General

If you’re like me, you love potatoes – fried, roast, as crisps (chips if you’re American), as chips (fries if you’re American), baked… I could go on. But do your pet rabbits appreciate potatoes as much as you do? Can you give them left-overs, or peelings, or older potatoes that are developing eyes? Or is it best to keep your bunnies from potatoes, and put any unwanted spuds in the compost? Find all the answers you need below.

Are potatoes safe for rabbits to eat?

Potatoes are not toxic (poisonous) for rabbits. However, rabbits should not eat potatoes because they are not good for bunnies. Rabbits need a diet full of fibre, mainly based on hay. Potatoes are full of starch and carbohydrates, at a much higher level than rabbits need. If a bunny eats too much potato, it could lead to serious intestinal problems including GI stasis, which can be fatal in rabbits.

Why are potatoes bad for rabbits?

Check out the nutritional information on potatoes compared with what rabbits actually need. Compared to hay (the best food for rabbits), potatoes are high in carbohydrates (mainly starch) and low in fibre. While humans can use carbohydrates in their diet, rabbits can struggle. Too much carbohydrate in their diet leads to it breaking down to sugars in their intestines.

In turn, these provide food for bad bacteria in the rabbit’s gut. This can lead to painful gases and constipation. In humans, this might be inconvenient, but in rabbits it is extremely serious. It can lead to GI stasis, which is potentially fatal for rabbits.

Why do rabbits like potatoes if potatoes are bad for bunnies?

Maybe you have already given your rabbits little pieces of potato, and noticed that they seemed to like it. Or maybe they pounced on some potatoes that fell to the floor from a plate, and wolfed them down. If potatoes are not good for rabbits, how come they eat them so enthusiastically?

Rabbits will eat potatoes because, in the wild, they would have to make sure they have enough food to live. This means that rabbits will eat energy and nutrient rich foods, including potatoes. (This is why rabbits also like fruit). It is a trade-off between choosing the best possible diet (grass and vegetation) and making sure they have enough food to survive.

But your bunny is not in the same situation. You are already giving them the best diet (hay and fresh water). So if your bunny starts eating potatoes, they are moving from the best diet to one with potential dangers. Your bunny doesn’t always know what is best for them.

Can rabbits eat cooked potatoes?

Cooked potatoes, like raw potatoes, are not suitable food for rabbits. The nutritional contents of potatoes do not change that much whether cooked or raw. Cooking breaks down cell walls inside the potato, meaning that it is squishier, but it is still full of starch. So everything that is true of raw potatoes not being ideal for rabbits is also true of cooked potatoes, however you are cooking them.

Can rabbits eat crisps (chips)?

No. If raw potatoes are not good for rabbits, thinly slicing them, covering them in oil and cooking them doesn’t make them any better. Don’t give crisps (chips) to your bunny.

Can rabbits eat potato peelings?

Potato peelings are marginally better for rabbits than the flesh, as the peel is higher in fibre. However, peelings are still full of carbohydrates, and are not suitable as a food for rabbits. Additionally, potentially harmful alkaloids such as solanine are concentrated in the skin of potatoes, so increasing the risk of poisioning.

Can rabbits eat potato leaves?

Rabbits cannot eat any part of potato plants, including the stem or leaves. If you are growing potatoes, make sure that your rabbits cannot access the plants.

Potatoes are part of the nightshade family. This means that they can contain high levels of alkaloids, including one called solanine. This chemical helps the plant fight fungal attacks. However, solanine is also poisonous to rabbits (and other animals and insects – another benefit for the plant).

Too much solanine is fatal for rabbits. Symptoms of solanine poisoning include:

• nausea
• diarrhoea
• vomiting
• stomach cramps
• heart arrhythmia
• dizziness
• paralysis

In short, make sure your rabbit cannot eat any potato plants.

Can rabbits eat older potatoes that are green and sprouting?

Older green potatoes that are sprouting are toxic to rabbits, and should be completely avoided.

When potatoes begin to go green and sprout, they increase production of solanine. This is extremely toxic (green potatoes are also dangerous to humans because of this). Make sure your rabbit is not given any older, green potatoes or the peelings from green potatoes.

Can rabbits eat sweet potatoes?

Rabbits should not be give sweet potatoes as part of their diet. Although technically a different type of plant, sweet potatoes are high in starch and carbohydrates like regular potatoes, and so are not suitable for bunnies.

Help! My rabbit ate some potato – what should I do?

If your rabbit eats a small amount of potato, they are probably going to be just fine. It is like you or me eating an unhealthy snack – it isn’t any good for us, and we shouldn’t eat it all the time, but a one-off isn’t going to do any harm.

If your rabbit eats a larger amount, or you are worried, make sure you observe your rabbit’s behaviour over the next 12-24 hours to make sure that they are behaving normally, eating and drinking as usual, and pooing as normal.

If you have any concerns, always consult a vet.

What should I feed my rabbit?

The best diet for adult rabbits is plenty of hay (preferably timothy hay) and water. Hay should be the main item your bunny eats. You can add in an eggcup sized portion of rabbit nuggets, and a handful of herbs or fresh green vegetables. If you want to give your bunny a little treat, try a small portion of fruit rather than potato.

Find out more about rabbit nutrition here.

On a hot summer’s day, there’s little better than biting into a sweet, delicious, refreshing grape, and the explosion of flavour in your mouth. But can your bunny share in this pleasure? Can rabbits eat grapes safely?

Is it safe for rabbits to eat grapes?

Rabbits can eat grapes safely, but with precautions and in moderation. A medium sized bunny can have a handful of grapes a day as a treat, including seeds. Grapes must be cut in half first, to avoid a choking hazard. Grapes provide some useful nutrients, including magnesium, potassium, copper and vitamin A. But grapes also contain fruit sugars, so too much can upset rabbits’ stomachs, leading to problems including diarrhoea. The main diet for a rabbit should be plenty of hay and water.

Can rabbits choke on grapes?

Yes, rabbits can choke on whole grapes.

You should cut all grapes into half or smaller before giving them to a rabbit (just like nurseries do before giving grapes to toddlers). Whole grapes can become stuck in the throat, preventing breathing.

Sadly, there have been a few reports of bunnies choking to death on grapes that hadn’t been cut up. Although uncommon, it is not a risk worth taking for a few seconds chopping up fruit.

Here is further information on rabbits choking, and what to do.

What are the nutritional benefits of grapes for rabbits?

Grapes are mostly water and fruit sugars, but they do provide some nutrients to rabbits. Here’s a table outlining which nutrients grapes provide:

As you can see, grapes provide a little towards the copper and potassium required by rabbits, but mostly they are water and fruit sugars.

What are the dangers of grapes for rabbits?

These are the potential dangers of grapes for rabbits, and how to lower the risk:

• Choking (see above). Lower the risk by chopping up grapes in half or smaller.
• Diarrhoea from excess fruit sugars. Lower the risk by only giving grapes as a treat in small quantities (no more than a few grapes a day).
• Gastro-intestinal stasis (GI stasis). This is a form of constipation that could be caused by the excess sugars in the gut. It is extremely dangerous – if you suspect your rabbit has GI stasis, consult a vet at once. Lower the risk by only giving a few grapes a day to your bunny as a treat, and making sure that their main diet is hay and water.

What is a suitable portion of grapes for a rabbit?

A suitable portion of grapes for an adult rabbit (eg about 6lb) would be up to 10 grapes maximum, but I’d err on the side of caution and give fewer. Remember to chop them up first.

You can include the woody grape vine – this is safe for rabbits to eat. If you are worried about pesticides, also wash the grapes first.

Can you give grapes to baby rabbits?

You should not give grapes to baby rabbits. Their intestines are extremely delicate and still developing. Wait until they are adults before feeding fruit treats.

Can you give raisins to rabbits?

You can safely give raisins as a treat to rabbits. But only give a few raisins – only as many raisins as you would give grapes. There is as much sugar in a small raisin as in a plump grape, so you can only give as many raisins as you would grapes.

Can you give frozen grapes to bunnies in summer?

Yes you can give a few frozen grapes (cut in half) to rabbits on hot summer’s days. It is the equivalent of an ice-cream for them, and many bunnies will appreciate this as a treat.

Grapes for rabbits with cats and dogs in the same house

Be careful if you have both rabbits and cats or dogs in your house. While grapes are safe for rabbits, they can be poisonous to cats and dogs (so can raisins). So either don’t feed your bunny grapes, or make sure that your other pets can’t get anywhere near the rabbit food.

What should rabbits mainly eat?

Rabbits should mainly eat hay and water, with a handful of fresh greens and an eggcup-ful of rabbit nuggets each day. Fruit like grapes can be given as an occasional treat.

Conclusion

Many rabbits will enjoy grapes as a sweet, refreshing treat (just like we do). Just make sure that you only give a few at a time to adult rabbits, and cut up the grapes before you give them.

Check here what other fruit rabbits can safely eat.

This post gives full information about rabbit nutrition.

Find out more about rabbits’ digestive systems here.

Perhaps you are a proud rabbit owner who is also a proud guinea pig owner. Or perhaps you’ve run out of rabbit pellets (also called rabbit nuggets) and the local supermarket only has guinea pig pellets. Either way, you need to know whether you can safely give food designed for guinea pigs to your rabbit if you need to (or if your bunny steals food from your guinea pig – some bunnies are quite mischievous…). So here’s a complete answer, beginning with a short summary for those who want the key points.

Is guinea pig food safe for rabbits to eat?

Rabbits can safely eat guinea pig food, including guinea pig pellets and snacks. Their diets are extremely similar, both being mainly based on hay. The main difference is that guinea pig pellets have extra vitamin C added, which bunnies don’t need but guinea pigs do. Because of this, guinea pig pellets are safe for rabbits in an emergency or for a short period of time, but switch back to pellets formulated for rabbits when you can.

What foods do guinea pigs eat?

Guinea pigs are herbivores who need high quantities of fibre. The best diet for guinea pigs is lots of fresh hay (preferably timothy hay) or grass (about 90% of their diet). Roughly, you need to give them each day a quantity of hay about equal to their body size. You can then supplement this with some fresh vegetables or herbs, and about a tablespoon of guinea pig pellets. Small quantities of fruit can be given as a treat. And don’t forget fresh water. Check out more details here.

What foods do rabbits eat?

You will notice the similarity with guinea pigs. Rabbits are also herbivores who need lots of fibre in their diets. Like guinea pigs, rabbits also need mostly fresh hay or grass, and again about the size of their body each day. A handful of green vegetables or herbs can be given in addition. And rabbits can have about an egg-cupful of rabbit pellets each day. Just like guinea pigs, small quantities of fruit make a tasty treat for bunnies. And rabbits drink lots of water.

What is the difference between rabbit pellets and guinea pig pellets?

If you look at the ingredients on rabbit pellets and guinea pig pellets, they are almost identical. The only significant difference is that the makers add vitamin C to guinea pig pellets.

This is because guinea pigs can’t make vitamin C in their bodies – they need it in their diets. Rabbits are different. Rabbits do make vitamin C in their bodies, and so don’t need it added to pellets or in their diets (find out more about what vitamins and minerals rabbits need).

Here’s a table comparing the ingredients of guinea pig pellets and rabbit pellets from the same manufacturer (Burgess). As you can see, the biggest difference is how much vitamin C is in the pellets, with guinea pigs getting an order of magnitude more.

Is the extra vitamin C in guinea pig pellets dangerous to rabbits?

The amount of vitamin C in guinea pig pellets is not dangerous for rabbits. While a gigantic excess of vitamin C is bad for rabbits (a gigantic excess of pretty much anything is never healthy), the levels in guinea pig food are fine. The safe limit for vitamin C in rabbit food is double what you find in guinea pig pellets (check out more about rabbit nutrition here).

Can you feed your rabbit guinea pig treats?

Any treat that is sold by a reputable manufacturer as being suitable for guinea pigs is also almost certainly suitable for rabbits, because their diets are so similar.

However, by the same token, just as you can get some treats that are unhealthy for guinea pigs, so these will also be unhealthy for rabbits.

But a good rule of thumb is, if guinea pigs can eat it, so can bunnies.

How much guinea pig food should you feed your rabbit?

You should feed your rabbit their normal amounts if substituting guinea pig food. Of course, hay is the same for both guinea pigs and rabbits. If you need to use guinea pig pellets, give your bunny about an egg-cupful of pellets a day, just as you would with rabbit pellets.

Conclusion

If you need to feed guinea pig pellets to your rabbit, or if your rabbit steals some guinea pig pellets, you can relax. Guinea pigs and rabbits have pretty much the same diet, and the pellets are extremely similar in composition. The only significant difference is that guinea pig pellets have additional vitamin C, which rabbits don’t need, but the vitamin C won’t cause your rabbit any harm.

If you want to find out more about your bunny’s diet and health, check out these posts:

We have an article on the vitamins and minerals that rabbits need.

This article explains which fruit (and how much) you can give your bunny.

Not all herbs are safe for rabbits. Find out more here.

Explore how rabbits digest their food.

For some, peas are our favourite vegetable; little bright spheres of taste to enliven a plate of food. I’m not actually in that camp – I’ve never liked them, from childhood. I’m more like Lola, who declares to her older brother Charlie, ‘Don’t even think about giving me a pea… …they are too small and too green’ (you can find the delightful Charlie and Lola children’s books here). But I’m unusual. Most kids and adults wolf them down. But what about your fluff-ball pet bunny? Can they also wolf down peas safely? (If you’re wondering about mange-tout, look here)

Is it safe to give peas to rabbits?

Rabbits can eat fresh, green peas safely in small quantities. Like other legumes, giving too many peas to a rabbit could lead to stomach problems including gastro-intestinal stasis. A portion size of peas for an adult rabbit would be no more than a couple of tablespoons a day.

The nutritional benefits of peas for rabbits

Peas do provide some important nutrients for rabbits (though they can also get these through other foods). However, as the table below shows, peas aren’t suitable as the major food for bunnies, which should always be hay.

As you can see from the table, peas aren’t suitable as the main diet for rabbits. They don’t provide enough fibre, and are too high in sugars. But in small quantities they do provide some of the other nutrients that rabbits need, like vitamin A and magnesium.

What are the dangers of peas as the main food for rabbits?

What might happen if you fed too many peas (or, even worse, only peas) to your rabbit? Your bunny could develop a range of problems:

• Although peas have some fibre, rabbits need lots of fibre. The fibre helps food to move through their intestines. Put simple, if there’s no fibre, the food blocks up (gastro-intestinal stasis, or GI stasis). This is extremely dangerous for rabbits: if you suspect your rabbit has GI stasis, consult a vet at once. Rabbits need their main food to be high in fibre, like hay.
• Peas are high in sugar. Too much sugar upsets the delicate balance of the digestive system (find out more here). It encourages bad bacteria to grow in the intestines, particularly the caecum. This in turn means that food isn’t digested properly, and causes gases to build up, which rabbits find extremely painful. In turn, this can also lead to GI stasis. This is why, even if peas aren’t the main food you give rabbits, you still need to be cautious in the quantities and not give too much.
• Peas are low in protein. If you tried to feed rabbits mainly with peas, they wouldn’t have enough protein to build and maintain their muscles.

What is a suitable portion of peas for a rabbit?

A safe portion daily of peas for a rabbit is about 1 tablespoon for every 2lb (1kg) your rabbit weighs. A rabbit like a minilop typically weighs anywhere from 4-6 lb as an adult, so a safe portion size is no more than 2 or 3 tablespoons of peas.

Do rabbits like peas?

Rabbits are like humans – different from one another! Just as I don’t like peas, but other members of my family love them, so some rabbits will gobble up peas, and others will sniff, turn their noses up and hop away.

Can rabbits eat dried peas or cooked peas?

Don’t feed dried peas to rabbits, as this can increase the danger of GI stasis. Rabbits can eat cooked peas, but they won’t be as good for them as fresh raw peas.

Can baby rabbits eat peas?

You need to be careful with young rabbits with every new food. For the first six weeks, baby rabbits should be depending on their mother’s milk. After this, they transfer to hay (and a few pellets). Only later can other foods be introduced, and it is best to do this a little at a time, and one new food at a time. This is because young rabbits have extremely delicate digestive systems that can be easily upset.

Can you feed peas to rabbits every day?

It is best to include variety in the food you give rabbits. The best diet for rabbits is one based on unlimited availability of hay and water, with up to an eggcup-full of rabbit pellets, and a handful of fresh greens (such as herbs like thyme or other green vegetables) every day. In addition, they can have a small treat (eg a small portion of fruit) each day.

Conclusion – can rabbits eat peas?

Rabbits can eat peas safely in small quantities. A suitable portion is about 2 tablespoons of peas for an adult rabbit. If rabbits eat too many peas, it could lead to dangerous intestinal problems.

Check out these other posts

Find out more about rabbit nutrition here.

We have a post on the digestive system of bunnies here – take a look!

Wondering how much of your meal you can give to your rabbit? Can bunnies eat potatoes? Find out!

Herbs can make a great addition to your rabbit’s diet – check out which herbs are safe for rabbits here.

I love going to the cinema for a new blockbuster. Some films need to be seen on the big screen. And many of us will treat ourselves to a bag or tub of popcorn (salty is my favourite, but others prefer toffee). Sometimes we recreate the experience at home, settling down on the sofa with a bag of popcorn to watch the latest movie. But can you feed popcorn to rabbits? Should you worry if you spill some popcorn and your bunny starts munching it? Can it be a treat for them as well? Find all the answers you need below.

Should you feed popcorn to rabbits?

You should not feed popcorn to rabbits. Although popcorn is not poisonous to rabbits, it is entirely unsuitable nutritionally for rabbits’ delicate digestive system. Popcorn is high in carbohydrates, and usually sugars, salt and fat. Eating too much popcorn could lead to serious stomach problems for a bunny such as GI stasis. Rabbits need low fat, high fibre diets based around hay.

Why popcorn is bad for rabbits – nutritional breakdown

Here’s a comparison table of the nutrition in popcorn (without anything added) and what rabbits need in their diets.

Popcorn is a bad food for rabbits because it is much too high in carbohydrates, as you can see from the table above. Any additions to popcorn such as butter, salt, sugar or toffee only add more ingredients that are unhealthy for bunnies.

If rabbits have too much carbohydrate, it upsets the delicate balance in their digestive system. Unhealthy bacteria can start growing inside the gut, leading to the release of gases which are painful for the rabbit. Rabbits can’t relieve the pressure by burping, and any blockages mean that the gases just build up.

It can also lead to further dietary problems, such as GI stasis, where rabbits have trouble transporting food through their intestinal systems. Essentially, their digestive system blocks up.

GI stasis is a serious condition, which can prove fatal. If you suspect your bunny may be suffering from this, contact a vet straight away.

Are popcorn kernels safe for rabbits?

Popcorn kernels are more dangerous for rabbits than popped corn. Nutritionally, kernels are pretty much identical (it’s just that the starch hasn’t ‘popped’). However, the hard kernel is extremely difficult for the rabbit’s intestines to digest. This means that the kernels can accumulate inside the rabbit digestive system, again leading to serious and even fatal problems. You can hope that the kernels will just pass through the intestines, but there is no guarantee.

There is a report of an autopsy on a pet rabbit that found loads of unpopped kernels in the rabbit’s stomach. The owner hadn’t deliberately fed them kernels; these had simply built up over time and never passed through, until finally they caused a fatal problem.

A further reason why popcorn is a bad treat for rabbits

Popcorn is a food that’s relatively easy to choke on, because it is large and puffed up. That’s not normally an issue for humans, but rabbits can have more difficulties if they start choking. Rabbits don’t have a vomit reflex, and can’t communicate their distress easily if they are choking.

I always compare feeding food to a rabbit to feeding food to a toddler. If I thought a toddler might choke on it, I wouldn’t give that portion size or food to a rabbit.

What are alternatives to popcorn as treats for rabbits?

If you want to treat your bunny, give them some slices of cut-up fruit, such as apple or banana. You can find a list of suitable, safe fruit and appropriate portion size in our article here.

Fruit works well in small amounts as a treat because rabbits can digest the sugars (fructose) in fruit, whereas their digestive systems are not designed to process other types of sugar such as sucrose. In the wild, rabbits do occasionally come across apples or other fruit, and will enjoy nibbling them. Replicating this behaviour at home is a good idea.

Help! My rabbit ate some popcorn – what should I do?

If your bunny has just nibbled a bit of popcorn, don’t panic. Popcorn isn’t poisonous, so this is the equivalent of us having a really unhealthy snack.

However, if your rabbit has had a much larger amount, keep an eye on them for the next 24 hours to make sure they’re OK. In particular, make sure that they are eating and drinking normally, moving around normally and pooping as usual.

If you have any concerns about your rabbit at all, contact a vet straight away.

Chocolate popcorn is dangerous for rabbits

Occasionally, people like chocolate sauce on their popcorn. Chocolate is dangerous for most pets, including rabbits. If your bunny eats any of the chocolate sauce, consult a vet straight away.

What diet should rabbits have?

Rabbits need a diet which mimics what they would get in the wild. This means that rabbits need plenty of hay (preferably Timothy); you can’t feed too much hay to a rabbit. Bunnies also need lots of fresh water available. These are the basics.

Beyond this, you can give about an egg-cupful of rabbit nuggets each day, along with a handful of greens and a small, appropriate treat such as a slice of banana. This diet will help keep your rabbit’s digestive system in tip-top shape, and help keep their teeth healthy too (read here to find more about rabbits’ teeth)

Conclusion

Popcorn is a great treat for humans, but a rubbish treat for bunnies. It doesn’t match their nutritional needs, and too much can cause rabbits serious problems with their guts. Keep popcorn for your movie nights, and find a better treat for your bunny.

Check out these other posts

For more information on rabbit nutritional needs, check out our posts on the vitamins and minerals bunnies need.

Interested in how rabbits digest their food? Read more here.

We have posts detailing which fruit and which herbs you can safely give to your bunnies.

Have you insured your rabbit? If you’re UK based, you can compare the different providers here.

Want to make sure your bunny doesn’t get bored? Have a look at our list of top 10 toys for rabbits.

Peanut butter sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly (if you’re American), peanut butter and bananas. Many of us love it, smooth or crunchy, and will happily spread it on toast or combine it with other foods. But can rabbits eat peanut butter? Should you panic if they do? Find out more.

Is peanut butter safe for rabbits?

You should not feed peanut butter to rabbits. Although peanut butter is not poisonous to rabbits, as a food it is entirely unsuited to rabbits’ complex and delicate digestive system. Peanut butter is extremely high in fats. Eating too much peanut butter may cause stomach problems including GI stasis for rabbits, which need low fat and high fibre diets based on hay.

Why peanut butter is bad for rabbits – nutritional breakdown

Peanut butter may be a tasty topping for humans, but it is a bad food for bunnies. This table shows how peanut butter doesn’t provide the nutrients that rabbits need, and also provides too much of nutrients that rabbits don’t need and that are bad for them.

As the table shows, peanut butter is much too high in fats (over 50% of peanut butter is fats). Rabbits are designed to live off grass and other vegetation which is high in fibre and very low in fat. Wild rabbits rarely get to eat anything so fatty, so their digestive systems haven’t evolved to cope with high amounts of fat.

If rabbits have too much peanut butter, their digestive system has to cope with way more fat than it is designed for. Part of the digestive system is the caecum. This part digests the fibre. If too much fat is in the caecum, it encourages the growth of unhealthy bacteria. In turn, this causes problems with gas and diarrhoea.

While indigestion is just inconvenient to us, it is dangerous to rabbits. The rabbit digestive system needs to keep food moving, with large amounts of fibre essential to this. If a rabbit does develop stomach problems, this can lead to GI stasis (gastro-intestinal stasis). The rabbit may become constipated, and stop feeding.

If you suspect that your bunny has GI stasis, consult a vet straight away, as it can prove deadly for rabbits.

Another problem with peanut butter is the high calorie count. Each little portion packs quite a big energy punch. Eating high calorie food like this on a regular basis could easily lead to your bunny being overweight. This in turn can cause other health problems for your rabbit.

And most peanut butter is also high in salt. Too much salt is also bad for bunnies.

Peanut butter isn’t toxic to rabbits. It is not poisonous. But it is unhealthy, and best avoided as a snack.

Can you add peanut butter to other foods for rabbits?

You should not add peanut butter to other foods for rabbits. Whilst peanut butter is not toxic, all you are doing is adding unhealthy fats to a food. You might also be conditioning your bunny to be getting used to food that is too high in fat and salt.

What are alternatives to peanut butter as treats for rabbits?

The best treat for bunnies is small, cut up pieces of fruit such as bananas. You can find a list of which fruit you can safely give to rabbits in our article here (including appropriate portion size, and debunking some of the myths you find in some areas of the internet).

Help! My rabbit ate some peanut butter – what should I do?

If your bunny has nibbled a little bit of peanut butter, then there’s no need to panic. It is the equivalent of us having a really unhealthy snack. It’s not done them any good, but it is unlikely to do them any harm.

If you’re at worried, monitor your rabbit over the next 24 hours, and make sure that they keep on moving about, eating, drinking water and pooping as normal.

If you’re in any doubt or have any concerns over your rabbit’s health, consult a vet straight away.

What diet should rabbits have?

The best diet for rabbits is lots of hay (preferably Timothy) with lots of fresh water. Rabbits don’t really need anything else. You can’t overfeed hay to rabbits. It provides the nutrients they need in the right balance, and helps keep both their bowels and their teeth in the best condition.

However, you can also give rabbits about an egg-cupful of rabbit nuggets each day, and a handful of fresh greens each day. And you can also give your rabbits a small treat each day, like a piece of fruit.

Conclusion

Peanut butter is not a good food for rabbits, and you should not feed peanut butter to bunnies. It is too high in fats and salts. Too much peanut butter could upset rabbits’ delicate digestive system, and lead to serious intestinal problems.

Check out these other posts

Find out more about rabbit nutrition here.

This post goes into more detail on the rabbit digestive system.

Fruit is a better snack than peanut butter. Check out which fruit and how much to give your bunny.

Herbs make a great addition to your rabbit’s diet – check here which herbs are safe for bunnies.

Over the last few decades, food tastes in Britain have become more adventurous, and more international. So the other day we found ourselves cooking pak choi (cut in half lengthways, quickly fry, add a splash of water to the pan, cover and cook for a couple more minutes – lovely). For those unfamiliar, pak choi is a type of chinese cabbage, and is common in Asia and Australasia (and also known as bok choy or pok choi). But we had more than we needed. So my partner asked – ‘can our rabbits eat pak choi’? If you’re in a similar position, here’s the answer, with a quick summary followed by more detailed information.

Can rabbits eat pak choi (bok choy) safely?

Rabbits can eat pak choi (bok choy) safely as part of a varied diet based mainly on hay and water. A suitable portion of pak choi for an adult rabbit is about a handful. Bunnies can eat both the green leafy part and the crunchier base of pak choi safely. Pak choi provides helfpul nutrients for rabbits, in particular vitamin A, magnesium and potassium.

Pak choi (bok choy) nutrition and rabbit requirements

As the information in the table shows, the main benefits of pak choi are some of the nutrients it can provide, in particular vitamin A, magnesium and potassium.

The information also shows why it is good to provide your bunny with a varied diet. Other greens will provide some of the other nutrients lacking in pak choi.

What are the dangers of pak choi (bok choy)as the main food for rabbits?

If you feed your rabbit too much pak choi (bok choy),or even worse, only pak choi, then your rabbit could develop a range of problems.

• Pak choi is mostly water. If this is the only food the rabbit is getting, this might lead to diarrhoea.
• Pak choi does not contain much fibre. If this is the only food your bunny eats, then they will develop intestinal problems. Rabbits’ digestive systems are designed to use high quantities of fibre which help keep everything moving inside. Without this fibre, rabbits can develop gastro-intestinal stasis (GI stasis) – a type of constipation which can be extremely dangerous for rabbits. Additionally, rabbits depend on high fibre food to wear down their teeth (which never stop growing). If a rabbit’s teeth grow too long, it can cause all sorts of medical issues.
• Pak choi is low in protein. If this is the only food your bunny gets, they won’t have enough protein to build or maintain their muscles.
• Some rabbits develop gas if they have too much food from the cabbage family. Again, this can be serious in rabbits.

If you ever have any health concerns about your rabbit, consult a vet as soon as possible.

The list above can seem a little frightening, but this only applies if you feed your rabbits lots of pak choi and little of anything else. If you stick to a healthy, varied diet based mainly on hay, then pak choi is a healthy part of that variety.

Do rabbits like pak choi (bok choy)?

Rabbits are like humans – some of us like pak choi, others don’t. Some bunnies love pak choi; others will turn their noses up at it.

Having said that, most rabbits do seem to like pak choi, and for some bunnies it will become their favourite treat.

Our rabbits all like pak choi. They don’t get it very often, but that’s only because we don’t have it frequently. Rabbits in Asia, Australia and New Zealand are more likely to have portions, as pak choi is much more readily available.

Can you feed cooked pak choi to rabbits?

You can feed cooked pak choi to rabbits so long as you haven’t cooked the pak choi with anything else that might affect the rabbits. The cooked pak choi won’t be quite as healthy for the rabbits as the raw pak choi (and they might not enjoy it as much). But it will be fine for them.

Can baby rabbits eat pak choi (bok choy)?

With young rabbits, you need to be careful with every new food. For the first six weeks, baby rabbits should be depending on their mother’s milk. After this, they transfer to hay (and a few pellets). Only later can other foods be introduced, and it is best to do this a little at a time, and one new food at a time. This is because young rabbits have extremely delicate digestive systems that can be easily upset.

Can rabbits eat pak choi every day?

It is best if rabbits don’t eat pak choi every day, but have some variety in their diets. The best diet for rabbits is one based on unlimited availability of hay and water, with up to an eggcup-full of rabbit pellets, and a handful of fresh greens (such as pak choi, but also herbs such as thyme or other green vegetables) every day. In addition, they can have a small treat (eg a small portion of fruit) each day.

Conclusion

Rabbits can eat pak choi safely, as long as it is part of a healthy varied diet. Pak choi provides some helpful nutrients for rabbits. But you couldn’t just feed a rabbit pak choi – that would lead to problems for your bunny.

Check out these other posts

Find out more about rabbit nutrition here.

We have a post on the digestive system of bunnies here – take a look!

Herbs can make a great addition to your rabbit’s diet – check out which herbs are safe for rabbits here.

Many of us love to munch away on almonds as a healthy snack. These nuts are jam-packed with nutrients, including the good kind of unsaturated fats. And they’re tasty – what’s not to like? But what about our pet rabbits – can we give almonds to rabbits, how healthy are almonds for bunnies, and should we worry if our bunny does eat an almond?

Can rabbits eat almonds – summary

You should not feed almonds to rabbits. While almonds are not toxic to bunnies, they provide the wrong balance of nutrients for rabbits. Almonds are extremely high in fats. Eating too many almonds may cause stomach problems including GI stasis for rabbits, which need low fat and high fibre diets based on hay.

Why almonds are bad for rabbits

Almonds may be good for humans, but they’re not so good for rabbits. This table gives the nutrition inside almonds, and compares it to what rabbits need.

As you can see from the table, the main problem with almonds is that they are so high in fats (almost 50% fat). Rabbits have evolved to live off vegetation, including grass, which is high in fibre and with little or no fat. In the wild, rabbits rarely get to eat nuts, so their digestive system is not geared up for them.

If rabbits have too many almonds, their digestive system has to cope with much more fat than it is designed for. Part of the digestive system is the caecum, which digests the fibre. If too much fat is in the caecum, it can encourage the growth of unhealthy bacteria. In turn, this causes problems with gas and diarrhoea.

While indigestion is usually just inconvenient to us, it is far more dangerous to rabbits. The rabbit digestive system needs to keep food moving, helped by all the fibre in their usual diet. If a rabbit does develop stomach problems, this can become GI stasis (gastro-intestinal stasis). The rabbit may become constipated, and stop feeding.

If you suspect that your bunny has GI stasis, consult a vet straight away, as it can prove fatal for rabbits.

Another problem with almonds is their high calorie count. Each little nut packs quite a big energy punch. Eating high calorie food like almonds on a regular basis could easily lead to your bunny being overweight. This in turn can cause other health problems for your rabbit.

Almonds aren’t toxic to rabbits. They are not poisonous. But they are unhealthy, and best avoided as a snack.

Help! My bunny ate some almonds – what should I do?

If your bunny just found one or two almonds on the floor – don’t worry. They have effectively had an unhealthy snack. If they usually have a good diet, your rabbit should have no problems.

If your rabbit has eaten lots of almonds, make sure to keep a careful eye on them over the next 12 to 24 hours. Check that they are poo-ing and eating as usual. If you have any concerns at all, consult a vet straight away.

What diet should rabbits have?

Rabbits should have a diet that is based mainly on hay and fresh water. These provide practically all that rabbits need nutritionally. Basically, you can’t give your rabbit too much hay. You can supplement hay (preferably Timothy hay) with an egg-cupful of rabbit nuggets and a handful of fresh greens each day. You can also give a small snack like a slice of fruit.

Conclusion

Rabbits should not be given almonds. Although not toxic to rabbits, almonds are extremely high in fats, which could upset the rabbit digestive system if eaten in sufficient quantities. Rabbits should eat mainly hay, and if you want to give your bunny a snack, a slice of fruit is a better alternative.

Check out these other posts

Find out more about rabbit nutrition here.

The Rabbit Digestive SystemThis post goes into more detail on the rabbit digestive system.

Fruit is a better snack than nuts. Check out which fruit and how much to give your bunny.

Like many people, I love honey. It is both sweet, and a natural food; what’s not to like? My favourite is the thicker type, but we also use runny honey in cooking. But is it safe to give to rabbits? Would honey make a nice treat for bunnies?

Is honey safe for rabbits?

You should not feed rabbits with honey. Although honey is not poisonous to rabbits, as a food it is entirely unsuited to rabbits’ complex and delicate digestive system. Because all honey, whether raw or processed, is a combination of pure sugars, giving a rabbit too much honey may result in diarrhoea and other intestinal problems, and in the longer term contributing to obesity, which also results in health problems for rabbits.

Why honey is bad for rabbits

Honey is a bad choice to give bunnies because it is mainly a combination of sugars:

As you can see, honey is mainly glucose and fructose. It contains practically no fibre or protein. But the intestines of rabbits are designed to process food heavy in fibre (for example, hay typically is about 17-18% fibre). The fibre is vital, as it helps the food move through the intestines.

Without enough fibre, rabbits may quickly develop GI stasis (an extremely dangerous form of constipation). They stop pooing, and stop eating. If you suspect your bunny may have this, contact a vet straight away.

But even if your bunny is getting some fibre, having a high quantity of honey is still likely to cause problems with their gut.

In particular, rabbits’ digestive systems have developed to be able to cope with fructose (which is the main sugar found in fruit) but not other types of sugar, in particular glucose [source here]. As the table shows, honey has a large amount of glucose as an ingredient.

Bacteria in the rabbit’s gut (in particular their coecum) will feed off the glucose, and the wrong bacteria are likely to grow and multiply. The growth of the toxic bacteria then makes the rabbit sick. This can lead to diarrhoea. Again, if diarrhoea develops, contact a vet straight away.

You can find out more about rabbits’ delicate digestive systems here.

Honey is also unhealthy because (just like it is for us) it adds calories to a diet. If you give 20g of a banana to a rabbit, you are giving them about 18 kcal. If you give 20g of honey to a rabbit, you are giving them 61 kcal – over three times as many calories.

Can you add honey to other foods for rabbits?

You should not add honey to other foods for rabbits. Whilst honey is not toxic, all you are doing is adding unhealthy sugar to a food. You might also be conditioning your bunny to be getting used to food that is too sweet.

Some commercial snacks for rabbits occasionally have honey in them. If you only very occasionally give your rabbit one of these as a treat, you are not unlikely to be doing any harm to your bunny. Just be aware that they are an unhealthy snack, and so should only be given rarely if you choose to use them.

What are alternatives to honey as a treat for rabbits?

Rather than give honey, small pieces of fruit make a great treat for rabbits. Fruit still has some sweetness (most fruit contain some of the sugar fructose).

You need to be careful, though – although most fruit are fine to give rabbits, there are a couple that can be dangerous. Find out which fruits you can give your bunny here.

What is the best diet for rabbits?

The best diet for rabbits is to feed them mainly hay (preferably timothy hay) and fresh water. Hay should make up most of a rabbit’s diet.

Alongside the hay, you can also give them each day about an eggcup-full of rabbit nuggets, a handful of fresh greens (here’s information on which herbs are safe to give bunnies) and a small treat.

Conclusion

Honey is great as a treat for humans, but don’t feed it to rabbits. It can mess with their guts, and lead to them being sick.

If you’re interested in what’s good for rabbits, check out our post on what vitamins and minerals rabbits need.