What Can Rabbits Eat For Fruits and Vegetables?

 

When it comes to feeding fruits and vegetables to rabbits, it sounds like you are discussing the importance of enriching the rabbit's diet with fresh foods. Introducing a variety of safe fruits and vegetables can provide the nutritional variety rabbits need. It can also be a great way to get them excited about new treats.

Dr. Teresa Manucy also highlights the importance of knowledge on what is and is not safe to feed to rabbits. You may also want to explore more about what types of fruits and vegetables are safe, as well as those that should be avoided for your rabbit. Knowing these restrictions can help keep your rabbit healthy.

Also, introducing additional food needs to be done gradually and with caution to avoid digestive problems or allergic reactions in the rabbit. These are important aspects to consider when enriching a rabbit's diet.

Given the importance of a balanced diet, be sure to consult a veterinarian to ensure that your rabbit's diet includes all the nutrients necessary for its health and well-being.

44 Vegetables that are Safe to Eat for Rabbits

• Alfalfa sprouts
• Artichoke
• Arugula
• Asparagus
• Basil
• Beet greens
• Bell peppers
• Bok Choy
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Borage leaves
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Celery
• Chicory
• Cilantro
• Collard greens
• Cucumber leaves
• Cultivated mushrooms
• Dandelion greens
• Dill leaves
• Edible flowers (dandelions, hibiscus, nasturtiums, pansies and roses)
• Endive
• Escarole
• Fennel
• Flat edible Chinese pea pods (without the peas)
• Frisée lettuce
• Kale
• Mache
• Mint
• Mustard greens
• Parsley
• Radicchio
• Radish tops
• Red or green leaf lettuce
• Romaine lettuce
• Spinach
• Spring greens
• Summer squash
• Swiss chard
• Turnip greens
• Watercress
• Wheatgrass

19 Fruits Safe to Eat for Rabbits

• Apples
• Apricots
• Blueberries
• Cherries
• Currants
• Kiwis
• Mangos
• Melons
• Nectarines
• Oranges, including the peel
• Papayas
• Peaches
• Pears
• Pineapples
• Plums without pits
• Raspberry leaves
• Star fruit
• Strawberries

Fruits and Vegetables Safe to Serve in Moderation

Bananas: Because of their sugar content, bananas can contribute to obesity. You don’t have to avoid them altogether, but you do need to limit the quantity to avoid a high sugar situation. Dr. Manucy suggests limiting your pet to 1/4-inch of banana per 5 pounds of body weight.

Chard: “Chard is an acceptable option as a dark, tough, leafy green,” says Dr. Manucy. However, it needs to be fed in small quantities.

Flowering vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli: These veggies can cause gas and therefore should be offered to your rabbit in very limited quantities.

Broccoli stems and leaves: While broccoli florets should remain limited, “a small sampling of the stems and leaves is allowed.”

Unsafe Fruits and Vegetables Eat for Rabbits

Avocado: Avocados are a fatty fruit that contain a fungicidal toxin called persin, which can be deadly if ingested by a pet rabbit. Persin is perfectly safe for humans, but it’s toxic to rabbits. Rabbits react to the toxic fruit in different ways if eaten, with symptoms varying from severe illness to death.

Corn: Rabbits cannot digest the corn hull. As such, consuming corn can lead to gastrointestinal (GI) stasis or an intestinal blockage. GI stasis is a condition where food passes too slowly through the GI tract. It can be fatal for rabbits, so avoiding any foods that can cause it is essential to your rabbit’s well-being.

Legumes: Beans, including broad beans and kidney beans, as well as peas are high in carbohydrates. A carb-heavy diet can lead to obesity and/or cause digestive issues, including malabsorption, bloating, and diarrhea. Beans may also pose a choking hazard.

Iceberg lettuce: Iceberg lettuce can contain lactucarium, which is harmful to a rabbit. Light-colored lettuce is also high in water content, offering little nutritional value to your pet.

Onions: You should avoid vegetables that are part of the onion family, including chives, leeks, and onions. Consumption of such by a rabbit can cause blood abnormalities, according to Dr. Manucy.

Potatoes: Dr. Manucy puts potatoes on the no-go list because they are high in calories due to starch content, and they provide little nutritional value. Feeding your rabbit potatoes can lead to weight gain, constipation, diarrhea, and GI stasis.

Rhubarb: Rhubarb—especially the leaves—is high in oxalic acid, Dr. Manucy says. If your rabbit ingests too many oxalates, they may not absorb calcium properly. Poor calcium absorption can lead to kidney, digestive system, and nervous system damage.

Wild-grown mushrooms: Mushrooms found in the wild are toxic to rabbits. They can negatively affect a rabbit’s neurologic system and digestive system, including their liver, warns Dr. Manucy.

How To Integrate Fruits and Vegetables into Rabbit’s Diet?

1. Start with Grass Hay First

It’s extremely important to begin the process by offering grass hay for at least 2 weeks before you begin introducing fresh fruits and veggies.

“This will help the GI tract motility and gut flora prepare to handle the fresh foods. Then fresh produce may be introduced,” Dr. Manucy explains.

2. Offer One Type of Green Leaf

When it comes to leafy greens, begin slowly. Offer your rabbit just one type of green at a time every 3 days. This will give you the opportunity to see how your rabbit reacts to each one. If you observe softer stools for a couple of days, discontinue that particular green and don’t offer it again.

Serve 1 cup of packed leafy greens per 2 pounds of body weight. This is the maximum amount your rabbit should eat each day, according to Dr. Manucy.

The ideal mix is three types of greens a day. Keep track of what works so that, ultimately, you’ll be able to feed your rabbit three types of greens each day, which is the ideal mix.

3. Prepare and Serve in Appropriate Quantities

Prep. Always wash all fruit and vegetables and remove the seeds and stems before offering them to your pet rabbit.

Offer gradually. And observe the results by checking your rabbit’s stool in the same way you did for leafy greens.

Serve 1 leveled tablespoon per 2 pounds of body weight. This is the daily maximum. This max is not per fruit or veggie if you’re offering more than one type, but rather the total combined amount. The quantity of fruits and non-leafy green vegetables that your rabbit can safely consume is much lower than leafy greens.

Offer fruits and veggies at different times during the day. If possible, divide up the fruits and other veggies, and don't offer all at once.

4. Discard the Excess

After three to four hours of offering fresh fruits and vegetables to your rabbit, remove and dispose of any excess they have not consumed.

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