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Bunny Nutrition 101

Bunnies are very fun and lovable little pets. Floppy definitely has stolen a lot of hearts! Just like any other pet, these little furballs love food. Hay and pellets should make up the bulk of your rabbit’s meals, but your furry pal will also need fresh produce. However, not everything is safe or suitable for bunnies. An Aurora, CO vet discusses feeding your bunny below.

Vegetables

Rabbits love fresh veggies, and should have some every day. Many types of veggies are safe for Floppy. However, not all are safe for daily consumption. Some of the things you can give your pet daily include bell peppers, Bok choy, Brussels sprouts, carrot tops, cucumber, endive, escarole, and fennel. Your furball can occasionally have carrots, chard, clover, collard greens, and dandelion greens, and broccoli stems or leaves.

Herbs

Bunnies can also enjoy many types of herbs, including basil, cilantro, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme.

Lettuces

Floppy can also have some lettuces. Some safe ones include romaine, green leaf, red leaf, arugula, butter, okra leaves, radicchio, radish tops, kale, and spinach.

Flowers

Did you know that many flowers are edible? Some good options include calendula, chamomile, day lily, dianthus, English daisy, hibiscus, honeysuckle, marigold, nasturtium, pansy, and rose,

Fruit

Floppy is notorious for having a sweet tooth. However, you don’t want to give your pet too many sugary snacks. As a rule of thumb, give your furry pal a small amount of fruit a few times a week. Figure about one or two tablespoons of fruit for each pound of body weight your pet has. Some good choices are apples; bananas; berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and cranberries; grapes; melons; nectarines; oranges; papayas; peaches; pears; pineapples; plums; and watermelon. Be sure to remove all seeds and pips. Freeze-dried fruits are a great treat!

Unsafe Foods

There are also many foods that are toxic to bunnies. This includes beans and legumes, beet greens, cabbage, cauliflower, cereal, caffeine, chocolate, corn, crackers, iceberg lettuce, mustard greens, nuts, pasta, peas, potatoes, rhubarb, seeds, sugar, turnip greens, and yogurt. Processed people foods are also unsafe, as is anything that is high in salt, sugar, or fat.

Tips

This is just a partial list. Ask your vet for specific, including serving sizes. Also, always introduce new foods slowly.

As your Aurora, CO vet clinic, we are here to help! Call us anytime!

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