Which vegetables can rabbits eat?
A good guideline is to feed a minimum of 1 cup of vegetables for each 4 lbs of body weight per day.
A good guideline is to feed a minimum of 1 cup of vegetables for each 4 lbs of body weight per day.
- Artichoke leaves
- Asparagus
- Baby Sweetcorns (but not full size ones)
- Beetroot (care with leafy tops as high levels of oxalic acid)
- Broccoli (and its leaves, including purple sprouting varieties)
- Brussel Sprouts (leaves and sprouts)
- Cabbage (can sometimes cause digestive upsets)
- Carrots (& carrot tops) – not the roots as they are high in sugars
- Cauliflower (and the leaves)
- Celeriac
- Celery leaves
- Chicory
- Courgette (and flowers)
- Cucumber
- Curly Kale
- Fennel
- Green beans
- Kohl rabi
- Peas (including the leaves and pods)
- Peppers (red, green and yellow)
- Pumpkin
- Radish Tops
- Rocket
- Romaine lettuce (not Iceberg or light coloured leaf)
- Spinach (only occasional)
- Spring Greens
- Squash (e.g. Butternut)
- Swede
- Turnip (only occasional)
- Watercress
Which fruits can rabbits eat?
Fruits should be fed in moderation due to sugar content (up to 2 tablespoons worth per day).
Do not feed the pips, stones, plants etc of fruits unless otherwise stated, as most of the time they are poisonous! Rabbits love sugary fruit and will eat too much of it, which is bad for them. Therefore it's up to you to limit it!
Fruits should be fed in moderation due to sugar content (up to 2 tablespoons worth per day).
Do not feed the pips, stones, plants etc of fruits unless otherwise stated, as most of the time they are poisonous! Rabbits love sugary fruit and will eat too much of it, which is bad for them. Therefore it's up to you to limit it!
- Apple (not the pips - they are poisonous!)
- Apricot
- Banana (high in potassium)
- Blackberries (and leaves – excellent astringent properties)
- Blueberries
- Cherries (not the pits and plant - they contain cyanide and are therefore poisonous!)
- Grapes
- Kiwi Fruit
- Mango
- Melon
- Nectarines
- Oranges (not the peel)
- Papaya
- Peaches
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Plums
- Raspberries (and leaves – excellent astringent properties)
- Strawberries (and leaves)
- Tomatoes (NOT the leaves)
Safe herbs for bunnies
They can taste very strong so offer a little to start with to get your bunnies used to them.
They can taste very strong so offer a little to start with to get your bunnies used to them.
- Basil
- Coriander
- Dill
- Mint (peppermint)
- Parsley
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
Wild garden herbs, weeds and flowers that rabbits can eat
Double-check which plants are in your garden before letting your bunnies loose!
Double-check which plants are in your garden before letting your bunnies loose!
- 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
Foods to avoid!!!
Avoid giving your rabbits any 'human' food or treats such as bread, rice, potatoes, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, crisps and so on. Rabbits have a sweet tooth and will readily take this food from you, but it's VERY BAD for them and their sensitive digestive systems. Contrary to popular belief,rabbits shouldn't be given lettuce as it gives them diarrhea, and carrots are too high in sugar but can be given every so often as treats. A lot of shop-bought 'rabbit treats' have added sugar and dairy in, which they shouldn't be eating, or are too high in carbohydrates; try sticking to the natural ranges and check labels.
Poisonous plants to avoid!!
If you’re feeding wild plants or your rabbit has access to a garden, make sure you can reliably identify the plants – you don’t want to poison your bunnies! This list of poisonous plants is taken from the RWAF Guide: Going green - healthy eating for your rabbit. It does not list all poisonous plants, so if a plant does not feature on this list it doesn't mean it's safe to eat. If you think your rabbit is ill you must seek veterinary advice immediately.
http://www.adoptarabbit.com/articles/toxic.html
Avoid giving your rabbits any 'human' food or treats such as bread, rice, potatoes, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, crisps and so on. Rabbits have a sweet tooth and will readily take this food from you, but it's VERY BAD for them and their sensitive digestive systems. Contrary to popular belief,rabbits shouldn't be given lettuce as it gives them diarrhea, and carrots are too high in sugar but can be given every so often as treats. A lot of shop-bought 'rabbit treats' have added sugar and dairy in, which they shouldn't be eating, or are too high in carbohydrates; try sticking to the natural ranges and check labels.
Poisonous plants to avoid!!
If you’re feeding wild plants or your rabbit has access to a garden, make sure you can reliably identify the plants – you don’t want to poison your bunnies! This list of poisonous plants is taken from the RWAF Guide: Going green - healthy eating for your rabbit. It does not list all poisonous plants, so if a plant does not feature on this list it doesn't mean it's safe to eat. If you think your rabbit is ill you must seek veterinary advice immediately.
- All plants that grow from bulbs
- Amaryllis
- Arum lily (cuckoo point)
- Bindweed
- Bracken
- Bryony
- Buttercup (small quantities dried within hay is ok)
- Convolvulus (bindweed)
- Deadly nightshade (belladonna)
- Delphinium (larkspur)
- Elder
- Fools parsley
- Foxglove
- Hellebores (christmas rose)
- Hemlock
- Henbane
- Lily of the valley
- Lupin
- Laburnum
- Most evergreens
- Oak leaves
- Poppies
- Potato tops
- Privet
- Ragwort
- Rhubarb leaves
- Scarlet runnertoadflax
- Woody nightshade
- Yew
http://www.adoptarabbit.com/articles/toxic.html
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