feeding rabbits strictly greens

[justfine505]

Howdy, I am new to the rabbit meat raising and getting some different info from other rabbit raisers. One guy only uses pellets with a few greens to suppliment, but he's been having abort problems. Another farmer who raised them for many years told me that he only feed them greens: tree leaves, grass, whatever was around, and they were all find and bred really well.

I would like to avoid spending money on pellets, as it's too expensive. I was expecting cheap meat, not supporting the industrial ag machine through buying non-organic pellets.

Any thoughts on just throwing whatever greens I've got in their cages, letting them eat their fill and calling it good?

Thanks! My 3rd litter is due any second now And butchering my first litter in a couple weeks.

 

[MaggieJ]

It is certainly possible to feed rabbits well without commercial pellets, but you cannot just throw whatever greens you've got in their cages, let them eat their fill and call it good.

I feed my rabbits alfalfa hay, some grass hay, a bit of whole grain (wheat, barley or oats) and as much fresh food as the season allows. From May to October, they eat mainly weeds, tree trimmings and a bit of surplus garden produce, but they always have the hay and grains available too. The working does and growing fryers, in particular, need that extra. There is a SAFE PLANTS LIST on this forum that I recommend you read. There are many plants that are not good food for rabbits and which may even poison them... so you do need to do your homework before embarking on this route.

If your rabbit currently are pellet-fed, you will also need to transition your rabbits to natural foods over a period of several weeks to ensure that they do not e\develop GI problems.

Natural feeding does work out a lot cheaper than using commercial feed and the meat is more flavourful, but natural feeding requires considerable more work, more thought, more time and more attention to detail. I like it... but it is certainly not for everyone.

 

[Brody]

I'm so excited to be starting cutting back on pellets here finally again .. the willow, dandilion and plantain is all growing like mad already so I'm hoping to transition to every other day pellets in the next week ... for july and august I go down to twice weekly pellets for the young ones ..and any bred/nursing does that might be around - everybody else gets a weekly pellet dinner just so I know they can handle pellets when that becomes practical for me again in the fall

 

[curlysue]

My parents raised rabbits without pellets.we did not feed them only on greens.we fed scratch feed(it had corn,oats and probably barley]good hay ;greens and salt.

 

[MaggieJ]

Thanks, CurlySue, for mentioning the salt! I always forget to say that rabbits fed without pellets need a trace mineral salt block. I've been using one of the reddish ones intended for general livestock, but other people have mentioned using ones intended for horses. This is likely a good idea, since rabbits and horses share many dietary and digestive similarities.

You don't have to buy those expensive little spools intended for pets. Just knock chunks off the larger block with a hammer and put them in those small dollar-store ramekins (straight-sided dishes) to keep them from rusting the cage.

 

[hoodat]

I keep pellets in the feeders at all times just to be sure but I also feed heavily with greens and rabbit bread that I make myself. They eat very few pellets, preferring the fresh greens. Right now my mainstays are red clover and chicory greens which I grow in my garden just for rabbit use. I think rabbits fed on greens are healthier both in themselves and in the meat they produce and let's face it - I'm too cheap to buy a lot of food when I can get it free.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Sometimes, people tend to forget, that in the wild, rabbits feed 'strictly' on greens. I cant go out every day and forage for my rabbits-- but wile foraging this morning, I pulled plants up by the roots, fed the rabbits the tops, and planted the roots in my kitchen garden. Strange? maybe-- but it hopefully will work for me!!My apartment manager does not mind that I am pulling weeds and transplanting to my patio area-- he knows he does not need to care for my 40 square feet of dirt,and the front flower beds are getting weeded!

 

[crowsnest]

I keep pellets available as well - even though I feed plenty of greens that they hardly ever touch them. I don't go through much feed. But, I like the fact that if I am gone for the day and can't provide fresh forage my rabbits will not go hungry. And, come winter I plan to provide hay and pellets since fresh green forage will not be available for at least some of the winter in Missouri. Feeding greens is great, but sometimes unreliable here - I feed what I can when I can. It's good for the buns, and some exercise for me too, lol. I plan to put up some hay over the summer with my son - he's starting his own colony since he doesn't think mine will provide all the rabbit he wants to eat, lol. We seeded his setup today with grass (and other) seed and will be ready to add rabbits in about a month! One of my rabbits favs is plantain - both broad and narrow leaf forms are appreciated. Take a look at what you have around in your yard and see if you can get the plants identified - most are probably safe for rabbit consumption.

 

[MaggieJ]

Sometimes, people tend to forget, that in the wild, rabbits feed 'strictly' on greens. I cant go out every day and forage for my rabbits-- but wile foraging this morning, I pulled plants up by the roots, fed the rabbits the tops, and planted the roots in my kitchen garden. Strange? maybe-- but it hopefully will work for me!!My apartment manager does not mind that I am pulling weeds and transplanting to my patio area-- he knows he does not need to care for my 40 square feet of dirt,and the front flower beds are getting weeded!

Don;t forget, Terry, that wild rabbits eat quite a lot of seeds too. I've seen them pulling down long grass seed heads to eat and they also eat wild berries, windfall apples etc. I watch the wild cottontails all I can... They have taught me so much!

 

[akane]

Wild rabbits also don't eat the type of greens we tend to pick for rabbits. They don't eat that much grass or clover especially in the northern climates where such things are only available part of the year. I actually see them eating a lot more brush, small trees, older grasses gone to seed, and other fibrous older plants. If you are familiar with larger livestock think goats rather than sheep. Browsing more than grazing.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I have noticed, that if a groundhog eats it-- rabbits will, too! I have some available multiflora rose,wild blackberry etc, that I can trim tips off of for my buns. Now that the trees across the parking lot are leafing out-- I need to see what forage is available there,too. Oh, I have Nasturtium seeds-- gonna try them for me AND the buns!!!

 

[crowsnest]

I also agree with Akane's statement about goats - mine will eat grass but appreciate nearly any kind of broad leafed weed more and seem to prefer them to grass of any kind. Brush too. Sometimes they have surprised me with what they eat. There have been times I was so proud of myself for getting them what I thought they wanted and ended up with just a few weeds - and the weeds are what they picked out of all of it to eat first, lol. I am still learning alot!

 

[MaggieJ]

Grass makes up only a very small percentage of the greens I feed my rabbits. It is the broad-leafed weeds that I look for, plus things like raspberry and blackberry leaves, willow whips and leaves, poplar twigs with leaves, fresh alfalfa and so forth. These have far more nutrients than grass. See the SAFE PLANTS sticky for ideas.

safe-plants-for-rabbits-list-t55.html

 

[BoxerMom]

This has got me wondering if I am feeding too much grass to my rabbits. We have half an acre covered with grass that I've been pulling for the buns. Also dandelions and clover. We don't really have any other weeds, except one that I am trying to identify before feeding it to them. We have access to a lot of other bushes and such, so maybe I will have to go forage elsewhere.

 

[MaggieJ]

You may notice other weeds as the season progresses, BoxerMom. Watch for plantain, sow thistles, prickly lettuce, chicory etc. They grow in most areas of North America.

 

[justfine505]

Thanks everyone! I've been feeding my buns tons of greens and they are thriving so far. I will make sure to still have pellets available so I don't have to transition their diet too much when we don't have time to forage.
I've been sort of going on my intuition on what I think they would like to eat, and I do know some that are not good for them. I heard Maple leaves are bad and the buttercup, ivy (both of which are everywhere) and morning glory. I've been giving them lots of blackberry, tree leaves, indian plum, dandelion, garden greens going to flower, grass, and other unidentifiable bushes.

I do have a problem with figuring out how to feed them greens without them being stepped on and smashed. As soon as the buns run them over, they start pooping on them and they won't eat them.

I either have to feed them small handfuls all day long or figure out how to give it to them elevated from the floor of the cage.

 

[ottersatin]

Justfine505,
why not try using a Hay-rack to feed your greens?
You can make one out of cage wire. FASHION TWO HOOKS
ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TOP AND Bottom. Hook onto the
outside of the cage high enough that they can
pull the greens through as they like.
I may be able to post a few pictures if I still have them.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

I found a wild bunny chowing down on my Creeping Phlox a couple weeks ago. She sure was enjoying it!

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I found a wild bunny chowing down on my Creeping Phlox a couple weeks ago. She sure was enjoying it!

They like dianthus, too . My Mother calls it "Carnation Instant Breakfast for Bunnies"

 

[hoodat]

Thanks everyone! I've been feeding my buns tons of greens and they are thriving so far. I will make sure to still have pellets available so I don't have to transition their diet too much when we don't have time to forage.
I've been sort of going on my intuition on what I think they would like to eat, and I do know some that are not good for them. I heard Maple leaves are bad and the buttercup, ivy (both of which are everywhere) and morning glory. I've been giving them lots of blackberry, tree leaves, indian plum, dandelion, garden greens going to flower, grass, and other unidentifiable bushes.

I do have a problem with figuring out how to feed them greens without them being stepped on and smashed. As soon as the buns run them over, they start pooping on them and they won't eat them.

I either have to feed them small handfuls all day long or figure out how to give it to them elevated from the floor of the cage.

I have a buck like that. He insists on spraying the greens he doesn't immediately eat. I just feed him what he can eat right away. A rack wouldn't help. He sprays everything he can reach and he has a pretty long range.