grass is great and easy to grow indoors whereas oat may turn mouldy more easily. I give my bunnies some wheat grass every day (cut and rinsed on a plate). They also get other greens. It takes about a week from soaking the seeds overnight until harvest. The wheat grass would grow longer, but I like to cut it then to "free up" the trays for the next batch and avoid white mould.

There are some tips online and I've been meaning to post my own but basically:
- First soak the seeds overnight. Then put them in a kitchen sieve and rinse twice a day with cold water until a little pale sprout is peeking out, and before the roots, which will also start growing, get too long.
- Sprinkle onto a tray of wet dirt -- a tray with holes and an "undertray" is best so that any extra water can drain out. No need to cover the seeds with dirt.
- Then, cover (with another undertray for example) for 1-2 days, and water about once a day and let the extra water drain.
- Once you see 4-5cm pale grass, water one more time thoroughly, drain, and keep on a window sill. It will then turn green and keep growing. I don't water the grass on the windowsill at all. It grows fine, won't get mouldy this way, and by the time it's time for harvest, the dirt has dried but the grass is still healthy and strong. Cut with scissors and wrap the bundle of grass in kitchen paper and store in a plastic bag in the fridge. It keeps for about a week. Rinse with lukewarm water thoroughly before giving to bunnies. And make sure you use safe seeds, dirt, water etc.

I will have to try that! Robbie loves grass but I'm a bit worried about the cats that go on it after going in fields and that because Robbie's not vaccinated yet and we have rabbits near by that have been dying from RHD