Before you bring home a pet rabbit, it is expected that their daily meal would have already been made provision for. Rabbit meals consist mainly of hay and fresh greens, with the occasional supplements which should be given to them moderately. Often time, you will hear pet rabbit owners ask questions like: can pet rabbits eat broccoli?
These kinds of questions come to be because not all kinds of vegetables are good for pet rabbits. While some types of vegetables are perfectly okay for rabbits to ingest, others are quite harmful to their health. Ironically, rabbits may even relish eating some of these harmful vegetables oblivious of their impending dangers to their systems.
Consequently, it takes the keen eye and cautious pet handler to rid their meals of these kinds of greens. In this article, we will discuss the following:
- Why can’t rabbits eat broccoli?
- How much broccoli can a rabbit eat?
- What vegetables are not good for rabbits?
- What vegetables can rabbits eat daily?
Read along now to learn why you should strike broccoli off your pet bunny’s menu.
Why Can’t Rabbits Eat Broccoli?
Now, can pet rabbits eat broccoli? Well, while broccoli is a great vegetable option for humans, they are not good for your pet bunnies. Broccoli belongs in the class of vegetables known to cause gas build-up in the stomach of rabbits. But that is not to say all parts of broccoli are off-limits for rabbits. If you insist on giving your pet bunny some broccoli, please feed it with the leaf parts only.
Broccoli leaves will less likely cause gas build-up than the bud itself. Another thing to note is that some rabbits are more or less reactive to broccoli leaves than other rabbits. So it is good to always experiment first with the leaves before fully incorporating them into its meal.
Start by first feeding it a tiny portion of the leaves and watch how it responds, if its tummy builds up gas after a while, then it is best to leave off broccoli leaves from its diet. On the flip side, if it eats the leaves without hesitation and he still goes about with no complication, then you may go ahead to add broccoli leaves to its diet. But this should nonetheless be given in small quantities.
This is because even if your pet bunny does not react to broccoli leaves almost immediately, continuous feeding may eventually culminate in gas build-up over time. Broccoli, just other crucifers are very complex vegetables for the gut of even humans. They have their medicinal properties but still have their downsides.
The Experts Say……NO
That is why animal nutritionists will advise you to stay off it completely. But if you must, then it should be given sparingly and occasionally, probably as a treat. There are other alternative crucifers to broccoli which include cauliflower, mustard greens, radish greens, turnip greens, Horseradish, arugula, cress, kale, Brussels sprout, daikon greens, kohlrabi greens, cabbages, and rutabaga greens.
Lastly, if your rabbit begins to show signs of gas build-up after eating broccoli, you must give it first aid immediately to ease the discomfort. If it doesn’t show signs of improvement within the next couple of hours, then you should take it to see a vet. Gas build-up when left untreated can result in gastrointestinal (GI) Stasis.
How Much Broccoli Can A Rabbit Eat?
Vegetables make up the most of an average rabbit’s diet. Rabbits will eat almost all types and species of vegetables and green leaves. While it is important to maintain a steady source of vegetables for your rabbit daily, vegetable sources such as broccoli should not be considered when feeding them. Broccoli contains compounds that cause gas to build up in your rabbit’s guts.
Does that mean that you should eliminate broccoli from a rabbit’s diet? The answer is NO. Not all parts of broccoli are potentially harmful to your pet bunny. For example, the broccoli leaves are known to make the perfect afternoon treat for a rabbit. The leaves are less likely to cause gas and bloating in rabbits.
As a result, some pet rabbit owners incorporate a meal of broccoli into their rabbit’s diet from time to time. It is a lot gentle to the gut of rabbits, but caution should however not be thrown to the wind when including them in the menu. If you must add broccoli leaves to your pet bunny’s diet, make sure you do this occasionally and moderately.
Not All Rabbits Are The Same
Another thing you should consider is that not all rabbits are the same. Rabbits all have unique personalities and preferences. You must also understand that while some rabbits may not react to broccoli leaves, others will and the outcome sometimes may be far debilitating. To avoid complications, it is always good to play the safe bet.
You can also try experimenting with variety when serving your pet bunny. Instead of serving them with a full bowl of broccoli leaves, you can try either of the following combinations:
- Mixing broccoli leaves with pellets feed.
- Cut the leaves into tiny bits and mix with other green sources.
Lastly, you can skip broccoli altogether. There are other rich alternatives to broccoli that you can add to your rabbit’s diet. These include beet greens, cabbage, leaf lettuce, radish leaves, parsley, etc.
What Vegetables Are Not Good For Rabbits?
Vegetables make up a large percentage of a rabbit’s diet. They are also particularly great for rabbits since they contain essential vitamins and minerals. Most importantly, vegetables have huge moisture and water constituents which are good for hydration in rabbits. But you must be careful when feeding your rabbit with vegetables as not all of them are good for your pet bunny.
We will highlight four main types of vegetables that you should avoid when feeding your rabbit. These include but are not limited to:
- Silverbeet: Siverbeets are known to cause gas build-up and bloating in rabbits.
- Broccoli: Broccoli is also a major source of heavy gas in the guts of rabbits and is better to be avoided.
- Avocado: Avocados contain very high levels of fat which is difficult for rabbits to digest. Rabbits have sensitive intestinal walls and may develop complications as a result.
- Iceberg Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce contains poisonous compounds which can kill your rabbit within hours.
Here are some other vegetable and plant sources that are not too good for rabbits:
- Adam’s needle (Yucca filamentosa)
- Peony (Paeonia hybrids)
- Spiderflower (Cleome hasslerana)
- Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)
- Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
- Perennial salvia ‘East Friesland’ (Salvia x superba)
- Vinca (Catharanthus roseus)
- Wax begonia (Begonia x semperflorens-cultorum)
- Bulbs
- Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)
- Foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia)
- Rhubarb (Rheum × hybridum)
- Savory (Satureja montana)
- Summer squash (Cucurbita pepo)
- Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina)
- Persian onion (Allium giganteum)
- Primrose (Primula x polyantha)
- Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
- Mint (Mentha spp.)
- Onions (Allium cepa)
- Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
- Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
- Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)
- Vegetables and Herbs
- Geranium, zonal, and bedding (Pelargonium x hortorum)
- Mexican ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum)
- Meadow rue (Thalictrum rochebrunianum)
- Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ (Sedum)
- Speedwell (Veronica spp.)
- Four o’clock flower (Mirabilis jalapa)
- Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
- Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum)
- Stokes’ aster (Stokesia laevis)
- Daffodil (Narcissus spp.)
- Hyacinth (Hyacinth orientalis)
- Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum)
- Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
- Spring cinquefoil (Potentilla verna)
What Vegetables Can Rabbits Eat Daily?
Vegetables are very vital to a rabbit’s daily nutritional requirements. And since they are very good moisture sources, they help to keep your rabbits hydrated and rejuvenated all day.
Rabbits are not always selective when it comes to greens. They will eat almost any type of fresh green, both leafy and non-leafy greens. Interestingly, 90% of a rabbit’s diet is made up of fresh food which consists mainly of fruits, vegetables, and hay. So naturally, that falls into place in the grand scheme of things.
As a guide, we will highlight some vegetable constituents that make up a rabbit’s diet just to give you an idea of what to feed your rabbit daily.
For fresh leafy greens, you can feed your rabbits the following:
- Beet greens
- Mustard greens
- Spinach
- Radish tops
- Cucumber leaves
- Swiss chard
- Sprouts
- Arugula
- Carrot tops
- Romaine lettuce
- Wheatgrass
- Mint
- Red or green lettuce
- Bok Choy
- Yu Choy
- Fennel
- Dill leaves
- Basil
- Chicory
- Watercress
- Borage leaves
- Spring greens
- Turnip greens
- Dandelion greens
- Escarole
- Endive
- Radicchio
- Raspberry leaves
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Mache
- Kale
- Frisee Lettuce
For fresh non-leafy greens, you can feed your rabbits the following:
- Carrots
- Nasturtiums
- Summer squash
- Roses
- Pansies
- Brussel sprouts
- Cabbage
- Chinese pea pods
- Hibiscus
- Zucchini squash
- Bell peppers
So, can pet rabbits eat broccoli? YES, but ensure you pay attention to all the tips given in this article and your pet rabbit will eat healthily.