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Many pet owners will often wonder, what human foods can rabbits eat? Rabbits are a fantastic choice for pets as they are fun, naughty, and easy to deal with for the most part.
You will still need to know the best foods for your fluffy friends if you are to keep them healthy. Rabbits are herbivores and love plants, vegetables, and some fruits.
So, which human foods can you add to your pet rabbit’s diet? Here are some of the most common and nutrition food options that will work for your rabbit;
What Human Foods Can Rabbits Eat?
Rabbits are compatible with most vegetables, but some can be problematic. You must know which ones are safe to ensure you don’t endanger your rabbit. Here is a list of common household foods that rabbits can eat and their nutritional benefit;
1. Carrots
Rabbits love carrots, and you can give it to them as a treat every few days or so. Carrots have a lot of sugar, which can cause stomach issues for the rabbit if you give it in excess. It can lead to digestive problems, affecting the rabbit’s overall health.
The excess sugar can also cause your pet to gain weight and have joint and bone issues, which is brutal for an animal that needs to hop. In the right amount, carrots have vitamin A, which is beneficial to humans and rabbits.
You should also feed the carrot tops since they have Vitamin C, A, K, and B6, potassium, folate, manganese, and niacin.
2. Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is an amazing food for rabbits as it can help them naturally get rid of stomach issues. Its antibacterial properties will help with bloating, diarrhea, anxiety, and stress, making it an excellent addition to your bunny’s daily diet.
Lemon balm will not have the same effect on all rabbits and could cause stomach issues in some. Observe your rabbit for about two days after giving them lemon balm to see if it might cause any side effects.
3. Cilantro
Cilantro is a powerful food with a lot of minerals and vitamins. It has riboflavin, iron, calcium, vitamin A, folate, zinc, thiamin, vitamin C, niacin, vitamin K, C, and B6. These nutrients make it a high-value meal for your rabbit.
It might be nutritious, but cilantro does not taste good, so your bunny will not be happy eating it. Offer it in small portions or as parts of other meals, and stop feeding it if your rabbit shows any side effects.
4. Celery
Celery is rich in calcium, folic acid, vitamin B6, B2, potassium, and B1. All these nutrients make it an ideal choice to fight inflammation in rabbits and lower their blood pressure. It can also prevent cancer, but you give it in moderate doses.
5. Blueberries
You should never feed your rabbits any fruits with seeds since it could be a choking hazard. Blueberries, however, have tiny seeds that can’t harm the rabbit, and you can remove the seeds before feeding.
Blueberries have minerals, antioxidants, and a low glycemic index. They can help with brain development, and their low sugar levels decrease the risk of obesity.
6. Pineapple
The central part of pineapples has bromelain, an enzyme that can cure diarrhea in rabbits, so give them this part for maximum benefits. Offer pineapples in small amounts and make sure it isn’t frozen.
Pineapples have a lot of sugar, which can cause obesity and digestion issues. The acidic nature can affect your bunny’s teeth, so feed it moderately.
7. Lettuce
Since it is fiber-rich, you can give your bunny some fibrous and leafy lettuce or romaine lettuce. Lettuce also has nutrients like calcium, phosphorous, folate, vitamin C, and Vitamin K. It is low in calories and won’t put your bunny at risk of obesity.
Don’t feed your bunny iceberg lettuce since it has a lactucarium chemical that can poison your rabbit.
8. Broccoli Leaves
Broccoli leaves are a fantastic fibrous choice for feeding your rabbits. They have low calories with nutrients like niacin, thiamin, vitamin A, folate, selenium, iron, pantothenic acid, and calcium.
9. Kale
Kale is as healthy as broccoli and rich in Vitamin A, which can help with your pet’s eyesight and fur health. Kale also has vitamins C and K; the right amount will give your rabbit adequate magnesium, iron, and calcium.
This is one of the most common choices for feeding bunnies, and many farmers opt for it in large-scale farms. It is easy to find and has many benefits with minimal risks to the bunny.
10. Arugula
Arugula is an amazing source of calcium, and it can help improve your pet’s oral health. It has water, fiber, and small protein quantities, so it can be a good meal for your rabbit a few times a week. Its high calcium concentration can make it dangerous in high consumption.
11. Boy Choy
Boy, Choy has low oxalic levels, making it a healthy option for adult rabbits, so you can add it to their diet. Ensure you thoroughly clean the leaves before serving them, and don’t give them to baby rabbits under six months old.
Soak the leaves for a few hours to remove all the harmful chemicals and pesticides before serving them to your pet. The same applies to all plants you get from the market or a farm; they all have pesticides and chemicals, so wash them beforehand.
12. Oats
Oatmeal is another good choice for food you can share with your rabbit. It is easy for your bunny to digest and is one of the most affordable meals on this list. Oatmeal is a low-sugar level food that can reduce the risk of diabetes, an amazing choice for an underweight rabbit.
You must never give your rabbit cooked food, especially oatmeal. Cooked oatmeal has a lot of starch, which can cause indigestion in rabbits. Serve raw foods and vegetables since that is what the bunny’s digestive system is adapted to handle.
13. Asparagus
Asparagus is another healthy human food that rabbits can eat without negative effects. It has a lot of water and fiber to keep the rabbit hydrated and help with digestion. Asparagus is rich in vitamins C, E, A, folate, chromium, and K.
These healthy nutrients will help your rabbit improve its eyesight, brain development, and fur health. As always, be keen on how your bunny reacts to the diet and stop using it if you notice any negative side effects.
14. Apples
Apples are a sweet choice to help satisfy your pet’s sweet tooth healthily. Apples have B-complex vitamins, phytonutrients, calcium, and minerals that are the building blocks for a healthy bunny.
It also has antioxidants and fiber that will contribute to a healthier digestion system, which improves overall health. You should, however, feed apples in moderation since they have high sugar content. Too much will increase your rabbit’s weight and cause digestion complications.
Remove the apples’ seeds, core, and stem while feeding since they contain cyanide that could cause stomach issues, especially for young rabbits.
15. Bell Peppers
Bunnies love sweet food, so you can feed them sweet vegetables like yellow, orange, and red peppers in moderate quantities. Bell peppers are sweet but have a low sugar and calorie level; thus, they carry a lower risk of obesity than carrots and blueberries.
The seeds and core of the bell peppers are not toxic, but they don’t have any nutritional value for the rabbit, so remove them before feeding your bunny.
Your bunny’s digestive tract can’t break down the core and seeds, so they might cause a blockage or lead to constipation.
The blockages are rare, but they could potentially end your bunny’s life, so it’s not something you should risk.
So feed only the flesh and wash it thoroughly before offering it. If you have them in your backyard, you might be thinking about feeding the bunny some bell pepper leaves.
Never feed your rabbits any leaf from the nightshade family, which includes peppers and tomatoes.
Fence your garden off to ensure your bunnies don’t eat the leaves, as they are harmful. Don’t give your rabbits hot and spicy peppers like the Jalapeno pepper.
It is important to note that the above list applies to most rabbits in perfect health. Your rabbit could have severe reactions to some food if it has specific medical conditions. Check with your vet and ensure everything is safe before giving your bunny human food.
Conclusion
You have a full list if you were questioning, what human foods can rabbits eat? Humans and rabbits can share most of their vegetable diets, but you must feed them in moderation since they are smaller. Too much food will cause obesity or poison them, leading to medical complications.
Rabbits love sweet vegetables like carrots and apples, so you can use them as treats, but not too often. Sugar can cause obesity, especially if the rabbit doesn’t get enough exercise. Give the little guys enough space to hop around and play for a healthier life.
