It is relatively well known that the best food for a rabbit is fresh hay. Most people know that rabbits can eat vegetables, but they may not know which ones are safe and dangerous unless they raise rabbits. For example, contrary to common belief, carrots (minus their leafy tops) are one of the worst vegetables to give to rabbits because they are high in sugar. Similarly, onions are poisonous for them.
Nonetheless, many fruits and vegetables are nutritious, delicious, and entirely safe for rabbits!
Below are 10 of the most wonderful foods and a few tips for feeding them to your bunnies!
1. Apples
Rabbits love the peels and the fruit! Cut an apple up into slices or chunks, or if you are doing some baking, give them all the peels. Make sure that you do not give them the seeds, however. The seeds are poisonous.
2. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers can be expensive to buy at the store, but they grow exceptionally well in the Arizona desert. Rabbits can eat the entire bell pepper, including the seeds and core. However, the seeds and core do not have nutritional benefits, and they are not easily digestible. For those two reasons, I recommend removing those parts before feeding them to rabbits.
3. Brussel Sprouts
My rabbits love Brussel sprouts. I always give them the ends and sometimes provide them with a couple of full sprouts in addition. They can, however, give your rabbits gas, which can be unpleasant for them. If you choose to give them Brussel sprouts, start by giving them one half and see how they respond to it.
4. Cucumber
Cucumber is technically a fruit with a high water content, so the nutritional benefits are lower than those of other vegetables on this list. However, my rabbits thoroughly enjoy having 1-2 slices of cucumber included in their daily food!
Note: it is important to introduce this fruit (and others) in small amounts, as the animals can become sick if given too much at once.
5. Zucchini
Like cucumber, zucchini is also a fruit, even though it is often viewed as a vegetable. However, unlike cucumber, zucchini adds a fantastic amount of vitamins and minerals to a rabbit's diet!
6. Microgreens
Rabbits will enjoy just about any microgreens. The plants which are lower in sugar are best nutritionally for them, but microgreens are so rich in nutrients that they can eat even slightly starchier plants in moderation. A few of the best options to give your rabbits are broccoli, beet, kale, spinach, clover, mint, radish, and wheatgrass.
7. Sprouts
Yes, contrary to common belief, microgreens and sprouts are different. They are harvested at different stages in the growing cycle and look and taste different from one another. However, you can give them BOTH to your rabbits, and they will enjoy them. The best sprouts for rabbits are radish, alfalfa, and clover.
8. Herbs
Rabbits love herbs! Parsley, basil, mint, Cilantro, Thyme, and Rosemary are some of my rabbits' favorite herbs to eat. To the best of my knowledge, the only herb we cannot feed rabbits is chives; everything in the onion family (including garlic) is poisonous to rabbits.
9. Peaches
This summer, we had an abundance of peaches constantly lying on the table, sitting in boxes in refrigerators, and hanging on the trees awaiting picking. Peaches are typically sweet, so they should be given to rabbits in moderation. Also, it is vital to remove the pit because it can hurt their teeth. Nonetheless, this sweet fruit is a wonderful occasional treat for rabbits!
10. Chamomile
Rabbits love eating flowers, and they can safely eat several different types. Chamomile is one of my favorite flowers for rabbits because they can safely eat them fresh, dried, or even in tea form as long as the tea is not sweetened and no other ingredients are included. Similar to humans' benefits, chamomile helps calm anxiety, relieve pain, and decrease inflammation, making it one of the best resources to offer a sick, injured, or simply nervous bunny. Do not try to offer large amounts of chamomile without discussing it with a veterinarian, but a small amount might be just the right treat to make their day a little brighter.
Raising rabbits is an adventure, and some days I question whether I have the energy to keep up with them. Nonetheless, feeding them nutritious and delicious foods is a priority for me, and I love that I can offer them such a large variety of options.
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