Lettuce

[Jessykah]

I have read that you shouldn't feed rabbits lettuce, as something in it isn't good for them. I also heard that only the greenest lettuce is good. But so many people feed it to their buns....what are your opinions? I have fed it sometimes, only a little, but lately I avoid it because I am just not sure.

 

[eco2pia]

I am in the "only a little" camp. Just because I have read the same things. But in spring there is a glut of lettuce in the garden, so if anybody wants to tell me something different....

 

[ladysown]

it's all a matter of using common sense.

for instance...many people say iceberg lettuce shouldn't be fed to rabbits or any small animal. well TRUE if you are feeding gobs to it. But feeding a bit of it? NOT an issue. Somewhere in the hinterland that is my computer storage I have an article on the nutritive values of different lettuces...and iceberg lettuce actually comes out ahead of romaine and some other lettuces. the problem with iceberg is the water content. SO.. too much juiceness not good for bunnies. BUT if you take a balanced approach and only feed a bit...NOT an issue.

IF i can find that article again I'll post the link.

There is no issue in feeding lettuces, just be smart about it and don't go giving a whole head of lettuce to an animal that isn't used to it, or that is chock full of water and therefore might cause digestive upset.

 

[Anntann]

the really leafy dark stuff is rich in nutrients, and the wild rabbits do seem to like my mesculin rows...little buggers.

Interestingly..when I feed romaine in the winter, every rabbit will eat the really dark leaves...but leave the center of the "stalk"..that really crunch almost white part.

 

[5dognightfarm]

The outer, darker leaves are the most nutritious

 

[MaggieJ]

My take on it it that there is nothing bad about lettuce, per se, although iceberg lettuce has very few nutrients compared to the leafy green varieties. Lettuce gets bad press because a lot of people who have a pet bunny don't know that it is dangerous to give a rabbit a big mess of greens that they are not accustomed to. Lettuce is so often handy... and it seems a natural thing to give a bun. The poor rabbit that has likely never had anything but pellets gets bloat, sometimes dies, then the lettuce gets the blame, not the poor judgment of the pet owner. This happens all to often and after awhile the "never feed lettuce" idea takes hold.

I don't feed my rabbits a lot of garden vegetables. They get some vegetable trimmings, root crops, cabbage, the odd baked potato over the winter in addition to their alfalfa hay and grain. Once spring comes they only get things like lettuce if there is more than we can eat. I feel weeds like dandelion, chicory, clover, sow thistle, prickly lettuce and a score of others plus the leaves of raspberry, blackberry, willow, elm and poplar etc. give them plenty of variety and nutrition... all free!

 

[eco2pia]

Hmmm, well, I had about 6 large bolting bitter lettuces last year. I fed them combined with weeds over the course of a week, so each rabbit got just a few leaves each day...I am relieved that I most likely was not endangering them, I suspected the problem was a case of too much, too quickly.

 

[Jack]

I have heard, and read that you should 'wilt' lettuce and high water green by leaving them in the sun for a day to decrease the water content,

My understanding is that it isn't the water content per se, but the drastic change in diet from pellet to a high water fresh green.

 

[akane]

I read somewhere that it is not the water content of iceberg but various minerals and electrolytes that contribute to causing diarrhea. It is known on the guinea pig forums to cause diarrhea, sometimes life threatening, even in animals used to lots of fresh vegetables and lettuces. Personally I would not feed it. The risk is too great and the info too mixed when you can easily find other things that are commonly fed.

We did feed butter/boston lettuce daily to the pigs and eventually unlimited amounts of a variety of garden lettuces. Guinea pigs, horses, and rabbits are all very similar in nutritional needs and how their digestive tracts react. The rabbits get any leftover salad mixes and sprouts from feeding the sugar gliders. We are careful to buy mixes without iceberg or cruciferous vegetables. Every 1-2months we blend up balanced recipes of fruits and vegetables for the sugar gliders. The rabbits get large amounts of melon, papaya rind (we use up 6lbs of papaya every 1-2months), kiwi ends, and butternut squash. I've yet to see a problem. I think the fact we feed unlimited hay really helps cut down on digestive tract issues. Several times my rabbits have done things that should have led to bloat such as eating excessive amounts of pellets (several pounds each) or being given unlimited fresh alfalfa by someone when none of our new rabbits had tried greens yet. They all survived it without showing any sign it had happened.

 

[Tom in Kingman]

I have a feeling that good substitutes for pellets need to be found . If the economy takes a dive there might not be pellets at a store that might not even also exist .

 

[MaggieJ]

I have a feeling that good substitutes for pellets need to be found . If the economy takes a dive there might not be pellets at a store that might not even also exist .

Tom, you will want to take a look at the SAFE PLANTS list and also at the other threads in the Natural Feeding forum. It is perfectly possible to raise rabbits well on good alfalfa hay, some grass hay, gathered greens (weeds mainly) and a bit of grain. How much land do you have?

 

[curlysue]

My parents never fed pellets.they got scratch feed, good hay and veges from the garden.we never lost a bunny from enteritis either.

 

[MaggieJ]

I've never lost a rabbit to enteritis either, Curlysue. I was appalled when I learned that some commercial breeders expect to lose a certain percentage of fryers that way.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Thats just good business math and has more to do with the higher numbers a commercial breeder runs than a backyard producer with a few animals. They may or may not lose weanlings to this, but need to factor that in to their business model anyways.The higher the numbers kept the higher the odds "something" will pop up as opposed to the much lower odss in 4 or 5 rabbits. I would also assume the big producers do everything in their power to prevent it as more fryers that get processed the more they make.

 

[MaggieJ]

I'm sure that is the case, Lauren, but the statistics I heard (a long time ago so I cannot quote either the figures or the source) shocked me.

I do believe that feeding grass hay to young rabbits is the single most important thing one can do to prevent weaning enteritis. I also recognize that large commercial breeders may have their reasons for not doing so. Everyone has to establish his own acceptable risk and losses.

In France, there is a very profitable rabbit business where they raise the dual-purpose Rex du Poitou breed for both meat and fur. They feed a natural diet consisting mainly of alfalfa and grain. Working in their favour is the European preference for roasters over fryers. They raise the rabbits to about 20 weeks in order to have the more mature fur and prime roasting meat. It likely wouldn't work on this side of the Atlantic, where everyone wants veal... er, I mean fryers.

Sorry for the thread drift, Jessykah... We're a long way from lettuce, I'm afraid.

 

[ottersatin]

I am not going to disagree with you Maggie,
because if it works for you, then it is the thing to do!
I choose to give my Rabbits Grass-hay [NOT Grass] and it works for me.
In the early days I had some serious bouts of weanling enteritis [Now known as enteropathy]
but I feel it was brought about by a poor feed choice. [Blue Seal]
Once I stopped using that feed my rabbits had no further dealings with said disease.
Though from then on I have always given the rabbits in my herd, from weanlings to seniors
grass-hay fed in a hay-rack at least three times per week if not more often.
Hey, whatever works for you is what you should do.
Ottersatin. ldtimer: [OK so I'm an OLD Dog, but I still do learn a few new tricks!]

 

[MaggieJ]

I am not going to disagree with you Maggie,
because if it works for you, then it is the thing to do!
I choose to give my Rabbits Grass-hay [NOT Grass] and it works for me.
In the early days I had some serious bouts of weanling enteritis [Now known as enteropathy]
but I feel it was brought about by a poor feed choice. [Blue Seal]
Once I stopped using that feed my rabbits had no further dealings with said disease.
Though from then on I have always given the rabbits in my herd, from weanlings to seniors
grass-hay fed in a hay-rack at least three times per week if not more often.
Hey, whatever works for you is what you should do.
Ottersatin. ldtimer: [OK so I'm an OLD Dog, but I still do learn a few new tricks!]

But Dennis... nowhere did I mention feeding grass. Several times I mention grass hay. The only difference is that I do not hyphenate the term as you do.

(I do feed some timothy grass fresh from time to time, but do not consider it a substitute for grass hay. It is part of their fresh greens.)

Thanks for the reminder to now use the term enteropathy. I'm having trouble remembering it and so often I end up using the older term enteritis. Maybe I need to go write it out a hundred times, the way I would have had to do in school back in the 50's.

 

[hoodat]

I have heard, and read that you should 'wilt' lettuce and high water green by leaving them in the sun for a day to decrease the water content,

My understanding is that it isn't the water content per se, but the drastic change in diet from pellet to a high water fresh green.

My grandfather fed quite a few cabbage and collard greens to his rabbits. Common wisdom says it's slow poison but his rabbits did just fine on them. He did always wilt it first, maybe that's why he got away with it. I only feed an occasional leaf and cut it smaller if the leaf is large. I'm not sure if the info on cabbage and collards is right or not but it isn't worth taking chances when there are so many other greens available in my garden.

 

[ottersatin]

Thanks for the reminder to now use the term enteropathy. I'm having trouble remembering it and so often I end up using the older term enteritis. Maybe I need to go write it out a hundred times, the way I would have had to do in school back in the 50's.

Thank you for a good Chuckle!
I just thought I'd mention it as most seem to forget to remember!
I have an excuse, I claim "Half-Heimers"! :mbounce:
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Jessykah]

Thanks for all the opinions about lettuce. I have a lot to think about. I learned from the thread drift as well obviously I need to research enteropothy, as I have no clue what you're talking about. so much learning to do...