high calcium fresh foods

[goneforbaroque]

I took my rabbit to the vet a while ago, and when he peed on the table, she commented about how gritty it was and that was indicative of a diet high in calcium. What greens are high in calcium? Is this even bad for them?

 

[LaylaLop]

Too much calcium can cause urinary stones. Calcium is kind of hard (hence the gritty-ness) and it tends to clump itself together. It's similar to kidney or bladder stones in humans and I bet it's not very fun to pass. I had one rabbit who had calcium problems and passed a few hard stones I found in her litterbox. She was otherwise fine but could only eat timothy hay pellets and timothy hay otherwise it'd come back.

Alfalfa and dark leafy greens like collard greens/kale/turnip greens are high in calcium with alfalfa seeming to be the main culprit in a common rabbit diet that is too high in calcium for adult bunnies.

 

[goneforbaroque]

I thought they were supposed to eat dark leafy greens? So what would be better?

 

[LaylaLop]

Dark leafy greens are fine in moderation. Is your rabbit over 6 months or under? Are the pellets an alfalfa based pellet or timothy based? What kind of hay do you supply them with?

 

[Watermelons]

Heres a great site with the nutrition breakdown for Veggies.
http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/vegetables-nutrition-chart.html
Dark leafy greens are what you want, but certain ones. Like Rapini and Spinach are much lower in calcium then say Bok Choy.
Pipp posted a great thread on necessary nutrition content for bunnys.
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=56821&forum_id=48

 

[goneforbaroque]

He is about 2.5 years. He is fed Oxbow timothy pellets and timothy hay. For greens, it's a mixture of carrot tops, romaine lettuce, collard greens, spinach, parsley, kale, sometimes fennel fronds, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, snap peas, brussel sprouts and occasionally small quantities of fruit as a treat.

 

[Watermelons]

Less spinach, and kale - both need to be fed in moderation due to what it can do to calcium.
Cut out the carrots, think of them as a fruit, but keep the carrot tops, Broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts should be cut out. Try and stay away from cabbage type veggies, bunnys dont need any help forming gas issues. You can add in more herbs like Cilantro, Dill, oregano, sage, basil, etc for varriation.

 

[goneforbaroque]

Spinach is in extreme moderation. Carrots are also a treat type item. Baby carrots cut and scattered for a forging game. Unfortunately kale is their absolute favorite...

Can you re-punctuate this sentence for me?

Cut out the carrots, think of them as a fruit, but keep the carrot tops, Broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts should be cut out.

Not quite sure what you meant. I will try more herbs!

 

[Watermelons]

Treat the carrots as a fruit - A rare treat only.

But Carrot tops are okay.

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel sprouts should be cut out - Gassy veggies.

Have you offered Cilantro? They may abandom all hope in Kale when then taste cilantro. However, kale is still a very nutritious veggie and can still be given.

 

[goneforbaroque]

I've never tried cilantro. Will definitely give it a shot.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Actually, bladder stones and sludge is now thought to be a metabolic disorder and not a dietary one. There have been studies done where rabbits have been fed high calcium diets their whole lives, but never developed sludge or stones.

Still, cutting back on the higher calcium veggies probably wouldn't hurt. Kale and parsley being the biggest culprits in your list. Try feeding some dandelion and cranberries (fresh or frozen--now's the time of year to get them!--but not Craisins that have added sugar). Also Vitamin C is thought to help with urinary issues.

Also, be sure he has access to plenty of fresh water, as that will help flush out the sludge. If it looks painful for him to pee, look into getting him a pain killer. Holding his pee will be hard on his kidneys and can lead to dribbling and urine scald.

I don't know that you need to cut out the gassy veggies entirely--unless you've got a rabbit that has exhibited signs of gas. If they're used to eating them, a little bit shouldn't hurt.

Hope that helps!

Rue

 

[goneforbaroque]

He isn't exhibiting any difficulty or pain, the vet just commented on its murky colour and light grit. This is helping me find alternatives! Thanks all.