What Veggies to Feed a Rabbit
Last Updated on August 5, 2022 by
The best vegetables to feed your rabbits are those that have darker leaves like: bok choy, brussels sprouts, carrot tops, romaine lettuce, okra leaves, radish tops, endive, escarole, fennel, spinach, wheatgrass, and watercress.
Vegetables that should only be given sparingly are those that are high in starch or water content.
Overfeeding these veggies could lead to digestive distress like diarrhea and soft uneaten cecotropes.
Now that I've given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain in more detail which vegetables you can feed your rabbits:
What vegetables are good for rabbits?
Before I discuss what's the best vegetables to feed your rabbits, I just want to lay out some ground rules about vegetables:
The best diet for your bunnies is one that's as close to a wild rabbit's diet as possible.
(Feeding Your Rabbits – PDSA)
Rabbit experts suggest that the best diet for rabbits is the one that closely mimics what they eat in the wild.
Wild rabbits have the whole forest full of different vegetables to choose from.
You should give your rabbits a variety of vegetables in order to keep them happy and healthy.
Never feed one type of vegetable for long periods of time.
Doing so would increase the possibility of developing nutrition deficiencies or digestive problems.
Diarrhea is a sign of gastrointestinal problems and can have multiple causes including incorrect diet (too high in carbohydrates, too low in fiber, or rapid diet changes)
(Rabbit Problems | VCA Animal Hospitals)
When introducing vegetables to rabbits, you should do it one at a time.
This would help you determine if a certain vegetable is making your rabbits sick.
Overfeeding a mixture of veggies too fast could lead to digestive distress like diarrhea.
And because you fed a mixture of different vegetables to your rabbit, you would find it hard to determine which of those vegetables made your rabbit sick.
I know it's kind of confusing what I laid out here.
I mean, do we feed a mixture of vegetables or not?
What this basically means is that you should feed your rabbits more than one type of vegetable, butspreadthem out.
For example, this week you can feed your rabbits a bunch of basil.
If all goes well and your rabbit didn't develop any digestive problems, that means your rabbit can tolerate basil.
The following week, feed your rabbit a different vegetable, and so on…
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, here are the most recommended vegetables to feed your rabbits:
- Spinach
- Celery
- Green peppers
- Basil
- Mint
- Alfalfa & Clover sprouts
- Beet greens (tops)
- Parsley
- Pea pods (flat edible kind)
- Peppermint leaves
- Bok choy
- Escarole
- Clover
- Peppermint leaves
- Carrot & carrot tops
- Radicchio
- Raspberry leaves
- Spinach
- Wheatgrass
- Watercress
- Cilantro
- Dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides)
- Radish
How much vegetables should a rabbit eat per day?
While the vegetables that I mentioned above are safe for rabbits, you should still limit the amount of vegetables you give your rabbits per day.
Hay should still account for 80% of your rabbit's diet.
Feeding your rabbits vegetables in lieu of hay could have detrimental consequences for your rabbit's digestive health.
Here's a table to help you decide how many vegetables you should give to your rabbits:
| Rabbit's weight based on breed | Allowed vegetables per day |
|---|---|
| Small breed (1.1–3.5 pounds) | <128 grams |
| Medium breed (6 to 10 pounds) | 384-640 grams |
| Large breed ( 9 and 12 pounds) | 384-760 grams |
What vegetables can be given to rabbits sparingly?
The most common types of foods that do create havoc in the rabbit's GI tract are those that are high in starch and sugars because they create a change in the pH of the cecum and eventually can throw the whole system off.
(House Rabbit Society)
Vegetables that are high in starch, sugar, or water content should be given in small amounts or none at all.
The reason is that starchy veggies could lead to digestive distress if they are fed in large amounts or if your rabbit is not eating enough fiber.
Here are the vegetables that should only be given 1-2 times a week, or never:
- Kale
- Spinach
- Carrots
- broccoli
- Chard
- Clover
What vegetables are bad for rabbits?
Vegetables that are bad for rabbits are those that are poisonous and can cause digestive problems and death, even in small amounts.
These vegetables often containtoxicchemicals that can kill a rabbit or make them sick.
The following vegetables should not be fed to rabbits:
- Turnip greens
- Rhubarb
- Potato
- Peas
- Iceberg lettuce
- Mustard greens
- Beans
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Corn
Conclusion
The best vegetables to feed to rabbits are those with darker leaves like bok choy, brussels sprouts, carrot tops, romaine lettuce, okra leaves, radish tops, endive, escarole, fennel, spinach, wheatgrass, and watercress.
Vegetables that are high in starch or water content, like kale, spinach, carrots, broccoli, chard, and clover, should only be given sparingly, or 1-2 times a week.
These vegetables could cause digestive distress if fed in large amounts.
And finally, vegetables that should NEVER be fed to rabbits are turnip greens, rhubarb, potato, peas, iceberg lettuce, mustard greens, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, and corn.
These vegetables are outright dangerous to rabbits even if it's only fed in small amounts.
Sources and further reading
- Feeding Your Rabbits – PDSA. www.pdsa.org.uk, https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/rabbits/feeding-your-rabbits. Accessed 26 Mar. 2022.
- Rabbits Problems | VCA Animal Hospitals. vcahospitals.com, https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/rabbits-problems. Accessed 26 Mar. 2022.
- House Rabbit Society. rabbit.org, https://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetables-and-fruits-for-a-rabbit-diet/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2022.
- Understanding the Basics of Rabbit Care
- Basic-Rabbit-Care
Source: https://bunnyhorde.com/what-vegetables-can-i-feed-my-rabbit/
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