Rabbits are gradually becoming a familiar member of many modern families.
People like rabbits because of their “unlimited” cuteness, because of their silky fur, because of the warmth of hugging them.
In general, there are many reasons people find this animal and choose it as a pet.
But choosing an animal as a pet doesn’t just come to the store, choose an animal that suits your eyes and pay to take them home.
No. Animals like rabbits will not be able to grow healthily without a thorough inquiry to take care of them.
Raising rabbits from infancy to adulthood is a complex stage with lots of stages in which finding the right food can be considered the most challenging part.
As mentioned at the beginning, not only grass, not just carrots, this article will bring you a fascinating world of vegetables, tubers, fruits in the list of “digestible things for rabbits.” But not all of these foods can become meals and are consumed on a regular basis.
Some types simply appear to be a temporary solution, a “treat” no more and no less.
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Rabbits Nutrition
Rabbits are animals capable of digesting a lot of fiber, making good use of vegetables, fruits, and agricultural by-products.
However, for the rabbit to grow fully, it must be supplemented with starch, protein, minerals, and vitamins in the premixed form or the form of nutritious foods.
And one thing to keep in mind is that at each stage of development the rabbit will have different nutritional needs.
However, in the scope of this article, I cannot provide you immediately.
1. Starch
Starch is found in grains such as rice, corn, cassava, etc.
These substances are broken down into sugars to provide energy for the body.
If your rabbit needs to gain weight or accelerate development, this will be a very important factor.
2. Protein
This substance strongly affects the formation of muscle groups.
You can find protein right in very common vegetables, fruits and seeds like broccoli, lentils, spinach, pumpkin seeds, etc.
3. Fiber
An essential requirement in the diet for rabbits to ensure normal physiological and digestive activity.
The ratio of dietary fiber should not be lower than 8%, or higher than 16% otherwise it will cause digestive disorders.
The rabbit turned to Timothy hay and alfalfa to increase interest in the rabbits.
4. Vitamins and minerals
Most importantly, vitamins A, B, D and E. Without vitamins A and E, baby rabbits will grow slowly and become susceptible to illness and some of the rabbit’s functions will be disordered.
Vitamins B and D help speed up the process of muscle development as well as give the rabbit supple health.
Along with that, calcium and phosphorus also play an important role in ensuring the bone strength and softness of the coat.
5. Drinking water
Rabbits eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, so the amount of water is not much, but still have to ensure clean and cool water supply.
Digestible Things for Rabbits
In addition to the main foods that we often know, rabbits can eat and absorb a lot of other vegetables, fruits, and grains.
However, bunnies are animals with very weak internal systems (typically stomach).
So, when choosing and feeding your rabbit anything, you need to be very careful to avoid causing dangerous problems for their health.
From the above analysis, I’ve listed the types of rabbit foods that can be used (this list doesn’t mention grass because you know, it’s so familiar already):
1. Fruits and sweet tubers
Regularly adding tubers and fruits to rabbits, they will be provided with many vitamins, fiber, and essential nutrients.
Farmers should refer to many types such as carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, and white radishes. For example bananas, watermelons, pears, papaya, etc.
2. Cereal grains
Rabbits like cereals, such as rice, peanuts, peanuts, and corn, but they should not be given too much.
3. Nuts and seeds
These include sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds…
4. All types of leaves
The leaves that buffalos, cows, goats eat rabbits are no exception.
For example, jackfruit leaves, corn leaves, banana leaves, bamboo leaves or legumes.
This is a delicious and nutritious delicacy of the rabbit.
FAQs about What a Rabbit Can Eat
This will be the main part of my article. Note to you: Although these are just a few references, they are compiled from many reputable sources. Read and find out!
1. Can a rabbit eat a banana?
Bananas contain an extremely high content of nutrients and greatly promote digestion as well as a good source of antioxidants.
People like and eat bananas very much. And this is no exception for rabbits.
People also call rabbits with another name, “Bun-nana”, you get it. Rabbits love to eat bananas and can easily absorb the nutrients in them.
The sugar in bananas stimulates and gives the rabbit the energy to stay active all day long.
Antioxidants help minimize the aging process.
In particular, bananas do not contain anything that can harm the rabbit’s body, so you can be completely assured when letting them use them.
However, as recommended by leading veterinarians, when feeding bananas you must follow strict rules: feeding a small number of bananas at a time (no more than 2 tablespoons per pound of weight). , don’t let your rabbit eat bananas regularly (about every 2 to 3 days).
The reason used to explain this is that high amounts of nutrients can cause obesity and tooth decay.
2. Can rabbits eat green beans?
Rabbits are herbivores. Meaning they like grasses, vegetables, and especially green plants.
They are truly passionate about organic and healthy things. And green beans are not on this list, and if you’re thinking about choosing this food to add to your rabbit’s diet, congratulations.
Mung beans bring great benefits to your rabbits after eating them.
The types of substances available in peanuts directly affect the body, helping to eliminate free radicals and remember, the immune system, along with the rabbit’s heart health, will be greatly enhanced.
The rabbits are having health problems, such as malnutrition or difficulty in gaining weight, green beans also provide a huge source of nutrients with many essential vitamins and minerals.
Try it out and green beans won’t let you and your pet rabbit down.
However, despite its effects as a natural remedy for the body, the use of green beans in the rabbit’s diet should also be extremely cautious.
It causes gas accumulation to make the rabbit’s belly swell if it is used in an overdose. More dangerous, if baby rabbits eat too many green beans, there is a high risk of diarrhea and death.
1 small cup for every 4 pounds of rabbit’s weight (about 5% of the daily meal) would be required. And remember, use fresh food to achieve the highest efficiency.
3. Can rabbits eat green collards?
As a vegetable of the Brassica oleracea family along with other vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, savoy, Brussels sprouts, green collards are a nutritious vegetable full of nutrients such as carbs, protein, vitamin A along with an excellent source of vitamins including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, C, E, and K.
Moreover, it has minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, sodium and zinc as well as a lot of water.
With such super-huge benefits, there’s no reason this vegetable is out of the rabbit’s food bowl.
However, unlike the other two foods above, if your rabbit has kidney or bladder problems, green collards are not suitable for use.
Watch for a rabbit’s appearance if he eats this vegetable for the first time within 24 hours.
If anything is abnormal, take the rabbit to the nearest veterinary facility.
A sufficient amount of green collards for each rabbit’s feed is 1 small cup for every 2 pounds of rabbit weight. And don’t feed them often.
4. Can Rabbits eat green onions?
This is an extremely common question. Scallions are one of the most commonly used foods in the kitchen of any housewife. But can rabbits use it the same way we do?
Before answering this question, I will tell you this: green onions can be considered the most effective natural remedy for human life.
When you use it as an ingredient that enhances the spice and attractiveness of every dish, you contribute to giving your immune system the strength to fight disease.
Besides, green onions also contain a lot of vitamins and minerals necessary to improve digestion, combat many dangerous diseases including cancer.
That’s great, but when your bunny accidentally consumes even a small portion of green onion, it even means that danger is imminent. Rabbits cannot eat green onions.
This I dare to say for sure because of the safety of those furry friends. The main reason for this is that if ingested, onions can cause hemolytic anemia in the rabbit system.
This is a blood abnormality that results in your rabbit being anemic and dizzy. In severe cases, anemia and even death can occur.
So try to keep your rabbit away from these foods if you don’t want bad things to happen.
5. Can rabbits eat green peppers?
Yes, rabbits can eat green peppers and they will be a great nutritional supplement for those furry friends.
Indeed, not only is an indispensable flavor in human stir-fried dishes, green peppers when used can be a great source of nutrition for rabbits.
You can imagine green peppers like a giant water tank when made up of 92% water and this means they will give your bunny great bottles of natural water to be able to maintain activity. come alive and tell the weather.
Along with that, they also contain lots of fiber that encourage a healthy digestive tract. Green peppers are high in vitamin A which helps to increase visibility, vitamin C helps rabbits have healthy skin and many substances locked.
And yet, potassium and manganese along with fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 help strengthen the muscular system, support nerves and prevent cardiovascular disease.
Oh, it will probably take whole medical research to talk about the effects of green peppers. But that doesn’t make green peppers a mainstay in a rabbit’s meal.
The best option would be to combine it with pellets and bitter grass. And one more note for you: start slowly with green peppers. Only 2 tablespoons for every 4 pounds of rabbit weight.
6. Can rabbits eat mustard greens?
I still remember once in the Master Chef’s Mystery Box, chef Gordon Ramsey said, “Mustard greens are the most challenging gift created by the Creator to chefs.”
I understood this when I learned and realized that in addition to a large number of nutrients, mustard greens are associated with quite serious health risks if used incorrectly. So what about rabbits?
The same is true when the vegetable is used as a food for rabbits. Rabbits can eat this vegetable. But there are still safety indications.
Despite being a great source of vitamins and minerals, these foods contain a lot of oxalic acids – one of the main factors that cause calcium kidney stones.
You should only use a small amount and combine with pellets or hay or other low-oxalic vegetables like dill, mint, Escarole, coriander, carrot tops, Bok Choy, … A 2-pound rabbit should only eat 1 cup of this small vegetable at a time.
And one more thing, you need to closely observe the expression of rabbits in the first use, especially the abdomen.
7. Can rabbits eat turnip greens?
As a small branch of turnip, turnip greens have long been a perfect choice for rabbit breeders who want to give their pets something natural quickly.
In other words, turnip greens can provide a solution for every shaggy friend’s meal.
Turnip greens bring a superior source of nutrients to their other brothers. This food provides a good source of fiber.
Along with that, the essential vitamins and minerals concentrated in the turnip can supplement vitamin C, B6 as well as manganese, iron, magnesium, phosphorus for the development of other parts of the body.
Your cute rabbit can easily use this bio-product and of course, must be to a certain extent.
A small cup of 5 to 6 types of vegetables with kale, watercress, parsley, radish, asparagus, wheatgrass, lettuce, etc. to add flavor to the meal.
The only note, in this case, is that you must take care not to mix turnip greens with high-oxalate vegetables like spinach, parsley, beetroot, Swiss radish … Good luck!
8. Can rabbits eat beet greens?
Beetroots are one of the most economically viable plants when nearly every part of them is worth using, though more or less. And even the seemingly worthless part of the leaves has their effects.
Beet greens can be used as part of a rabbit’s ration.
With this type of food, you can use it regularly to enrich your rabbit’s diet.
Although the nutrient content is not as much as the root, it also contains many other vitamins and minerals necessary for living activities.
To use this food effectively, you must limit it to combine with vegetables that are high in oxalic acid. And beet greens are nutritious if used when fresh.
Traceability and wash thoroughly before use to minimize pesticides.
9. Can rabbits eat green leaf lettuce?
This will be the easiest FAQ to answer on this list. Green leaf lettuce is a familiar dish of rabbits that many have called this vegetable a “rabbit food”.
It can be said that green leaf lettuce is one of the safest choices for any rabbit farmer.
The amount of water in each leaf of vegetables is a great addition to the body of rabbits, an animal that is very limited in water intake.
Along with that, the nutrient system in lettuce will impact directly on all parts of the rabbit’s body.
Green leaf lettuce has an advantage over its cousins because they contain a lot of vitamin K – a substance that helps prevent blood clotting.
When using green leaf lettuce, you need to note that it is not a substitute for a rabbit meal. After washing, cut it into small pieces to combine with other vegetables that bell pepper will be an extremely suitable choice.
2 small cups for every 6 pounds of body weight will work best. If your rabbit is new to this food for the first time, try to start with an amount.
10. Can rabbits eat radish greens?
Radish is more commonly known as the ingredient in a salad because of its crunchy texture and pleasant taste. And of course, its tubers are also used as an alternative therapy in the diets of many pets, including rabbits. But is there any other part of this plant that can be used?
The answer is yes. 100% guaranteed by the experts.
The radish leaves can be used in livestock to become feed ingredients for rabbits.
You can feed your rabbit radish greens daily and it is even better than the roots and tubers.
However, there are a few caveats in this case. Radish greens have a high level of oxalic acid, which is closely related to the formation of kidney stones in rabbits.
So be careful, don’t make this the main dish of a rabbit’s meal. Mix this leaf with vegetables that are low in oxalic acid to ensure your own rabbit’s safety.
11. Can rabbits eat dandelion greens?
Rabbits are still famous for being a very picky eater but it is quite strange that it can almost eat all green plants.
I was quite surprised to find out that rabbits can eat Dandelion greens (leaves and stems).
As well as providing fiber and other essential minerals, Dandelion greens do not have any indications when used in a rabbit’s diet.
Try to check the origin of the dandelion flowers very carefully as it will be an effective way to remove the residual pesticide residues on the greens.
After washing, you can cut one leaf and mix it with 5-6 other leaves.
12. Can rabbits eat cabbage greens?
In short, yes, rabbits can eat cabbage greens. This is because not only do rabbits like the fresh, green vegetables but the rich taste of nutrients hidden in the cabbage leaves.
You can easily find this type out in the store, any time of the year. This tree gives a lot of leaves and just one cabbage is enough for you to serve your rabbit for a long time (as long as you keep it fresh).
Each leaf of cabbage is like a portable refrigerator that can provide your rabbit with calcium to strengthen teeth, potassium to enhance mental acuity, blood vitamin K and a small amount of magnesium, fiber, phosphorous, zinc, and vitamin E.
There have been untested sources from rabbit farmers themselves that their rabbits after eating cabbage greens showed signs of bloating due to the gas. Along with that, a few rabbits showed diarrhea.
At the moment, according to my research, there is still no veterinary organization that can test the reliability of this issue.
And I recommend that you feed your bunny cabbage greens normally. But start slowly and when there are negative signs of rabbit health, quickly remove the vegetable from the main dish.
Suitable to combine with 5-6 more vegetables, 1 or 2 small cups of the mixture will help cabbage greens promote their nutritional value.
13. Can rabbits eat the green tops of carrots?
Rabbits and carrots have long had a very close relationship. When one thinks of rabbits, one would never think of a more adorable image than a “fluffy ball” chewing an orange bulb.
So what about the green tops of carrots? This is a part where no one ever tasted until buying rabbit food. And the obvious fact is that when you visit a grocery store, you won’t be able to find them.
But my friend, did you know these long trunks and leaves that are often discarded by humans are one of the rabbits’ favorite foods? Green tops of carrots provide an abundance of fiber and a water source to complement the rabbit’s vital activities.
Through research, I found that there were no restrictions for rabbits in using this part of the carrot plant to supplement the rabbit diet.
Combine these leaves with three other leafy greens and you have a nutritious meal as an alternative to hard dry pellets.
However, you should also note that you should not give your rabbit too many of these foods when they are small in the weak digestive system.
14. Can rabbits eat cauliflower greens?
Speaking of cauliflower, we still often think of using its floret to prepare dishes. But if you bring that to your pet bunny, you might get yelled at.
For these furry friends, all parts of a cauliflower plant can be used to enrich meals. And among them are cauliflower greens.
If the florets provide many essential vitamins for rabbits such as C, K, B1, … as well as minerals including manganese, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, Then the leaves give the rabbit an abundance of fiber.
This food can be chopped into your bunny’s food bowl after it has been washed and chopped.
A cup of mixed veggies would be a perfect 2-pound rabbit diet. But start slowly and pay attention to the rabbit’s expression within 24 hours.
15. Can rabbits eat rice?
Considered one of the main food sources, rice has long been an integral part of human diets (especially for Eastern nations).
For many animals, rice can also become a delicious dish because of the large number of carbohydrates they bring to produce energy for life. But does the same thing happen to rabbits?
Unified by not only experts but also rabbit farmers, rice is a risk to many health problems of rabbits.
Rabbits should not be eaten with any form of cooked rice (cooked, raw, rice cakes, noodles, syrup, milk, cracker, puffed, dumplings, or anything made from this cereal grain).
The main reason for this comes from the nutrients in this food (68% water, 28% carbohydrates, 3% protein, vitamins, and fats).
As you can see, there is not any fiber present in the rice. This first goes against the rabbit diet, causing stomach irritation.
High levels of carbohydrates clog the lungs and hinder the rabbit’s respiration.
Eating rice causes bloating, stomach ulcers and many other consequences.
So, one big note that I want to pin in your mind through this question: DO NOT GIVE RICE RICE!
16. Can rabbits eat tomatoes?
The berries are plump and red with a certain attraction to not only humans but also any animals. And the rabbit is not out of that trend.
Rabbits can eat tomatoes. That is the first part of the answer. But you have to be careful. That is the rest of the answer.
First of all, you have to understand that tomatoes can be compared to a huge tank of nutrients.
The amount of water in a small tomato can help the rabbit no longer need to drink water within 1 month.
Tomatoes contain a high content of potassium which supports the nervous system, anti-coagulation, along with antioxidants that help protect the muscle system…
Sounds pretty interesting, right? But do not take advantage of it that much. Because of their high acidity and sugar content, tomatoes are recommended for very small quantities.
Sugar from this fruit increases the overgrowth of bacteria. This can lead to various digestive problems.
A slice or two of tomatoes a day is enough and only less than 1 fruit a week, remember that.
17. Can rabbits eat bread?
This is one of the most controversial questions among rabbit farmers.
Some say yes. Some say no. And if you want to hear my answer, the answer will be yes but must be accompanied by care.
Bread provides an extremely high amount of fiber but is accompanied by high in carbohydrates and starch.
While suitable for fiber needs, it has almost no nutritional contribution to the rabbit’s body.
Also, the high starch content easily causes your rabbit to have negative health consequences such as intestinal upsets, bloating, diarrhea and runny stool. With highly absorbable rabbits, obesity can also easily occur.
As such, a small piece of bread comes with a cup of salad that will be a mischievous, colorful and nutritious meal.
You should note that: bread is only a solution and needs to limit its use to a minimum.
18. Do rabbits eat oranges?
Rabbits are herbivores and this means they can eat fruits and vegetables throughout their lives. And oranges, very simply, are among the foods that can enliven this furry friend’s diet.
Referring to oranges, people will think of a store of vitamin C but the truth is that rabbits do not need this excess vitamin.
Rabbits can synthesize vitamin C from other sources. And for them, oranges are simply a curious part of the meal.
You should feed your rabbit occasionally, as the accompanying downsides are also quite common.
According to FDA statistics, an orange can contain up to 14 grams of sugar (compared to only 5 grams in a banana).
This inadvertently causes uncontrollable weight gain in rabbits. You don’t like your bunny getting fat, do you?
1 to 2 slices of oranges a week is a good choice to change the taste of your rabbit.
19. Can rabbits eat peppers?
The answer is obviously yes. Rabbits can eat almost all types of peppers (including the leaves included) except for very spicy ones like Jalapeno peppers (because they will harm the rabbit’s digestive system).
Combine it with other vegetables to create a great salad.
20. Can rabbits eat chocolate?
This is a very interesting question for me to close this list of FAQs.
You know, the rabbit’s digestive system is “designed” specifically for grass (whether fresh or dry), most plants and a few more fruits. And almost no one thought about giving his rabbit a piece of chocolate.
Although a lot of people want their furry friend to enjoy new foods you shouldn’t have your rabbit eat chocolate.
They can harm the body as well as the growth of rabbits. This is because chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine.
And if your bunny accidentally eats a small piece of chocolate, take it to the nearest veterinary facility since this is an emergency.
Summary: Foods you should / shouldn’t feed your rabbit
These FAQs only partly indicate the things that rabbits can and should not eat.
Gathered from many other sources, I have drawn a list for your reference.
Remember this: Love for pets needs to be accompanied by the proper understanding.
1. Food that rabbits should be fed
This section will be divided into 3 categories: vegetables, fruits, and other plants
* Vegetable
- Artichoke leaves
- Asparagus
- Baby Sweetcorns – only part of the corn termite
- Beetroot – limited use of the leaf because of the high content of oxalic acid
- Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts (leaves and sprouts), cabbage – easily build up gas in the stomach
- Carrots (& carrot tops) – high sugar content and concentrated in the roots
- Cauliflower – only leaves
- Celeriac
- Celery leaves
- Chicory
- Courgette (and flowers)
- Cucumber
- Curly Kale
- Fennel
- Green beans
- Kohl rabi
- Peas
- Peppers (red, green and yellow) – limit the use of chilli peppers
- Pumpkin (and seeds)
- Radish Tops – can cause gas so limit
- Rocket
- Lettuce (not Iceberg or light-colored leaf)
- Spinach (only occasional)
- Spring Greens
- Squash
- Swede
- Turnip (only occasional)
- Watercress
Note: You should use at least one cup of mix for every 4 pounds of rabbit weight
* Fruit
- Apple – remove the seeds because they’re toxic
- Apricot
- Banana – high in potassium
- Blackberries (and leaves), Raspberries (and leaves), Strawberries (and leaves), Blueberries – recommended by experts
- Cherries – remove the top and bottom because they are very poisonous
- Grapes
- Kiwi Fruit
- Mango
- Melon
- Nectarines
- Papaya
- Peaches
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Plums
- Tomatoes (NOT the leaves)
Note:
- Only focus on feeding the rabbits that we can use. Minimize the share of seeds and stems as they are mostly toxic.
- You should only feed your rabbits up to 2 tablespoons of fruit per day because the sugar in them is very high (can cause obesity and many other health consequences)
* Other plants
- Basil
- Coriander
- Dill
- Mint (peppermint)
- Parsley – not too much as high in calcium
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
- Borage
- Calendula
- Camomile
- Chickweed (astringent)
- Clover (leaves and flowers)
- Coltsfoot
- Comfrey
- Dandelion (diuretic properties)
- Goosegrass (cleavers) but may stick to coat!
- Lavender
- Mallow
- Nettle
- Nasturtium (leaves and flowers)
- Shepherd’s purse
- Sow Thistle
- Plantain
- Yarrow
Note: Most of these plants have a very strong flavor and it will take time for the rabbit to get used to them.
If your rabbit shows any signs of allergy, stop feeding him and take him to the nearest medical facility immediately.
2. Foods you should limit to feed your rabbit
- Meat
- Rhubarb
- Potatoes
- Peanut Butter
- Chocolate
- Oatmeal
- Walnuts
- Hamster Food
- Silverbeet
- Iceberg Lettuce
- Cereal
- Avocado
- Bread, Pasta, Cookies, and Crackers
- Yogurt Drops
- The floret part of the cauliflower
Conclusion
I have a special love for rabbits. And that is the main motivation for me to create this list of FAQs.
Rabbits can eat a lot of things, and you can enrich their meals if you study hard. I hope the above list can help you somewhat.
Wishing you success and excitement for your rabbit at every meal.
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