I need help with veggies

[Number1Sticky]

I need help with veggies for my rabbits (and guinea pig-if anyone knows about guinea pigs). I've haven't been very good about feeding them veggies over the years. I know it's bad and I feel horrible about it. But I'm feeding them veggies on a daily basic now. But the problem is because they aren't use to them they don't eat much of a variety. I'm trying to give them a variety. But they don't eat most of the stuff I try, and I've tried several times. I can try to give them the same food for a week straight but have to throw it away because they don't touch it.

Right now they are only getting (each day):
Red Leaf Lettuce
Carrots
Green Peppers

Stuff they won't eat that I've tried:
Celery
Cucumber
Squash
Tomatoes
Zucchini

So I was just wondering what I can try to do to get them to eat it?
What are some other stuff they can eat on a daily basic?
Can I give them two different kinds of lettuce in one day?
Like could I give them red leaf and romaine lettuce?

 

[Watermelons]

Cut out the pepper and carrots and use those as treats, too high in sugar to be a daily item.
Try items like Collard greens, Parsley, Cilantro (amazing herb) other herbs like basil, dill, sage, oregano. Kale in small ammounts, raddish tops, carrot tops, turnip tops. Any dark leafy green on the safe veggie list is a good daily tester.

youre trying too many fruits for them, (cucuber squash tomatoe zucchini). Stick to veggies until you can get them to eat veggies regularly, then introduce fruit unless the fruit is only for a treat.

 

[SweetSassy]

I give romaine, parsley, cilantro, mustard greens, collard greens, spinach, dandelions (the ones they sell at store).


I never give carrots or fruit. To high in sugar.

 

[Number1Sticky]

I was looking at some sample lists for guinea pigs and think this one would work well for me. This is a list for just one guinea pig, so I would double everything for a rabbit because rabbits are supposed to have twice as much as guinea pigs.

But I have a few questions.
1. Will this also work for a rabbit? As far as I know everything listed is good for rabbits also.
2. Instead of Romaine can I use red/green leaf lettuce?
3. Is there something else I could use instead of Mixed leaves? Could I use Romaine instead?
4. Can I freeze some of the veggies? Because most of this stuff I don't eat and I would have to buy it in somewhat large quantities.

Thanks!!

Monday am.
Romaine - 1 large leaf/2 smaller leaves
Cherry tomato – half
Courgette/zucchini - 1/2 inch chunk
Bell pepper - green - 1/8 pepper sliced
Bell pepper - yellow - 1/8 pepper sliced
Carrot - 1 baby carrot/pinky finger sized chunk
Cucumber - 1/4" chunk

Monday pm.
Round lettuce - 2 leaves
Celery - 2" piece chopped
Bell pepper - red - 1/8 pepper sliced
Green beans – 2
Coriander/cilantro - 2 sprigs

Tuesday am.
Curly lettuce - (endive) 2 - 3 leaves
Cherry tomato – half
Courgette/zucchini - 1/2 inch chunk
Bell pepper - red - 1/8 pepper sliced
Bell pepper - orange - 1/8 pepper sliced
Carrot - 1 baby carrot/pinky finger sized chunk
Curly Kale - 4 small pieces chopped

Tuesday pm
Round lettuce - 2 leaves
Melon skin - taken back to the rind - 1" slice
Cucumber - 1/4" chunk
Bell pepper - green - 1/8" pepper sliced
Dill - 1 sprig
Coriander/cilantro - 2 sprigs

Wednesday am.
Romaine - 1 large leaf/2 smaller leaves
Cherry tomato – half
Courgette/zucchini - 1/2 inch chunk
Bell pepper - green - 1/8 pepper sliced
Bell pepper - yellow - 1/8 pepper sliced
Carrot - 1 baby carrot/pinky finger sized chunk
Broccoli - 1 branchlet
Coriander/cilantro - 2 sprigs

Wednesday pm
Mixed leaves (from bag) - 1 handful
Celery - 2" piece chopped
Bell pepper - orange - 1/8 pepper sliced
Parsley - 2 sprigs
Apple - 1" chunk

Thursday am.
Curly lettuce (endive) - 2 - 3 leaves
Cherry tomato – half
Courgette/zucchini - 1/2 inch chunk
Bell pepper - green - 1/8 pepper sliced
Bell pepper - orange - 1/8 pepper sliced
Carrot - 1 baby carrot/pinky finger sized chunk
Snap peas – 2
Coriander/cilantro - 2 sprigs

Thursday pm
Round lettuce - 2 leaves
Melon skin - taken back to rind - 1"
Turnip - small 1" slice
Cucumber - 1/4" chunk
Bell pepper - red - 1/8 pepper sliced

Friday am.
Romaine - 1 large leaf/2 smaller leaves
Cherry tomato – half
Courgette/zucchini - 1/2 inch chunk
Bell pepper - green - 1/8 pepper sliced
Bell pepper - yellow - 1/8 pepper sliced
Carrot - 1 baby carrot/pinky finger sized chunk
Curly Kale - 4 small pieces chopped

Friday pm.
Mixed leaves – handful
Celery - leaves - from 1 stem
Bell pepper - red - 1/8 pepper sliced
Blueberries – 2
Coriander/cilantro - 2 sprigs

Saturday am.
Romaine - 1 large leaf/2 smaller leaves
Cherry tomato – half
Courgette/zucchini - 1/2 inch chunk
Bell pepper - green - 1/8 pepper sliced
Bell pepper - yellow - 1/8 pepper sliced
Carrot - 1 baby carrot/pinky finger sized chunk
Broccoli - 1 branchlet
Coriander/cilantro - 2 sprigs

Saturday pm.
Curly lettuce (endive) - 2 - 3 leaves
Cucumber - 1/4" chunk
Melon skin - taken back to rind - 1" slice
Bell pepper - orange - 1/8 peper sliced
Parsley - 2 sprigs

Sunday am.
Curly lettuce - (endive) - 2 - 3 leaves
Cherry tomato – half
Courgette/zucchini - 1/2 inch chunk
Bell pepper - green - 1/8 pepper sliced
Bell pepper - yellow - 1/8 pepper sliced
Carrot - 1 baby carrot/pinky finger sized chunk
Green beans – 2

Sunday pm.
Mixed leaves - from bag – handful
Celery - 2" chunk chopped
Coriander/cilantro - 2 sprigs
Bell pepper - red - 1/8 pepper sliced
Parsley - 2 sprigs

 

[Watermelons]

No, too much fruit!
Just stick to 4 or 5 different veggies!
Youre way over complicating things.

Kale
Cilantro
Collard Greens
Mustard Greens
Lettuce (of some sort whatever you want, dandilion, red leaf whatever)

Grab a large bunch of each thing and make that last you 7 days. Each day, once a day, give a mixture of all 5 things so that you will use it up by day 7 and can buy more. I only do my shopping on Sundays so in the winter this is all I do.

Heck even easier, go buy a large bin of Spring mix, make that last 7 days, no mixing no adding, its just greens plain and simple grab a handful from the bin and stick it in their dish.

Are you not feeding the rabbit hay or pellets?

Keep is simple.

and no dont freeze greens... most of the greens you would feed to a rabbit would be soggy and disgusting once removed from the freezer.

(this is exactly the same for a guinea pig, except you toss the guinea pig some orange as well as whats listed above) Plain and Simple.

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

Number1Sticky wrote:

I need help with veggies for my rabbits (and guinea pig-if anyone knows about guinea pigs). I've haven't been very good about feeding them veggies over the years. I know it's bad and I feel horrible about it. But I'm feeding them veggies on a daily basic now. But the problem is because they aren't use to them they don't eat much of a variety. I'm trying to give them a variety. But they don't eat most of the stuff I try, and I've tried several times. I can try to give them the same food for a week straight but have to throw it away because they don't touch it.

Right now they are only getting (each day):
Red Leaf Lettuce
Carrots
Green Peppers

Stuff they won't eat that I've tried:
Celery
Cucumber
Squash
Tomatoes
Zucchini

So I was just wondering what I can try to do to get them to eat it?
What are some other stuff they can eat on a daily basic?
Can I give them two different kinds of lettuce in one day?
Like could I give them red leaf and romaine lettuce?

as long as you realize the importance of grasses/in the diet with some quality pellets you should have fewer problems with treats such as vegy,s-- for reference to safe lists utilize http://www.medirabbit.com -sincerely james waller

 

[BrittanyandFruFru]

My rabbit loves cilantro

 

[sbaxter]

BrittanyandFruFru wrote:

My rabbit loves cilantro

Me too so my bunny have to share

 

[galinfla]

Wow- variety is nice, but it does seem as though you're over complicating it. My rabbits have preferences, but they will totally attack parsley. I'm growing some carrot tops now to see how that goes.

 

[Number1Sticky]

I just wanted to let everyone know that I started feeding cilantro and my rabbits. I don't think it's their favorite yet, but they do eat it. Next I think I'm going to try endive.

 

[Number1Sticky]

Watermelons wrote:

Are you not feeding the rabbit hay or pellets?

Yes they each get 1/4 of a cup of Oxbow Essentials Rabbit Food daily. My mini Rex weighs about 4lb and my "Holland lop" weighs about 5lb.

 

[Number1Sticky]

james waller wrote:

as long as you realize the importance of grasses/in the diet with some quality pellets you should have fewer problems with treats such as vegy,s-- for reference to safe lists utilize http://www.medirabbit.com -sincerely james waller

They get fed Oxbow Essentials Rabbit Food on a daily basis. They also get Timothy hay 24/7. Well I try to keep it in there 24/7. They eat it fast and it's hard to keep up with them.

 

[Number1Sticky]

I was just wondering, would it be ok if I gave them a carrot everyday as long as I cut it to about the size of a baby carrot? Or would that still be too much sugar? One of my rabbits LOVES carrots. She begs for them. I like handing her all her veggies and she will take all the other veggies and drop them until I hand her her carrot. It’s really funny. She will eat her other ones if she doesn’t get her carrot, but she will pout about it. It’s kinda funny watching a rabbit pouting. But obviously is it’s unhealthy for her I will not give it to her.

 

[Watermelons]

Number1Sticky wrote:

I was just wondering, would it be ok if I gave them a carrot everyday as long as I cut it to about the size of a baby carrot? Or would that still be too much sugar? One of my rabbits LOVES carrots. She begs for them. I like handing her all her veggies and she will take all the other veggies and drop them until I hand her her carrot. It’s really funny. She will eat her other ones if she doesn’t get her carrot, but she will pout about it. It’s kinda funny watching a rabbit pouting. But obviously is it’s unhealthy for her I will not give it to her.

Work on the veggies first, then maybe they can have a small carrot every few days. Who knows, maybe you will find a veggie they do the same thing for.
And just remember, anything that once was a flower and had to be polinated (pepper, cucumber, tomato, melon, etc...) is technically a fruit. Leafy green veggies all the way! (and herbs)

 

[Number1Sticky]

Here is a list I made from information I've gotten. Are all the veggies on this list ok to give on a daily basis?

Butter lettuce (Boston/bibb)
Carrot (small amount)
Cilantro
Corn husks
Endive
Grape tomatoes
Green Leaf Lettuce
Green Swiss Chard
Red Leaf Lettuce
Red Swiss Chard
Romaine lettuce
Zucchini

 

[Number1Sticky]

What about:
Bok choy
Escarole
Fennel
Mint
Orange bell pepper
Oregano
Radish tops
Sage
Spring greens

 

[juliew19673]

Wow!! Your really working hard - which is commendable but would drive me Batty!

I grow parsley and basil in large pots on my patio that I use to supplement the romaine lettuce I buy twice a week at the grocery store. My buns get "salads" every evening with the aforementioned herbs I grow (parsley and basil are SO easy to grow).

Cut out the sugarey carrots (but then I also top off my salads with raisin - but this is bad, I'm just indulgant).