It’s a known fact that for rabbits to be healthy and thrive, the bulk of their diet is from good quality hay. But what about grass? Can rabbits eat grass? After all, including grass in your bunny’s diet may help in lowering the feeding cost.
Rabbits love to graze; it is the natural way they eat. Consequently, it is fair that you feed them what they are adapted to eating. In this article, you will learn the fundamentals of adding grass to rabbits’ diets. So, we will answer the following questions in this article:
- Is It Ok For My Rabbit To Eat Grass?
- What Kind Of Grass Can Bunnies Eat?
- At What Age Can Rabbits Eat Grass?
- Can Rabbits Eat Grass Instead Of Hay?
- Can Bunnies Eat Lawn Grass?
- Can My Bunny Eat Grass Seeds?
- How Can I Avoid Problems When Feeding My Bunny Grass?
Is It Ok For My Rabbit To Eat Grass?
Rabbits can eat grasses. They can eat it in abundance. After all, the most essential food they eat, hay, is dry grass. It is not only natural for rabbits to eat grass, but it is also beneficial for them. Be that as it may, offer it gradually if your bunny has never eaten fresh grass before.
Undoubtedly, fresh grass is rich in fiber. Fiber is the most crucial food component that sustains a rabbit’s intestinal and dental health. Without fiber, food will not move properly in the bunny’s gut. When this happens, a rabbit will have all sorts of illnesses like bloating, gas, and gastrointestinal stasis and eventually die.
Furthermore, rabbits need grass and hay to regulate the growth of their teeth. As most rabbit owners know, rabbits’ teeth do not stop growing throughout their lifetime. So they need to chew on coarse food constantly to wear down their teeth. Otherwise, the teeth will overgrow, preventing rabbits from eating and grooming themselves.
Remarkably, grasses contain protein, fiber, carbohydrates (fructose and glucose), flavonoids, essential oils, and vitamins. In addition, it also has a lot of minerals, such as potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, chlorine, copper, iron, zinc, and selenium. Tender grasses are nutritious, especially before they start flowering
Interestingly, fresh grass is more nutritious than hay. Because hay is dry, some of its vitamins and minerals are lost during the drying process. In addition, fresh grass contains more water, which helps promote better hydration.
Accordingly, it is okay to put grass in a small box in your rabbits’ enclosure. When they want to take a break from eating hay, let your rabbits eat grass. Just make sure to swap with fresh ones regularly.
What Kind Of Grass Can Bunnies Eat?
As long as the grass is fresh and chemical-free, your pet rabbit can eat any kind of grass. Most rabbits enjoy eating grass from the lawn or yard during exercise outdoors. However, the best type of grass for your rabbit are the ones that are used to make hay. This is because they are more nutritious than the grass you can get on your lawn.
Given this, you may consider planting your grass for your bunny. If you have limited space, a planter or window box is an easy option. The only drawback is the low quantity of grass you can get from using such methods. Rabbits eat grass in large quantities
Some kinds of grass your rabbit can safely eat are listed below.
- Meadow grass
- Bermuda grass
- Wheatgrass
- Bentgrass
- Ryegrass
- Bluegrass
- Timothy grass
- Fescue grass
- Oat grass.
- Cat grass
At What Age Can Rabbits Eat Grass?
Though not a rule, rabbits can start to eat grass from about 3 to 4 months old. Sometimes, the age at which rabbits eat grass depends on how sensitive the digestive system is and how quickly you introduce grass to their diet.
Generally, baby rabbits younger than three months old should not eat grass. Their gut does not have the bacteria necessary for digesting grass. Consequently, they may end up with gastrointestinal problems. Still, you may keep some small quantities of fresh grass in their pen. Though they may not eat it at that age, they will get familiar with it.
Regardless of the age, you choose to introduce fresh grass to your bunny, it is best, to begin with, a small amount and gradually increase it over time. In that way, the rabbit gut will have time to adjust to the new diet. Also, providing grass slowly will help you see whether eating grass is causing any digestive problem for your pet bunny or not
Can Rabbits Eat Grass Instead Of Hay?
As most rabbit owners know, hay is a crucial part of a rabbit’s diet to satisfy its nutritional needs and remain healthy. Yet, fresh grass has more nutrients than hay, and hay is just dried grass. So can rabbits eat grass instead of hay? It is not advisable to replace hay with grass unless necessary.
Hay performs two basic functions which fresh grass cannot meet. Hay is richer in fiber. Fresh grass contains less fiber and will not help your pet’s digestion as much as hay. Also, because it is dried, hay is tougher than grass. Your rabbit relies on chewing hay to wear down its teeth that keep growing. Fresh grass is more succulent and does not require much chewing.
In a nutshell, it’s okay if your bunny enjoys grazing on grass, provided hay makes up the highest percentage of its diet. And if for any reason your rabbit refuses to eat hay, fresh grass is the best alternative. However, remember that rabbits are healthier if hay accounts for most of their diet.
Can Bunnies Eat Lawn Grass?
Bunnies can eat lawn grass provided they are chemical-free and are not cut by a lawnmower. Scissors, knife or scythe are suitable for cutting lawn grass for your rabbit’s consumption. In addition, grazing on lawn grass can be a form of exercise and entertainment for your rabbit.
Better still, you may dry the fresh grass clippings from your lawn to make hay. You can prepare homemade hay by following these steps :
- Allow your grass to grow out for about two weeks
- Cut the grass with scissors or knife and gather it into a box
- Spread the cut grass on a flat surface and leave it to air dry.
- During this period, protect the grass from rain and other forms of moisture.
- Once the grass is completely dried up, put it in a storage sack in the same way as store-bought hay.
- Offer the dried grass to your bunny and see whether it likes the taste of the homemade hay or not.
Suppose you succeed in getting homemade hay that is agreeable to your bunny. In that case, you will no longer spend so much on buying commercial hay. However, note that rabbits consume a lot of grass, so homemade hay alone may not be sufficient for your rabbit.
On the other hand, if your rabbit has any undesirable reaction to the homemade grass, change back to store-bought hay immediately.
Can My Bunny Eat Grass Seeds?
Grass seeds are not harmful to rabbits, so your bunny can eat them. However, it is not suitable as your rabbit’s regular diet because excess consumption of grass seeds may cause weight gain. Moreover, obesity is a dangerous health problem. To avoid this, limit grass seeds in your bunny’s diet.
How Can I Avoid Problems When Feeding My Bunny Grass?
Despite the numerous benefits of allowing your rabbit to eat grass, there are safety precautions you need to note to avoid health problems. Some of these are highlighted below.
- Before providing grass for your rabbit, you must ensure that the grass does not contain any toxic or harmful elements. The digestive system of rabbits is delicate. If the grass is treated with insecticides or herbicides, your rabbit might get sick or even die in the worst case.
- If you want to cut some grass to feed the rabbit, you should use scissors. The grass cut by the lawnmower usually undergoes fermentation rapidly. This will make the rabbit’s stomach upset and feel uncomfortable.
- If your rabbit has not eaten grass before, slowly introduce it into her diet. Don’t let your rabbit eat too much grass at first because her stomach needs time to adapt to it.
- Suppose other pets or wild animals use the yard. In that case, the grass will be contaminated with their urine and feces. To ensure your bunny’s safety, set up an exercise pen containing clean, untreated grass that other animals cannot access. That way, it can graze as she plays.
- Look out for symptoms of poisoning in case your rabbit mistakenly consumes grass that has been sprayed with chemicals. They include fatigue, loss of appetite, depression, seizures, and convulsions. Do not attempt to induce vomiting; instead, take your bunny to a rabbit vet immediately.
Conclusions
Even though fresh grass is an excellent supplement to any rabbit’s diet, it is not ideal for replacing hay with grass completely. While hay and grass are the same food, nutritionally, hay is superior.
Conclusively, can rabbits eat grass? Yes, it is safe for them. If you decide to use grass instead of hay, please note that this is a significant change for your rabbit. Therefore, don’t make a sudden transition. Instead, let your rabbit gradually adapt to the change. Above all, remember, rabbits thrive best in variety.