If looks could kale.....

[Jaimeh761]

Hey everyone. My 6 mo. old
bunny LOVES kale. He doesn't want to eat anything but kale. Any variety of kale. So, knowing that kale is high in calcium, anyone have some good alternative greens? I know kale is a topic of constant debate. I've tried romaine, he won't touch it. I've tried red lettuce, nope. Spring mix, eh....a few bites to appease me and then mom, where's my kale??? I've tried to mix other greens I with his kale. Silly mommy, you're not fooling anyone. I'll eat the kale and leave the rest in my bowl. Cilantro,dill, and parsley is also loved, but I can't just feed him herbs all the time. I think it has to do with the crunch factor as much as the taste. Any success stories of other crunchy greens? Recommendations are welcome! To be honest, he's done just fine eating his daily kale, bit I still worry about the effects in regards to future hazards with urine sludge and/or gi issues.

 

[Mehidk]

Cilantro can be fed daily so it’s ok! Try arugula? I feed that daily to my rabbit too. I also give fennel (sweet anise) which my rabbit loves nibbling on because it’s crunchy.

 

[Jaimeh761]

Cilantro can be fed daily so it’s ok! Try arugula? I feed that daily to my rabbit too. I also give fennel (sweet anise) which my rabbit loves nibbling on because it’s crunchy.

Great ideas thank you

 

[zuppa]

I second cilantro, arugula and fennel, also will add carrot tops (greens, not carrots), basil, mint, thyme, if you can get some willow branches or apple tree or birch my rabbits love fresh leaves and chew on branches too

 

[Preitler]

Grass?

 

[Nancy McClelland]

What Zuppa said. When we first got Pete he only ate pellets as he'd had nothing else. We gave him unlimited Orchard grass and some veggies and only a teaspoon of pellet. Three days later he was munching his veggies and grass like he should have had to begin with--he ate the grass like it was his favorite treat. So glad we rescued him.

 

[Zenman]

Hey everyone. My 6 mo. old
bunny LOVES kale. He doesn't want to eat anything but kale. Any variety of kale. So, knowing that kale is high in calcium, anyone have some good alternative greens? I know kale is a topic of constant debate. I've tried romaine, he won't touch it. I've tried red lettuce, nope. Spring mix, eh....a few bites to appease me and then mom, where's my kale??? I've tried to mix other greens I with his kale. Silly mommy, you're not fooling anyone. I'll eat the kale and leave the rest in my bowl. Cilantro,dill, and parsley is also loved, but I can't just feed him herbs all the time. I think it has to do with the crunch factor as much as the taste. Any success stories of other crunchy greens? Recommendations are welcome! To be honest, he's done just fine eating his daily kale, bit I still worry about the effects in regards to future hazards with urine sludge and/or gi issues.

 

[Zenman]

Try radicchio its crunchy and can be given every day

 

[Blue eyes]

Those things that he rejects may very well be that they're rejected because they are unfamiliar. When trying a new green, it sometimes takes several intro attempts of the same green. Try offering romaine (for example) every day along with his usual. Do this every day for a week to see if he won't start eating some.

Basil and mint can be easily grown and are both often a favorite of rabbits.

 

[Zee-Man]

Don't forget wild greens from the yard. White clover flowers are candy to Doesidoe. There is a huge list of wild food that rabbits adore. I find it fun to see which plants she will simply eat and which ones she attacks with gusto! I save the kale and other table greens for the winter when the forage grows scarce. Just like humans, animals thrive from a varied diet.

The stand out nutrients for kale are Vitamins A and K and the mineral Potassium. While calcium is present and higher than other minerals it isn't that much more elevated than alfalfa. Dandelions are a great favorite of Doesidoe. They have a nutrient profile very similar to kale. You might try those as a way to break the kale habit.

 

[Jaimeh761]

Don't forget wild greens from the yard. White clover flowers are candy to Doesidoe. There is a huge list of wild food that rabbits adore. I find it fun to see which plants she will simply eat and which ones she attacks with gusto! I save the kale and other table greens for the winter when the forage grows scarce. Just like humans, animals thrive from a varied diet.

The stand out nutrients for kale are Vitamins A and K and the mineral Potassium. While calcium is present and higher than other minerals it isn't that much more elevated than alfalfa. Dandelions are a great favorite of Doesidoe. They have a nutrient profile very similar to kale. You might try those as a way to break the kale habit.

Very insightful. Thanks. Doesidoe is a cute name btw.