Safe and Unsafe Food for Rabbits

Rabbits love to eat. The main part of a rabbit's diet should be unlimited amounts of fresh hay, grass, and lots of clean water.

It is best to feed rabbits organic and pesticide free vegies and fruits.

Rabbits are a lot like people in the way that some rabbits can tolerate food that others cannot. If a rabbit produces a soft stool, return to a normal diet until the stool returns to normal. When introducing new fresh produce to your rabbit, do it slowly, only giving one new vegetable or fruit at a time. This will allow the rabbits intestinal tract to adjust. Rabbits stomachs can be very sensitive.

It is not a good idea for baby bunnies to have leafy greens, as it causes diarrhea, which can be life threatening to a baby bunny.

If you are not sure if the rabbit should eat it or not, it is always best to err on the side of caution and not give it to them. Use more caution for bunnies; they tend to be much more sensitive.

Here is a list of food items that rabbit breeders deem as safe and unsafe for rabbit consumption:

DSC02621

DSC02126

DSC02103

Vegetables:

• Artichoke leaves

• Arugula

• Asparagus

• Baby Sweet corn (not full size)

• Beetroot (use care with leafy tops as it contains high levels of oxalic acid)

• Bok choy

• Broccoli (and its leaves, including the purple sprouting varieties)

• Brussel Sprouts (leaves and sprouts)

• Cabbage (can sometimes cause digestive upsets)

• Carrots (and carrot tops)-the roots should be limited since they are high in sugar

• Cauliflower (and the leaves)

• Celery (and its leaves)

• Chicory

• Collard Greens

• Courgette (and flowers)

• Cucumber (and leaves)

• Curly Kale (all types of Kale)

• Endive

• Fennel (the leafy tops as well as the base)

• Green Beans

• Kohl Rabi

• Mustard Greens (high in oxalic acid)

• Parsnip

• Peas (including the leaves and pods)

• Peppers (red, green, and yellow)

• Pumpkin

• Radish Tops

• Romaine Lettuce (not Iceburg or light coloured leaf)

• Spinach (only occasional)

• Spring Greens

• Swiss chard (high in oxalic acid)

• Squash

• Turnip Greens

• Turnips (occasional)

• Watercress

Fruits: All fruits should be used in moderation due to the high sugar content-only up to 2 TBSP worth per day:

• Apple (no stems or seeds, leaves are okay)

• Apricot

• Banana (high in potassium, no peel)

• Blackberries (and leaves-excellent astringent properties-great for immune system)

• Blueberries

• Cherries (without pits)

• Currants

• Grapes

• Kiwi

• Mango

• Melon (any-can include peel and seeds)

• Nectarines

• Oranges (no peel)

• Papaya

• Peaches (no leaves or twigs)

• Pears

• Pineapple (remove skin)

• Plums (without pits or leaves)

• Raspberries (and leaves-excellent astringent properties-great for immune system)

• Strawberries (and leaves)

• Star Fruit

• Tomatoes (no leaves)

Wild Garden Herbs/Weeds/Flowers/Leaves: Herbs can taste very strong for bunnies so offer a little for bunnies to get used to them.

• Alfalfa

• Barley

• Basil

• Beech Leaves

• Birch Leaves

• Blackberry Leaves

• Borage

• Calendula

• Camomile

• Carnation Flowers

• Cherry Leaves

• Chickweed (astringent)

• Cilantro

• Clover (leaves and flowers)

• Coltsfoot

• Comfrey

• Coriander

• Daisy Flowers

• Dandelion (diuretic properties-builds immune system)

• Dill

• Geranium Flowers

• Goosegrass (cleavers) but may stick to coat

• Hazel Leaves

• Hollyhock Flowers

• Lavender

• Mallow

• Marigold Flowers

• Mint

• Mulberry Leaves

• Nettle

• Nasturtium (leaves and flowers)

• Oregano

• Parsley(not too much, it is high in calcium and high in oxalic acid)

• Plantain

• Raspberry Leaves

• Roses

• Rosemary

• Sage

• Shepherd's purse

• Strawberry Leaves

• Sow Thistle

• Sunflower Seeds (in moderation-can make them shed more)

• Thyme

• Wheat

• Wheatgrass

• Yarrow

Use Sparingly:

• Carrots

• Broccoli

• Edible flowers

• Clery

• Bell peppers

• Chinese Pea Pods

• Brussel Sprouts

• Cabbage

• Broccolini

• Summer Squash

• Zucchini Squash

Unsafe:

• Acacia Flowers

• Apricot Twigs

• Azalea Twigs

• Beech Twigs

• Bindweed

• Bluebell

• Buttercup

• Cherry Twigs

• Chocolate

• Columbine Flowers

• Cowslip

• Dahlia Flowers

• Evergreens

• Hemlock

• Iris Flowers

• Ivy Twigs

• Kingcup

• Larkspur Flowers

• Milkweed

• Oak Twigs

• Peach Twigs

• Poppy Flowers

• Rosewood Twigs

• Scarlet Pimpernel

• Thorn Apple Twigs

• Tulip Flowers

• Peach/Plum leaves

• Potato Sprouts

Sources:

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/info-sheets/safefoods.htm

http://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/safe-foods-for-rabbits

http://naturalrabbitcare.com/safe-foods-for-your-rabbit/