Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Rachael Winder — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:15:05 GMT

Mark- I agree completely with you! When I get rabbits through the door I will go full swing into husbandry, vaccs, diet, neutering etc , as any opportunity is a good opportuniy. But that was sort of my point- we still frequently see new clients with 4-5y.o. rabbits who have never even been registered with a vets and have only turned up now because it is ill, so it can be an uphill struggle educating them when they've already been doing whatever they've been doing for years and hence don't see much wrong with carrying on that way. As I think has been touched on in other discussions, owners still seem to fall into 2 distinct categories with rabbits/small mammals: either ultra aware and educated and very astute, or the total other extreme. I am working on upping the numbers of the former... :-)

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Rob Loxley — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:02:22 GMT

[quote user="Hanna Bennett"]i like seeing rabbits twice yearly for the very reasons you mention, chance to discuss so many welfare issues that they have.[/quote]

I see your point, but equally will having a simpler, cheaper vaccination programme not also push up the % vaccinated rabbits, and therefore rabbits that ever cross our consulting table?

I believe MSD have extra work in the pipeline on efficacy (particularly if previously vaccinated) to be published before the product hits the shelves.

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Mark Rowland — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:07:09 GMT

A good question, and there are some questions as to efficacy and previous vaccination history which need answering. Theres a prev discussion on just this topic on this forum if you do a quick search.

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Hanna Bennett — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:03:11 GMT

[quote user="Mark Rowland"]Im not sure I agree with this. Most rabbit owners are aware of the need to vaccinate against at least myxomatosis which gives the opportunity to discuss diet (including the use and abuse of carrot tops) as many as 3 times yearly. Throwing in a bit of preventive advice and giving some general diet advice forms an important feature of vaccination consultations imo. pre op checks for neuter also provides an opportunity for drum bashing. As the third most popular pet its good for a practices reputation to encourage clients with some sound advice.[/quote]

a good opportunity to ask the question of what you think if the new yearly myxi/vhd vaccs? i like seeing rabbits twice yearly for the very reasons you mention, chance to discuss so many welfare issues that they have.

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Mark Rowland — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:48:58 GMT

[quote user="Rachael Winder"]

To be honest, with many of the people I see in GP with rabbits, getting them to appreciate that rabbits are not generally carnivorous is a starting point! I still haven't quite recovered from a conversation with one middle aged chap with an obese rabbit. This rabbit routinely ate whatever he was having for tea and so its normal diet included meat and potato pies, sausage, ice-cream and best of all, chicken tikka masala! I was astounded it had made it to the age of 5y.o.... They seem to be getting more clued up but it is an uphill battle, especially as many of these animals are purchased without any advice being sought and we frequently won't see them until they are having problems.

[/quote]

Im not sure I agree with this. Most rabbit owners are aware of the need to vaccinate against at least myxomatosis which gives the opportunity to discuss diet (including the use and abuse of carrot tops) as many as 3 times yearly. Throwing in a bit of preventive advice and giving some general diet advice forms an important feature of vaccination consultations imo. pre op checks for neuter also provides an opportunity for drum bashing. As the third most popular pet its good for a practices reputation to encourage clients with some sound advice.

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Rachael Winder — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:39:21 GMT

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Mark Rowland — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:07:18 GMT

Yep in reply to your question, carrot tops are fed preferentially as they are of better nutritional quality. Thats why JC recommended them and thats why I do.

All in all I stand by my original reply to the OP

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Marie Kubiak — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:42:36 GMT

[quote user="Mark Rowland"]

So is this thread about ill rabbits or normal ones???? Or you suggesting a carrot top aetiology to urolithiasis in rabbits. Even if you are I think I said not overly fed is fair enough dont you? I dont see many wild rabbits digging up the carrots with their little rabbity spades to eat them. I think if I were counselling a client, reduction in high calcium concentrate would be more my goal but thats just me.

[/quote]

I try and get diet optimal to avoid problems from day one in healthy rabbits, rather than have to alter it as rabbits develop issues. Fair enough not all rabbits will develop urinary pathology but I see no harm in recommending a balanced diet that will avoid future issues. I also advise on suitable concentrates and the benefits of lots of hay at the same time!

I have no problem with small amounts of carrots being provided, just questioning the advice to feed carrot tops preferentially.

Thanks for the link to our website, you can see on there it the advice John Chitty has written about carrots:

"Remember that carrots are not a staple of any rabbit’s diet – apart from Bugs Bunny!"

Marie

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Mark Rowland — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:56:43 GMT

http://www.manorvets.co.uk/pet-advice.php

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Mark Rowland — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:37:41 GMT

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"]

[quote user="Mark Rowland"]

Carrots are ok for rabbits but should not be overly fed. And the tops are the best part.

[/quote]

Really? I see an awful lot of rabbits with urinary sludge, urinary and renal calculi and spend my time persuading owners to cut out high calcium foods like carrot tops!

Marie

[/quote]

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Marie Kubiak — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:56:47 GMT

[quote user="Claire Fisher"]

We used to see a rabbit that was fed Milky Ways and sausage rolls!

[/quote]

I have seen a couple fed cannabis cakes 'just to see what happened'

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Marie Kubiak — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:55:11 GMT

[quote user="Mark Rowland"]

Carrots are ok for rabbits but should not be overly fed. And the tops are the best part.

[/quote]

Really? I see an awful lot of rabbits with urinary sludge, urinary and renal calculi and spend my time persuading owners to cut out high calcium foods like carrot tops!

Marie

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Claire Fisher — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:16:42 GMT

[quote user="Mark Holmes"]

I had a client feeding her bunny Banana today and a few weeks ago doughnut!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[/quote]

We used to see a rabbit that was fed Milky Ways and sausage rolls!

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Neil Wheadon — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:26:49 GMT

I'm not being clever with the answer, the lady at the helpdesk at Burgess rabbit food told me it was he sugar content. Just thought I'd share it

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Neil Wheadon — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:24:27 GMT

The answer is they contain too much sugar and this is where it gets tricky

The query was in response to a fat 9 month old rabbit which can't clean the back end. 'Diet it' said the vet. 'How' said the owner 'as you can't starve a rabbit' Vet scratches head and says the usual ' Hay, hay, hay and more hay' then 'cut out the snacks and commercial foods, but you can supplement with carrots and carrot tops to add variety.....

OK now the science

150 grams of carrots (2 average carrots) contain 63 calories (most in the centre) however I can't find the daily calorific intake needed for a rabbit..

A 60kg person needs 2000 calories , so a 3kg rabbit needs 100 calories, double? that as they are smaller, so 200 calories = 6 carrots/day, so yes this makes sense

So I guess feeding carrots to your dog with tarter as I have seen recommended should be viewed with care too, unless it's Wile Coyote as he's kinda skinny

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Lorna McHardy — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:26:11 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

as guilty as everyone else in believing for a long time that rabbits shouldn't eat succulent vegetables like carrots and lettuce

[/quote]

Lettuce is extremely bad for rabbits. It's how they end up getting put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:15:47 GMT

Well Elmer, I'm sorry to disillusion you but Bugs Bunny was a cartoon character so you can't really take his diet seriously. However, I'm probably as guilty as everyone else in believing for a long time that rabbits shouldn't eat succulent vegetables like carrots and lettuce, but of course this is bunkum, it is just eating them to excess because of the lack of fibre. They are of course fine as part of a varied diet including adequate amounts of high fibre food. The last time I looked the rabbits in the woods weren't eating Burgess Supa Rabbit (unless some well intended do gooder had left a bag there for them), but then unless they were Peter Rabbit and live next door to Mr McGregor's garden and nicking his carrots they weren't eating them either, they eat rough, tough old grass and a few daisies.

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Mark Holmes — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:23:54 GMT

I had a client feeding her bunny Banana today and a few weeks ago doughnut!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Are carrots bad for rabbits?

Mark Rowland — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:57:10 GMT

Carrots are ok for rabbits but should not be overly fed. And the tops are the best part.