Hay can be preserved more time than grass easily and Hay is perfect foroutdoor habitat. Which pellets and how much did you give her? Its not an actual grass species (monkey grass is just a common name that describes it as looking a bit grass like) so wouldnt be suitable as a grass/hay replacement. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The different plants help provide different vitamins & minerals, mimicking a wild rabbits diet which contains a varied assortment of plants in addition to grass. With all the different dry foods, fancy types of hays and treats available for discerning rabbit owner to chose from sometimes the simplest diet options get overlooked. . I had only found one website listing carpet grass is ok. We had just had them 3days ago.. (Never had a pet before > <). yup, looks exactly the same. I mean it makes sense, its a large pan that she fits into and eats from. I have 2 bunnies .. i live in a busy place and there is no grass .. i tried to buy hay but i couldnt..i have followed a video about wheat grass but it takes long time to grow.. what should i do now? So my feeling is that feeding grass doesnt really increase the risk of those. Give it a good water once youve replanted it. BUNNY 911 If your rabbit hasnt eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Regular grooming can remove loose hair and reduce the risk of your rabbit developing hairballs. So, nope, breeding is not usually a problem except on an individual basis, for example STDs can cause infertility as can uterine cancer. I am just really wanting to know, should we be concerned that they arent eating nuggets and obviously not eating as much as there wee and poo has reduced? Thank you in advance for helping me with this dilemma. Then I saw that the seeds are coated with something that may be a fungicideif I wash and plant the seeds will the white clover that sprouts be safe for the rabbit? Initially, you can not understand, but after a certain period, you will notice bloating and other physiological problems of your bunny. Dont have a vet? Lyn, Lucky rabbits, Scamp has his delivered by the bowl too . These are generally very gentle on the digestion and add a bit of diversity to the diet as different hays/dried plants have different vitamin/mineral contents. had to limit it though since its her first time to have it. So even though rabbits dont lay eggs, the association of these symbols was almost natural. Thanks for your help! You could try asking a local vet or checking with nearby stables if its a type of grass thats good for horses then that usually means its ok for rabbits. Are they used to eating grass? reading the comments, i can see that people here really care for their bunnies. Rabbits have a set territory so killing the grass isnt in their best interest, it needs to continue to grow to provide future food. Thanks. A sudden change from one food to another can trigger digestive problems. Wondering what the best rabbit food is? Rabbits can eat grass from the yard, lawn, or outside of the house as long as the grass is not sprayed with insecticides or chemicals. Are you in Asia? I am curious, and have been trying to no avail to find the answer to my question. Its actually not the crunchiness of hay that causes tooth wear. Hi Deb, yes perfectly normal. Would it be ok to feed my rabbit grass cut with an electric mower? Is any type of grass okay to grow or only specific types? Yes, hay, fresh grass, kiln dried grass etc. Usually youd expect poo and wee to increase if they are eating lots of grass as its high in fibre and has a high water content. Hay and grass are interchangeable so, if you can grow enough, then you could feed her grass instead of hay, although build up the amount gradually like you would with introducing any new food. Because the digestive system of the bunny doesnt allow digestion of any living animal. You just want plain seed nothing with added herbicide or fertilizers. All rights reserved. Can I plant monkey grass for them? Thanks Rabbit Hutch Covers For Winter (Things to Consider). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. If I let them graze, will this help to prevent wool block, or do I still need to feed them dry hay also? Its quite a saving if you feed grass alongside. Thank you for your help. Thinking about buying cat litter but not sure if that is suitable. i did not mean to say that i ment to say is can bunnies eat sour grass the kind of flower? Some of the plants may be lethal also. Bunny poops are great for this, you can soak them until they turn to mush and then water the lawn with them if you dont want whole poops laying around. Yes, the rabbit can eat weeds and plants. What is it called when a girl marries a girl? Why are levels of carbon dioxide increasing? Outdoor rabbits may also contract fleas from wild rabbits. So it might be better to hold off on any new veggies (just feed what you have already) and then work on pellets. What about tics we have wanted to put our rabbits cage on the ground so they can eat grass. Supplementing with hay may also give the lawn a break. Can i ultimately just replace her litter box with a boxed patch of fresh grass? I would limit the grass, particularly for such young bunnies. The area we will out the grass seeds is bare dirt roughly 8 ft in length and 5 ft worth from the fence to the house. Its amazing how much it shrinks and looks like a much smaller portion of hay. So my question is- is it safe for her to pee/poop onto the grass she eats and the soil it grows from? If you are picking grass, rather than letting your rabbit graze, then use scissors or pull it up. These fleas then jump from one pet to another, and can put your rabbit at risk. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Tags: Diet, diet-grass, rabbit-health, rabbit-toys, wild-rabbit. I recently got a bunny and shes two months old. Hi I was wondering if I could just give grass from my lawn to my rabbits instead of giving them hay (I may give them hay every once in a while) but do you think this would be fine? You want the types of grass youd find in a lawn or field. Can rabbits eat buffalo grass? Should I just avoid fresh grass/dandelion. Hi, Hi Bee, Scamps favourite hay is the Orchard grass too, but it is a little pricey! If the grass contains any chemicals or hazardous elements, your bunny will be ill, even die in the worse case. Im so puzzled because i think its totally gross but also it feels like it would be natural for her???????????? I have been noticing some brown patches and began to wonder if rabbits eat grass. all have teeth that grow continually in the first place. Also, is a diet of hay and fresh grasses/weeds/garden wastes sufficient for a rabbit? Is it possible that bunnies have been bred to pellets in the past hundred years so that they now have trouble having babies on just their natural diet? Its normal for rabbits eating grass to have darker brown/black coloured poop. Do not force a mother rabbit to sit in the nest box. It might be okay if you spread them out immediately to dry. Your bunny will get real entertainment from nature. i gave her carabao grass this morning and she loved it. After a roughly four-week gestation period, the mother gives birth in the nest. Korina. Just wondering, would it be safe to give rabbits grass cut with a push mower (eg. If you are worried leave some outside the pen but in the same area and you can monitor how it dries out in the conditions you have if its cold or humid it wont work as well. However, you may provide a little amount of grass at the initial stage. ps i read that diarrhea can be deadly for the rabbits.. They build a nest with fur and grasses which helps to keep the babies warm in between feedings. If that is right, then wild rabbits eat this so I would think it safe for a pet rabbit. I have a question i cannot find an answer to anywhere! But they may also be sitting still for a long time because they are feeding on vegetation in the area. Weve had 3 failed breedings already between 2 does, which seems unusual. I dont know what grass species youd have but I would imagine that the grass the cows/goats are eating would be just fine for rabbits too. So far Ive been feeding my singleton Orchard from oxbow but it gets really expensive so Im thinking about getting them fresh grass instead. Obviously is you arent feeding fresh grass, hell need hay. Hi, we got a two year old netherland dwarf about two weeks ago. I feed it to my rabbit only a single straw, without drying it up but washed. "They love it. You might be able to get seed for specific grass species if you have space outside to grow your own. Ivermectin (cattle formulation) injected sc at a dosage of 400 to 440 micrograms/kg of body weight repeated in 18 days appeared to be safe and effective in reducing the prevalence of ear mites in naturally infested rabbits. It contains a wide variety of vitamins, nutrients, and fiber that all work to aid a rabbits health and digestion. Are you growing outside. Hello, All you need to do is clip some grass and keep it in an easy to access place for either your rabbit or for you to give it to them in small handfuls throughout the day. There is no reason you cant cut your lawn grass with scissors or a scythe and make hay or feed it fresh, its just domestic lawn mowers that are the issue. Can i give my rabbits grass instead of hay cos we dont have a car so we cant buy hay!? One of the rabbits has had a mild infection around her lady bits from pulling out some fur (she malts once year), but that has virtually cleared up after taking her to vets and giving her antibiotics and cleaning the area twice a day. Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules. The main problem is the grass , we want to fibd out if sod mats from home depot are safe to use. Grass is safe to rabbits in very high quantities. The digestion system of rabbits is very sensitive. Zucchini squash, also known as courgette, is safe for rabbits to eat. WordPress
Is there anything we can do? I couldnt find anything specifically about its toxicity to rabbits but it is listed as resistant (less likely to be eaten by wild rabbits) so I would say at the least its not particularly tasty. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. seed/weed mixes that contain other plants such clover, dandelion and thistle Have a friend hold the rabbit for you, then using tweezers, firmly grasp the tick near where it attaches to the skin and pull. and Comments (RSS). This hay satisfies all of my picky eaters. It could also be something specific rather than just a lot of grass, sometimes rabbits will react to a particular vegetable in which keeping a diary may help. And the bunny needs exercise daily. According to Discovery News, since ancient times, eggs and rabbits have been a symbol of fertility, while spring has been a symbol of rebirth. In fact, all of the hay that Rabbit Hole Hay has to offer is high quality! Its weird as grass seems like it would be something soft and pellets crunchy, but its why horses, rabbits etc. Is that just too much? He is a proud parent of two rabbits. They may wee more than eating dry food like pellets/hay though. Start by feeding small quantities of grass daily and build up the quantity gradually over10 days of more. Scattering poop as they eat is quite common, but Id expect she probably picks a specific spot within the tray for wee? What brand or grass type that is lawn grass seed safe for rabbits? But those coated $19.96 just for the two of themso we would like to know what lawn grass seed is safe for rabbits and where to but it. If so find out where they get their hay supplies from. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. I am afraid that too much grass is going to harm them, so i closed the roof. My son has a rabbit which eats the grass .The grass is getting thinner and thinner ,the garden is about 30 foot 20 foot would this be the cause of just one rabbit? Its their natural habit. Alex is a full-time rabbit lover and part-time Biologist. Can you tell me what is best to use in their litter trays. Any species of lawn grass is fine. Sorry, Im not familiar with that one. A typical litter has five or six young. I would like to grow some grass for my rabbits. What you could introduce now would be some different hays, for example you could try readi grass, oat hay, meadow hay etc. articles about bunny diet keep on repeating timothy, alfaalfa and sometimes bermuda. thanks so much for the help, This Forum and Store have separate secure Sign Ins. The other plants/weeds would be a substitute for the veggie portion of their diet. Fertilising it may also help as the nutrients in the soil decrease over time. hi im just wondering if its alright to feed my rabbits sour Grass? You may even be able to find somewhere that sells it lose and you can scoop what you need into a bag. First dont panic, as long as she eats plenty of hay she wont starve. Your bunny worth it indeed. when you pull a piece between your fingers it catches on your skin. Hello,I recently purchased a container of white clover seeds from a home depot near me. Do you mean grass thats still growing but has had the tops cut off? But unfortunately, all the plants and weeds are not safe for the bunny. We had a similar topic the other day. (Know the Facts!). You could try submerging them in a bowl of water for half an hour (you might need to weight them down with something) I would think that would finish off any bugs. Learn the do's and donts of feeding grass to your rabbit. http://www.diy.com/nav/garden/garden-power-tools/lawnmowers/cylinder_lawnmowers/B-and-Q-Hand-Push-Cylinder-Lawnmower-12698600)? Grass and hay can be used interchangeably, so it would be fine to feed the fresh grass instead of timothy hay. This hay is so soft and fresh! A couple farmers here breed cows and goats. Interesting question. My question now for you is that: Do you think i should let them decide by themselves how much grass to eat, or leave them on the roof with the grass for a couple of minutes a day? Last but not least, grass cant be the best alternative to hay. The other option would be to use something like a strimmer so the grass didnt get quite so chewed up. My partner and i have build a house for them and on the roof we have planted grass. It was a thing that came up in discussion and I thought you might know. Most interestingly, rabbits can live only on water and Hay. The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. I am so glad to hear that grass is a great alternative to hay, as I am allergic to the dust and I think my one bunny is too. It is a good supplement to a rabbits usual diet of fresh hay and clean water. Upon reviewing the label i saw that it was mixed with walnut shell pieces,but they are easy to separate from the clover seeds. Now, the thing that concerns me about it is that she started to pretty much use that little patch of grass as her litter box????????. i think it will be too hard for her, plus this grass is sharp. As well as being tasty it is an excellent form of enrichment to prevent your rabbit getting bored. In a few weeks it will be ready for them to eat again. This is a very useful website for me. Provide lots of high quality hay. I would suggest starting very slowly with pellets if shes had trouble, so you could start with one pellet on the first day, two on the second day, three on the third and so on. In wild, rabbit depends mostly on the grass, leafy vegetables and water. I dont know whats available locally but things like bramble/blackberry, apple tree leaves, grape vine etc. You can also buy seeds here: https://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/Grow+Your+Own.16/. However, being out and about at night isnt very safe for the rabbit lots of things like to eat them. Understanding wild rabbits lifestyle and eating habits They have a wood-based diet in the cold season (gnaw tree bark, twigs, pine needles), but they usually feed on green plants during the rest of the time (clover, forbs and leafy weeds, dry and green grasses, shrubs or tree seedlings). Be sure to rinse the comb before applying it to your bunny again. You are here: Blog Diet Rabbits Eat Grass. Such a great deal and a great way to find out which hay your pet will love!!" Particularly good vegetables include the dark leafy greens like romaine lettuce, bok choy, mustard greens, carrot tops, cilantro, watercress, basil, kohlrabi, beet greens, broccoli greens, and cilantro. Both these diseases could potentially be spread from grass (although less so Myxo), however its much more likely that your rabbit would contract them from your shoes/clothing or biting insects that can travel several miles. Rabbits need to eat grass either fresh or dried as hay. What can I feed him in the abundance I fed him the grass/dandelions? Its like children that would happily eat cake for breakfast and lunch and dinner! I just love rabbit and I feed them till their hearts content. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Entries (RSS)
We dont have home depot where I live. Grass is just as good as hay for wearing teeth and provides the same amount of fibre. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist. Baby rabbits whose mum eats grass will naturally start to nibble grass too as they start on solids and can continue from there. He didnt eat grass clippings just the grass that had just been mowed. Hi! You can either cut the grass or put the whole tray/pot in your rabbits pen. If you put the tray in your rabbits pen take it out again after theyve eating it and allow it regrow. How old do my rabbits have to be before i can feed them grass? Grass that rabbits enjoy to eat include timothy, orchard grass, meadow fescue, tall fescue, crested dogs-tail, Kentucky bluegrass, chewings fescue, Italian ryegrass, English ryegrass, and more. How can I avoid ticks? Hay is the most important food for your rabbits health, so make sure that she always has access to lots of high-quality hay. Though personally, I half that when they eat fresh foods as well. What do other people in your area feed rabbits? Ps. Pet rabbits can eat grass from the yard provided that its fresh and not treated with chemicals. What do I feed my bunny if i dont have grass, pellets, Or hay?? However, eating grass shouldnt make them go outside the tray. Im not sure about the different types of grass, they arent something we get in the UK. Youd need to ask them. Introduce it slowly though so your rabbits digestive system can adjust to the new food gradually. Also my children pick her grass and dandelions! Will definitely be reordering once our 5lbs is eaten through!" Not eating the night time poop is an issue though, it may well be all the grass has been too quick a change, so restricting it and then upping gradually may resolve it. Dont have a lawn? It could be from running outside, but I also believe they are crawling onto his face when eating the fresh picked grass/dandelions. Many sources insist on pellets, but I feel that there must be an alternative. To ensure the healthy life of your bunny, you should provide other food items like hay, pellets, vegetables, water, fruits, and others. I dont know if its safe for rabbits googling there are some references to toxicity for other animals. Water if it gets dry and wait. not really sure how to do this and i dont want her to starve (. Its very easy for breeding to get out of hand. Or maybe just asking the question of what rabbits can eat? No, the rabbit can not survive on the grass only in a healthy manner. I was thinking about adding grass to her diet since she doesnt eat enough hay, but I am concerned it will not wear her teeth down enough. You could fence off a portion at a time and reseed/rest it. Initially, allow a little grazing so that they can be accustomed to the new feed habit. These micronutrients boost the immune system of rabbits and keep them healthy and strong. Id strongly advise against this. Simply Hay is the dried version of the grass. To start with, cottontail rabbits are able to begin breeding at a very young age, as young as 2 months to 3 months old, according to the Animal Diversity Web. When you let your rabbit outside to roam around, make sure that you arewatching what they are eatingand have access to. To receive email updatesEnter your email address: The Rabbit House is proudly powered by
As a bunny owner, you probably know by now that your little beloved bun has a sensitive stomach that requires you to pay attention to what you feed them, as well as what they are or aren't eating. Rabbits are a social species and have evolved to live in groups. The same with grass, if you feel different types, youll find some feel quite smooth where as other have a really rough surface. If you have enough time to pass with your bunny, then you can use a harness for the rabbit. Thank you. Do not let your rabbit roam free if you use pesticides or any type of plant or insect killer. So rather than crunchy hay, what you need is hay with a rough surface i.e. They are passing huge amounts of urine. My rabbit is loving the fresh grass and dandelions until I discovered he got ticks. You should ensure at least 80% of its meal by Hay. The important thing is to feed a wide range of veggies/plants so your rabbits get a full range of different vitamins & minerals. Forum DIET & CARE carabao grass for rabbits. I grow it in a cat litter box so there is enough of it that she almond st completely stopped eating her hey. Can you tell me about diseases that can be picked up when feeding grass? Youll need to increase the amount you feed gradually, so just start with a little bit each day and build up over a few weeks, keeping an eye that your rabbit doesnt get soft droppings which is a sign youre going too fast. If you have a rabbit savvy vet theyd also be able to talk you through the risk in your area , If rabbits cant eat mowed grass, then how is the hay cut for their food? May i ask a question I live in a place almost surrounded with grass. It might be worth a vet checkup just in case its unrelated to the fact theyve switched to grass. You can grow it easily from seed. You can buy grass seed and grow your own, or youll need to source a supply of hay. We were told to feed her pellets. So why do many rabbits never get to eat it? In the wild, it is a widespread scenario. Hi! Havent start on any treats yet. Is it ok to feed my rabbits monkey grass? Yes, it is OK. Rabbits can eat wet grasses just after the rain. thanks. Rabbits will sit in one spot for a long time for a lot of reasons. HELP PLEASE! Hi Holly, Yes, grass is just as good as hay for rabbit. Im wondering about my rabbits (3 of them ^^) diet. She eats hay and drinks water fine and then i tried introducing just the plain pellets to her, but this seemed to make her sick too. Hay isnt washed either. I am worried theyRe going to have an electrolyte imbalance its so much. Like other food that you feed your rabbit, begin to introduce the grass into their diet slowly. Soil is very natural for rabbits so they enjoy digging, sleeping and sometimes pooping in areas with it. or like one celery top a day for a week and then two a day for a week?? Thanks to your website that question had been answered. Cut some with scissors before you mow the rest of your lawn. So my question is, do i just stop everything and start again with feeding her just hay and water or just carry on and let her adjust, but dont add anything new to her diet? They just couldnt stop eating. Anyway both rabbits over the last 4 days have hardly had any nuggets but have ate grass when they have been out. Its sudden changes that cause problems, so thats what you want to avoid introducing any new food , Hi I wanted to know if its ok for my bunnyto eat grass in my backyard. You are just making hay in the pen with them. If you cant get timothy have you checked to see if there is a livestock provider that has oaten hay or a pet supply that has other varieties. Does it say what it is on the container? In the UK Advantage has one suitable for rabbits. They arent particularly common in rabbits though. Avoid any commercial fertilisers that arent pet safe. If you have people with horses nearby you could see where they buy there hay and ask what type it is. In summer I feed Scamp grass from our lawn, when it stops growing fast enough to produce enough for him in winter I swap back to hay. In terms of quantity when they are eating grass, weeds and veggies too, I tend to feed about 10g of pellets to 1kg of bunny body weight. Rabbits typically run away from people because they are afraid or angry. Your email address will not be published. a maximum of 25g per 1kg of body weight. For her safety, you can use a playpen for your rabbit. Please consult a licensed veterinarian in your area for pet medical advice. Rabbits seem to rarely pick up worms and then only usually from each other. My rabbits would not eat any hay. Bunny cant differentiate which one is toxic and which is non-toxic. I was struggling to find a hay that was just as crunchy as Timothy Hay. Thats absolutely right, hay (or grass) is just as important for tooth wear. but we have rich patches of carabao grass in our backyard. I have a question I am building a rabbit garden for my bunnies, I got them a pet-door going directly out to it. But the hay contains high fiber than grass that is beneficial for long-term health for the bunny. I have included a list of safe and unsafe weeds and plants here. In the meantime, you could provide alfalfa hay for your baby bunny. As long as it is clean and not exposed to herb or pesticides it would be a lovely treat or salad supplement but you really need hay. For example picking grass from areas that arent soiled by other animals like dogs and cats and avoiding areas with big wild rabbit populations (the grass there isnt likely to be long enough to pick anyway). I had a question about grass and mowing, I could seem to find an answer yet. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Ive found it growing locally and also bought some seeds to try growing it myself. They are also peeing out with their litter tray which is unusual. I've been buying this hay for exactly a year last week, and I'll never go back." The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. Thank you so much for this post! Why do they put glass structure over pools in florida? The natural environment is far better than a confined one. can all be used as the hay portion of a rabbits diet . Bramble/blackberry leaves are also good for rabbits with digestion issues as they are nice and fibrous (start with one leaf and work up). If youve got the space you could also dry your own grass, turning it into hay. ), Adding in grass is a great idea. Rabbit mothers nurse their babies for approximately 5 minutes a day. Rabbits digestion is designed for grass and they are great at processing all the goodness they can out of it. We havent bought any hay. Oh, im not sure on our rabbits type. I noticed above that you said that grass that is suitable for horses is the best, but what about the ones that is fed to cows and goats? The heat and crushing action causes the grass to start fermenting which will upset the gut if eaten. When we use a domestic lawn mower to cut grass its chopped and crushed to condense the waste into a small volume this speeds up the decomposition it gets hot, wet and mushy. Instead of grass, you could provide unlimited hay to your bunny. Placing Predator Guard Scare Tape in the area may not initially keep these animals away, as the urge to feed and the knowledge of an easy meal will take precedence. Heather S. (Florida), "Great hay and great people. Try asking your local vet practice for advice theyll have local knowledge. Do not replace your rabbits Timothy Hay (or other grass hays) with plain grass. Id have a word with your neighbour about it they might not even realise hes getting out! If you arent keeping your Angoras for wool/showing, and you find they have frequent gut issues, you could consider trimming them.