A Natural Boost — Hickory Ridge Hollands

Do you take a vitamin every morning? When your nose gets stuffy, do you reach for zinc and vitamin D? Do you try to add fruits and vegetables to your diet? Most people adopt healthy habits to give their body some extra tools to stay healthy. Why not do the same thing for your bunny? Here are some natural immune and health boosters.

ACV: Add apple cider vinegar to your bunny's water. I do this 4 times a year for about two weeks at a time. Some breeders prefer a different schedule. Regardless of the frequency, the correct ratio is 2 Tablespoons per gallon of water. Adjust quantities for your bunny's water bottle or make a batch and use it until you run out. Apple cider vinegar is a natural anti-microbial, and can help your bunny's immune system combat some of the germs it picks up. For skeptics out there, check out this article

Grapefruit seed extract: Add grapefruit seed extract to your bunny's water. I do this for about a week, give or take a few days, 4 times a year. The correct ratio is 10 drops per gallon of water. Please be careful to get the actual extract, not an oil. I buy the Solaray brand. Grapefruit seed extract helps prevent parasites and worms.

Dandelion leaves: Dandelion supports the kidneys and respiratory system and helps clean the blood. Considering your bunny is a nose breather, it's really important to keep his airways clear and prevent colds. You can give dandelion every day. If you don't spray or fertilize your yard or land, go outside and pick some. If you do, head to the grocery store or health store. They probably have it off and on during the year.

Plantain: Plantain does so many good things, I just think of it as an all around immune and health booster. If you live in the midwest and you don't fertilize or herbicide your lawn, you probably get it. If you live in the desert, like I do, you are out of luck. Still, you can probably get organic cut and sifted plantain online.

Chamomile flowers: Crabby, stressed out bunny? Dried chamomile flowers can help. I found this really helps when you have multiple bunnies and are running into hierarchy issues, or a bunny that hit it's teenage years and is now acting all sassy and snippy.

Papaya: Papaya for digestion issues and breaking down ingested fur during molting. Personally, I prefer and have good experiences using Trader Joe's Papaya & Pineapple Enzymes. I break them in half and give once a day for about a week.

Strawberry Leaf ( and a little of the berry ): The berry is just a treat, but the leaf is antiseptic and can help keep a bunny healthy. If you grow strawberries and don't use chemical fertilizers, now you have a use for the leaves.

Willow: Do you have a willow tree in your yard? Break off some of those branches, and twist them into rings. Don't take off the leaves! Your bunnies will love chewing on them. Willow has natural anti-inflammation properties.

As with all new things that you want to add to your bunny's diet, start sparingly and watch like a hawk. The above recommendations are general. Your particular bunny might have a chemical make-up, microbiome, or health problem that dictates smaller quantities than the average bunny.