Rabbit diet and health

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.

Ingredient	Potato (raw) per 100g	Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed	Comments
Water	79.2 g
Energy	77 kcal
Protein	2.05 g	12-17 g	Potatoes are low in protein compared to what rabbits need.
Fat	0.09 g	2.5-5 g	Potatoes, as you would expect, are low in fat, which is good as bunnies thrive on a low fat diet.
Fibre	2.1 g	14-25 g	Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems. Potatoes don’t provide enough fibre for rabbits. Rabbits need hay, which is high in fibre.
Carbohydrates	17.5 g	< 20 g	Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Potatoes are high in carbohydrates. Too much can play havoc with the delicate digestive system of rabbits, allowing bad bacteria to build up and painful gases causing GI stasis.
Calcium	12 mg	500 mg	Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones. Potatoes are low in calcium, so are fine.
Iron	0.81 mg	30-400 mg	Potatoes don’t provide the iron that rabbits need in their diets.
Magnesium	23 mg	30-300mg	Potatoes provide some magnesium for rabbits.
Phosphorus	57 mg	400 mg	Potatoes provide little of the phosphorus needed by rabbits.
Potassium	425 mg	6,000 mg	Potatoes can contribute a little to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A	None	1,000-1,200 IU	Potatoes provide none of the vitamin A which rabbits need.
Vitamin C	19.7 mg	None	Rabbits don’t need vitamin C (their bodies make vitamin C).
Vitamin D	None	80-100 IU	Potatoes provide none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Zinc	0.3 mg	5-15 mg	Potatoes don’t provide enough zinc.
Copper	0.11 mg	0.5-2 mg	Potatoes provide a little of the copper that bunnies need.

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:

Ingredient	Grapes per 100g	Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed	Comments
Water	79.9 g
Energy	80 kcal
Protein	0.9 g	12-17 g	Grapes are low in protein compared to what rabbits need.
Fat	0.23 g	2.5-5 g	Grapes, as you would expect, are low in fat, which is good as bunnies thrive on a low fat diet.
Fibre	0.38 g	14-25 g	Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems. Grapes don’t provide enough fibre. Rabbits need hay, which is high in fibre, with grapes as an occasional treat.
Carbohydrates	18.6 g	< 20 g	Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Grapes are not low in carbohydrates, and most these carbohydrates are sugar (glucose and fructose). Too much sugar can play havoc with the delicate digestive system of rabbits, allowing bad bacteria to build up and painful gases causing GI stasis.
Calcium	10 mg	500 mg	Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones. Grapes are low in calcium, so are fine.
Iron	0.2 mg	30-400 mg	Grapes don’t provide the iron that rabbits need in their diets.
Magnesium	7.1 mg	30-300mg	Grapes provide low levels of magnesium for rabbits.
Phosphorus	22 mg	400 mg	Grapes provide little of the phosphorus needed by rabbits.
Potassium	218 mg	6,000 mg	Grapes can contribute a little to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A	100 IU	1,000-1,200 IU	Grapes provide some of the vitamin A which rabbits need.
Vitamin C	3 mg	None	Rabbits don’t need vitamin C (their bodies make vitamin C).
Vitamin D	None	80-100 IU	Grapes provide none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Zinc	0.03 mg	5-15 mg	Grapes don’t provide enough zinc.
Copper	0.05 mg	0.5-2 mg	Grapes provide a little of the copper that bunnies need.

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.

Ingredient	Guinea pig pellets	Rabbit pellets
Beneficial fibre	31 %	39%
Crude protein	17 %	13%
Crude oils and fats	4 %	4%
Crude fibre	17 %	19%
Crude ash	6.5 %	6.5%
Vitamin A	25,000 IU/kg	25,000 IU/kg
Vitamin D3	2,000 IU/kg	2,000 IU/kg
Vitamin E	125 mg/kg	155 mg/kg
Vitamin C	1,050 mg/kg	70 mg/kg
Copper sulphate pentahydrate	28 mg/kg	28 mg/kg
Calcium iodate anhydrous	2.34 mg/kg	2.34 mg/kg
Sodium selenite	0.22 mg/kg	0.55 mg/kg
Ferrous sulphate monohydrate	133 mg/kg	133 mg/kg
Manganese oxide	16.1 mg/kg	16.1 mg/kg
Zinc oxide	139 mg/kg	139 mg/kg

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.

Ingredient	Peas per 100g	Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed	Comments
Water	78.9 g
Energy	81 kcal
Protein	5.42 g	12-17 g	Peas are low in protein compared to what rabbits need. This is one reason why it shouldn’t be the main food for bunnies.
Fat	0.4 g	2.5-5 g	Peas are low in fat, which is good as bunnies thrive on a low fat diet.
Fibre	5.7 g	14-25 g	Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems. Peas don’t provide enough fibre. Rabbits need hay, which is high in fibre, with some greens like peas as additions.
Carbohydrates	14.4 g	< 20 g	Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Peas are not particularly low in carbohydrates, and over a third of these carbohydrates are in the form of sucrose (sugar). Too much sugar can play havoc with the delicate digestive system of rabbits, allowing bad bacteria to build up and painful gases causing GI stasis.
Calcium	25 mg	500 mg	Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones. Peas are lower in calcium than Timothy hay, their main food source, so are fine.
Iron	1.5 mg	30-400 mg	Peas only provide a little of the iron that rabbits need in their diets.
Magnesium	33 mg	30-300mg	Peas provide good levels of magnesium for rabbits.
Phosphorus	108 mg	400 mg	Peas can provide some of the phosphorus needed by rabbits.
Potassium	244 mg	6,000 mg	Peas can contribute a little to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A	765 IU	1,000-1,200 IU	Peas are quite good for vitamin A, which rabbits need.
Vitamin C	40 mg	None	Rabbits don’t need vitamin C (their bodies make vitamin C). The vitamin C in peas won’t harm them, but it won’t help them either.
Vitamin E	0.13 mg	5-16 mg	Peas don’t provide much vitamin E for rabbits.
Vitamin D	None	80-100 IU	Peas provide none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Vitamin B complex	2.76 mg	None	Peas provide some vitamin B, but rabbits don’t need vitamin B. Their bodies make all that they need.
Zinc	1.24 mg	5-15 mg	Peas provide some zinc.
Selenium	0.0018 mg	0.005-0.032 mg	Peas provide a little of the selenium that bunnies need.

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.

Ingredient	Popcorn per 100g	Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed	Comments
Energy	387 kcal		Popcorn is high in calories. Rabbits need to watch their weight, too. High energy foods like this don’t help.
Protein	12.9 g	12-17 g	This value is OK.
Fat	4.54 g	2.5-5 g	Air-popped popcorn is low in fat, which is good. But some snacks are covered in butter, which will add lots of fat.
Fibre	14.5 g	14-25 g	Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets. Popcorn does have some fibre.
Carbohydrates	77.8 g	< 20 g	Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Popcorn is really high in carbohydrates (and if you like it sweet, you’re adding more carbohydrates with the sugar).
Calcium	7 mg	500 mg	It doesn’t contain too much calcium.
Sodium	8 mg	100 mg	Popcorn doesn’t have too much salt – unless it’s been added to the snack, in which case it will probably be too salty for rabbits.
Iron	3.19 mg	30-400 mg	It only provides a little of the iron that rabbits need.
Phosphorus	358 mg	400 mg	Popcorn does provide an appropriate amount of phosophorus for a healthy rabbit diet.
Potassium	329 mg	6,000 mg	A small contribution to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A	196 IU	1,000-1,200 IU	It provides a little of the vitamin A that rabbits need.
Vitamin C	None	None	Rabbits don’t need any (their bodies make vitamin C).
Vitamin E	0.29 mg	5-16 mg	Popcorn doesn’t provide much.
Vitamin D	None	80-100 IU	Popcorn provides none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Vitamin B complex	22 mg	None	Rabbits don’t need vitamin B complex. Their bodies make all that they need.
Zinc	3.08 mg	5-15 mg	Popcorn provides nearly the right amount of zinc.
Selenium	None	0.005-0.032 mg	It provides none of the selenium that rabbits need.

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.

Ingredient	Peanut butter per 100g	Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed	Comments
Energy	598 kcal		Peanut butter is high in calories. Just like humans, rabbits need to watch their weight. High energy foods like this don’t help.
Protein	22.2 g	12-17 g	Peanut butter is high in proteins. You might think that this is a good thing, but the higher concentration of proteins in the rabbit gut could cause problems, upsetting the balance of bacteria inside the rabbit intestinal system.
Fat	51.4 g	2.5-5 g	Peanut butter is much too high in fat for rabbits. This can create short term problems in the gut, and longer term issues over rabbits becoming overweight. This is a major concern for peanut butter as part of the diet.
Fibre	5 g	14-25 g	Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems. Peanut butter doesn’t provide much fibre.
Carbohydrates	22.3 g	< 20 g	Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Peanut butter is high in carbohydrates (including sugars).
Calcium	49 mg	500 mg	It doesn’t contain too much calcium. Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones.
Sodium	426 mg	100 mg	Peanut butter has way too much sodium for rabbits (because of the salt). Just like too much salt is bad for us, so too much salt is not good for rabbits.
Iron	1.74 mg	30-400 mg	Peanut butter only provides a little of the iron that rabbits need in their diets.
Phosphorus	335 mg	400 mg	Peanut butter does provide an appropriate amount of phosophorus for a healthy rabbit diet.
Potassium	558 mg	6,000 mg	Peanut butter can contribute a bit to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A	None	1,000-1,200 IU	It provides none of the vitamin A that rabbits need.
Vitamin C	None	None	Rabbits don’t need any (their bodies make vitamin C).
Vitamin E	9.1 mg	5-16 mg	Peanut butter does provide an appropriate amount of vitamin E for rabbits.
Vitamin D	None	80-100 IU	Peanut butter provides none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Vitamin B complex	78 mg	None	Rabbits don’t need vitamin B complex. Their bodies make all that they need.
Zinc	2.51 mg	5-15 mg	Peanut butter is OK on the amount of zinc.
Selenium	0.004 mg	0.005-0.032 mg	Peanut butter provides an appropriate amount of the selenium that rabbits need.

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

Ingredient	Pak choi per 100g	Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed	Comments
Water	95.3 g		Most of pak choi is water. This is fine – bunnies need water, and get it through either their food or their water bowl. But the high water content means that it’s not the main food that rabbits should be getting.
Energy	13 kcal		Pak choi doesn’t provide much energy for rabbits. This is another reason why pak choi should be a supplement for a main diet of hay for rabbits, rather than their only or main food.
Protein	1.5 g	12-17 g	Pak choi is low in protein. As rabbits need more protein, this is yet another reason why the main food for rabbits should be hay, with pak choi as an additional item.
Fat	0.2 g	2.5-5 g	Pak choi is low in fat, which is good as bunnies thrive on a low fat diet.
Fibre	1 g	14-25 g	Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems. Pak choi doesn’t provide enough fibre. Rabbits need hay, which is high in fibre, with some greens like pak choi as additions.
Carbohydrates	2.18 g	< 20 g	Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Pak choi is low in carbohydrates.
Calcium	105 mg	500 mg	Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones. Pak choi is lower in calcium than Timothy hay, their main food source, so it is fine.
Iron	0.8 mg	30-400 mg	Pak choi only provide a little of the iron that rabbits need in their diets.
Magnesium	19 mg	30-300mg	Pak choi provides good levels of magnesium for rabbits.
Phosphorus	37 mg	400 mg	Pak choi only provides a little of the phosphorus needed by rabbits.
Potassium	252 mg	6,000 mg	Pak choi can contribute a little to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A	4,479 IU	1,000-1,200 IU	Pak choi is great for vitamin A, which rabbits need.
Vitamin C	45 mg	None	Rabbits don’t need vitamin C (their bodies make vitamin C). The vitamin C in pak choi won’t harm them, but it won’t help them either.
Vitamin E	0.09 mg	5-16 mg	Pak choi doesn’t provide much vitamin E for rabbits.
Vitamin D	None	80-100 IU	Pak choi provides none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Vitamin B complex	0.96 mg	None	Pak choi doesn’t provide much vitamin B, but in any case rabbits don’t need vitamin B complex. Their bodies make all that they need.
Zinc	0.19 mg	5-15 mg	Pak choi doesn’t provide much zinc.
Selenium	0.0005 mg	0.005-0.032 mg	Pak choi provides just a little of the selenium that bunnies need.

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.

Ingredient	Almonds per 100g	Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed	Comments
Energy	579 kcal		Almonds are high in calories. Just like humans, rabbits need to watch their weight.
Protein	21.2 g	12-17 g	Almonds are high in proteins. You might think that this is a good thing, but the higher concentration of proteins in the rabbit gut could cause problems, upsetting the balance of bacteria inside the rabbit intestinal system.
Fat	49.9 g	2.5-5 g	Almonds are much too high in fat for rabbits. This can create short term problems in the gut, and longer term issues over rabbits becoming overweight.
Fibre	12.5 g	14-25 g	Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems. Almonds aren’t too bad in this regard, though still not providing the amount of fibre that rabbits require.
Carbohydrates	21.6 g	< 20 g	Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Almonds are high in carbohydrates.
Calcium	269 mg	500 mg	Almonds contain calcium. Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones.
Iron	3.71 mg	30-400 mg	Almonds only provide a little of the iron that rabbits need in their diets.
Phosphorus	481 mg	400 mg	Almonds are slightly higher in phosphorus for a healthy rabbit diet.
Potassium	733 mg	6,000 mg	Almonds can contribute to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A	None	1,000-1,200 IU	Almonds provide none of the vitamin A that rabbits need.
Vitamin C	None	None	Almonds don’t contain vitamin C, and rabbits don’t need any (their bodies make vitamin C).
Vitamin E	25.6 mg	5-16 mg	Almonds provide a little too much vitamin E for rabbits.
Vitamin D	None	80-100 IU	Almonds provide none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Vitamin B complex	58 mg	None	Rabbits don’t need vitamin B complex. Their bodies make all that they need.
Zinc	3.12 mg	5-15 mg	Almonds are OK on the amount of zinc.
Selenium	0.004 mg	0.005-0.032 mg	Almonds are OK on the amount of selenium that 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:

Ingredient	Amount per 100g
Energy	304 kcal
Water	17.1g
Sucrose	0.89g
Glucose	35.8g
Fructose	40.9g
Galactose	3.1g
Maltose	1.44g

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.

Do you have a household full of pets? And does that include both dogs and rabbits? And do the bunnies try to steal food from your hounds?

Both need feeding regularly. But can rabbits eat dog food? You need to know whether you need to keep the bunnies away from the hound’s feeding bowl. Tl;dr: No, bunnies can’t eat dog food, and you need to keep them away from the dog’s bowl.

Can rabbits eat dog food?

Rabbits should not eat dog food. Do not feed dog food to bunnies, because it contains nutrients that are not suited to rabbit digestive systems. Eating dog food could lead to serious intestinal problems, such as GI stasis, because the combination of fats and animal proteins in dog food can cause harmful bacteria to release gases and toxins. Rabbits need hay, fresh greens and water.

Dog food, nutrition and rabbits

Here’s a table comparing the nutritional needs of rabbits with what dog food typically provides. It’s worth noting how unsuitable dog food is for rabbits in so many different areas.

Ingredient	Dog food per 100g	Rabbit nutritional requirements per 100g	Comments on suitability of dog food for rabbits
Energy	362 kcal
Protein	25 g	12-17 g	Dog food is too rich in protein for a healthy rabbit diet. Additionally, these proteins are likely to have the wrong balance of amino acids for rabbits.
Fat	15 g	2.5-5 g	Dog food is much too high in fat for rabbits. This can create short term problems in the gut, and longer term issues over rabbits becoming overweight.
Fibre	3 g	14-25 g	Dog food has comparatively little fibre. Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems.
Calcium	1 g	500 mg	Dog food is relatively high in calcium. Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones.
Phosphorus	0.7 g	0.4 g	Dog food is slightly higher in phosphorus for a healthy rabbit diet.
Vitamin A	1,500 IU	1,000-1,200 IU	Dog food is high in vitamin A. Although rabbits do need this vitamin, if you give too much to your rabbits it makes them unwell.
Vitamin E	15 IU	5-16 mg	The dog food only provides a little of what the rabbit needs.
Vitamin D	144 IU	80-100 IU	Although dog food is high in vitamin D, too much is bad for bunnies.
Zinc	15 mg	5-15 mg	Dog food is OK on the amount of zinc.
Selenium	0.04 mg	0.005-0.032 mg	Dog food is much higher in selenium than rabbits need.

Dog food is designed for dogs (surprise!) – and dogs are omnivores who need a lot of meat in their diets. Rabbits are herbivores – they only eat plant based food. So it’s no surprise that their dietary needs are so different.

For the table, I looked at some of the best selling dog food brands in the USA and in Britain – the values vary slightly from one brand to another, but not by much.

The table is based on:

• Blue Buffalo Life Protection formula (the best selling dog food on Amazon.com),
• Taste of the Wild Ancient Mountain canine recipe (another best seller on Amazon.com), and
• Pedigree Complete Dry with beef and vegetables (Pedigree is one of the biggest brands in the UK – and available on Amazon UK).

You can find a complete list of rabbits’ nutritional requirements on this article I researched.

Why is eating dog food bad for rabbits?

Eating dog food is bad for bunnies because the food is entirely wrong for rabbit digestive systems. Rabbits need a diet with lots of fibre, and dog food is much too low in fibre. Without this fibre, the intestines of rabbits will have a hard time moving the food along. If it stops moving, then rabbits can develop GI stasis, which is a serious problem for bunnies.

Dog food is also much too high in fat and protein for rabbits. These high levels of fat and protein will cause further problems as rabbits try to digest the food, and can lead to gastro-intestinal stasis (GI stasis). Inside the intestines, bacteria feed on the fat and then release gases, causing stomach pains for the rabbit. The bacteria can also start releasing toxins.

The stomach pains mean that the rabbit may stop eating. This then changes the pH level (acidity level) in the intestines, leading to more bacteria producing gas and toxins. Additionally, the toxins may poison the rabbit’s organs.

Rabbits with GI stasis may move much less than normal, stretch more than normal, and refuse food.

If you suspect GI stasis, consult a vet immediately, as the condition can be extremely dangerous for rabbits.

How to stop your rabbit eating dog food

Prevention is better than cure. People who own both dogs and rabbits may try to keep the bunny away when the dog is eating. This can be difficult if you have a free-roam bunny, but you need to work out a way to keep your rabbit safe.

This might mean not leaving dog food out in a bowl for your dog to graze, as your rabbit can also nip in and steal some of the food.

There are no straightforward answers except keeping the rabbit away during feed times and keeping the food out of reach at all other times.

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

If your rabbit just nibbled a little bit of dog food, then keep an eye on your bunny for the next day. Check that they are pooing normally, and that they are continuing to eat and behave normally. Make sure they have plenty of access to hay and water (these are always the best things for a bunny’s diet).

There is no immediate need to panic – if you check out some rabbit forums, you’ll find that a number of owners have discovered their bunnies stealing a little of the dog food with no harmful effects. But it is better to be safe than sorry.

If your bunny changes their behaviour (for example, stops eating, or seems much more lethargic than usual) then consult a vet immediately.

What diets should rabbits have?

The best diet for rabbits should be mainly based on hay – preferably Timothy hay. This provides them not only with nearly all their nutritional requirements, but also has the right amount of fibre to enable their teeth to remain healthy (the fibre wears down rabbits’ teeth, which never stop growing) and food to keep moving through their digestive system.

Also give your rabbits a handful of greens every day – mix this up a little to provide variety and to ensure that rabbits get all the nutrients they need.

You can also give your rabbits about an eggcup’s worth of rabbit nuggets.

Rabbits also need lots of fresh water.

But they don’t need dog food. Ever.

Conclusion

Never feed dog food to your rabbit. It is bad for them, and could lead to serious problems in both the short and long term. Stick to hay, water, greens and the occasional treat for your bunny, and they’ll be healthier and happier for it.

Check out these other posts

Do you also have guinea pigs? Check out whether your bunnies can eat guinea pig food.

You can find out more about what vitamins and minerals rabbits need in this post.

And check out the best herbs for your rabbit here.

Fruit can be a nice treat for your rabbit – check out which fruit are OK, and how much to give.

Worried about how much a vet might cost? Get peace of mind, and insure your rabbit. I compare providers in the UK here.

By Lucy

Introduction

Have you ever wondered how your rabbit digests its food? This article explains everything, from enzymes to coprophagy.

Interestingly, a rabbit’s digestive system shares many similarities with that of a horse. Both animals use a process called hind-gut fermentation which is where microbial digestion takes place towards the end of the digestive path, in the caecum (or cecum).

However, a rabbit has a relatively small digestive tract compared to many other animals and so it has a complex system in order to use their nutrition as efficiently as possible. For example, to accommodate large amounts of food through their short tract, it travels through at a faster rate than other animals.

Rabbits have a uniquely designed gastrointestinal system due to their diet consisting of large volumes of fibrous plants. These plants are indigestible to most mammalians, such as humans (which is why we don’t eat hay), but a rabbit is unique.

What is the role of the digestive system?

Just like in all animals, the primary purpose of the rabbit digestive system is to digest the food consumed and make use of all the nutrients through absorption.

When food is initially ingested, the nutrients that the body requires can’t be directly used, because the molecules are too large to be absorbed through the walls of the intestine and stomach. So, digestive enzymes break these down (through hydrolysis reactions) into what are essentially their ‘building blocks’. These smaller molecules can then be absorbed through the lining of the digestive tract and used throughout the body.

The digestive tract also protects the body from disease and is a vital part of the immune system, just like in humans. The acidic stomach environment destroys bacteria and other pathogens, preventing infection. The final part of the digestive system is also crucial; waste is removed by defecation.

How fast does food pass through the rabbit digestive system?

Perhaps surprisingly, there is no one answer as to how fast food can pass through the digestive system of a bunny. Different types of food pass through the rabbit’s digestive system at different rates. Times can vary between 5 and 20 hours. The larger, and more indigestible, the food, the faster it goes through the rabbit. The smaller and more digestible, the longer it spends being digested.

So if you feed your rabbit some fibrous, long stemmed hay, it can pass through a bunny in about five hours (some scientists have actually tracked this, spending their time monitoring rabbit poo for our benefit. See this article – Sakaguchi et al (1992) for more information). Smaller, finer particles took longer to pass through – up to 10 hours. Other studies found different times (10 hours for larger particles; up to 20 hours for fine particles).

Why are there different times for different sized particles? It is to do with the unique way bunnies digest their food, particularly their caecum – more about this below.

The journey from mouth to anus

As you can see in this diagram below, the alimentary canal of a rabbit looks fairly similar to a human one, however you’ll soon find out how much they differ.

What happens in the mouth of the rabbit?

The rabbit bites the food using its front teeth, also known as incisors, before being ground by the molars into tiny pieces and mixed with the enzyme-containing saliva.

The most prominent enzymes involved here are amylase and galactosidase and are secreted by the mandibular salivary glands.

Like bunnies, we also have amylase in our mouths – it begins to break starch down into sugars. Have you ever kept a piece of bread in your mouth, and noticed it starts to taste sweet? That’s amylase at work.

What happens in the rabbit’s oesophagus?

The oesophagus (or windpipe) is the long tube that connects the mouth to the rest of the digestive system. No digestion takes place in the windpipe. The swallowed food travels down into the stomach.

What happens in the rabbit’s stomach?

Rabbits actually have quite large stomachs because they are crepuscular. This means that they primarily eat at dawn and dusk and so eat large meals (see more about rabbit sleeping patterns in our article here).

Their stomachs are also rarely empty. Even after not eating for several hours they will still be mostly full with a mass of food material and hair in fluid. The digestive enzymes in the stomach, such as pepsin, break down the large molecules as the food is churned by the stomach muscles and turned into chyme (the mixture of stomach secretions and partially digested food).

What happens in the rabbit’s small intestine?

More enzymes further hydrolyse the food molecules, allowing them to pass through the small intestine’s lining into the bloodstream and finally be used throughout the body. Peristaltic contractions push the food material through the intestine, aided by a peptide called motilin which smooths the contractions. However, this is where the uniqueness of the rabbit’s digestive system begins.

What happens in the rabbit’s large intestine and caecum?

Whatever is still left after leaving the small intestine travels towards the colon (large intestine). This will be the undigested food containing lots of fibre which can’t be broken down by the digestive enzymes.

This material is then cleverly divided into digestible and indigestible. The indigestible material enters the colon where water is absorbed and then eventually exits as faeces. This is the small droppings we clean out of our rabbit’s litter tray. This indigestible material is still a vital part of any rabbit’s diet as it stimulates movement in the digestive tract and allows the chyme to easily travel through it. To read more about hay in a rabbit’s diet, check this article on Timothy hay.

The digestible material containing soluble fibre enters the caecum, a large blind sac at the junction of the small and large intestine. This sac actually expands to be 10x the volume of the stomach. Here, microbial bacteria break down many of these molecules through fermentation and digestion into nutrients which can be absorbed and used for essential bodily functions.

The remaining material is formed into small pellets known as caecotropes (also known as cecotropes). These are also known as soft faeces and are characterised by their distinct smell and are coated in a mucus layer. As these pass out of the rabbit, their brain receives a signal so they consume these grape-like droppings whole as they are expelled, and therefore aren’t considered waste material.

You may never see these as rabbits tend to do this at night or very early in the morning. In fact, if you see these, especially in large quantities, you should speak to a vet since there may be a serious reason your rabbit isn’t doing this important process as expected.

The purpose of this process (coprophagy – a word derived from Greek which means poo-eating) is to allow the rabbit to digest the material again and get the most nutrients possible as the small intestine can now more easily absorb them.

Here is a picture illustrating the difference in appearance between the hard faeces you see all the time and the caecotropes which will be a rare sight.

How do I know if my rabbit has a digestive problem?

Fibre is extremely important for healthy digestion and for wearing down those herbivore teeth. A low-fibre diet can therefore lead to digestive and dental problems.

It’s important to keep a close eye out for any signs that might suggest their digestive system isn’t working the way it should be. As mentioned previously, if your rabbit isn’t consuming their caecotropes, this is also an indicator of a problem. As you would expect, any unusual faeces such as loose faeces or diarrhoea are also a reason to visit the vet.

If your rabbit goes off their food and you notice that they aren’t eating as much, if any, then this is definitely a cause for concern. If small herbivores stop eating, they can become very ill rapidly as their digestive systems are so delicate so don’t hesitate to seek professional advice as soon as possible. Lethargy is also a reason to see medical help as they may be in pain or not receiving adequate nutrition.

What digestive problems do rabbits get?

The most common issue is GI (gastrointestinal) stasis which is a potentially deadly condition in which the digestive system slows down or stops completely.

It isn’t just constipation. When the digestive system is slowed, bacteria begin to build up and release gases that cause painful bloating. The rabbit is then further unmotivated to eat or drink which leads to dehydration and lack of vital nutrition. Then it will be even more difficult for any food material to pass and also toxins from the bacteria will lead to organ failure.

What causes GI stasis?

The digestive systems usually slows down because:

• The rabbit is receiving a high starch, low fibre diet
• The rabbit is stressed – may be because:
  • Friend passed away
  • Environment changed
  • Other stressful event
• Pain from another issue such as:
  • Dental problems
  • Gas
  • Urinary infections
• Lack of exercise

How is GI stasis treated?

Rabbits can definitely make a full recovery but it is important to recognise symptoms early. Usually, the aim is to improve motility (movement) in the gut and so the vet may provide your rabbit with some of the following:

• Motility drugs eg cisapride
• IV fluids to help soften the mass in the intestines
• Pain medication
• Syringe feeding to ensure the rabbit receives essential nutrients
• Antibiotics to destroy harmful bacteria
• Continue to offer hay, should they find motivation to eat

Summary

Rabbits have a unique and elaborate digestive system that although shares some similarities with other mammals’, isn’t identical to any of them. The distinctive process of separating digestible and indigestible material is crucial for a rabbit’s survival and is the centre of their complex system. Every aspect of a rabbit’s digestive system works together to maintain efficient nutrition. The best way in which you can aid your rabbit’s digestion is to provide them with an appropriate diet, consisting of grass, hay and fibrous plants.

If you’re interested in how rabbits digest their food, check out these other articles:

• We have a complete guide to vitamins and minerals for rabbits here.
• And here, you can find out which fruit your bunny can eat, how much to feed them, and which fruit to avoid.
• We also cover which herbs are safe for rabbits here.
• If you’re concerned about your rabbit’s health, it’s good if you know that you don’t have to worry about vet fees. Check out how much rabbit insurance costs here, and why it’s a good idea.

Especially in summer, we get through a lot of cucumber. It ends up in salads, additional toppings for sandwiches, and, cut into batons, eaten with plenty of hummus.

But can our bunnies also eat cucumber safely? What about the seeds? Or the skin?

So I spent some time researching, to make sure you had some solid, dependable information. Here’s a summary, and then you can read on for more detailed information.

Can rabbits eat cucumber safely?

Rabbits can eat cucumber safely, including the seeds and the skin. You can feed cucumber to bunnies in small, treat size portions. Cucumber contains some potassium and vitamin A which rabbits need. Cucumber is a good treat for obese rabbits, as it is low in calories. Cucumber is also a good treat for the summer, as the high water levels make it a refreshing, hydrating snack for bunnies.

Nutritional value of cucumber for rabbits

Here’s a look at the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that cucumbers have, and how important each is for rabbits.

Ingredient	Nutritional value per 100g	Importance of nutritional value for rabbits
Water	95.2g	Cucumbers are mostly water – so can be good on hot summer days for bunnies.
Energy	15 kcal	This is low. Cucumber as a treat isn’t going to make your rabbit too fat (unlike some other treats which are high in sugars or carbohydrates)
Fibre	0.5 g	Rabbits need a lot of fibre, and cucumbers don’t provide much (even with the skin) so cucumbers can’t be the main food for a rabbit. Bunnies need plenty of hay as their main diet.
Carbohydrates	3.63g	Cucumbers are pretty low in carbohydrates – so nothing to worry about here.
Iron	0.28mg	Rabbits need at least 3mg of iron per 100g of feed for their daily needs, so cucumber provides a little of the iron they need.
Magnesium	13mg	Rabbits need at least 30mg of magnesium per 100g feed daily, so cucumber provides some of the magnesium bunnies need.
Potassium	147mg	Rabbits need about 600mg of potassium per 100g feed each day. Cucumber can provide some of their potassium requirements.
Vitamin C	2.8mg	Rabbits don’t need vitamin C – their bodies can make it themselves.
Vitamin A	105 IU	Rabbits need about 1,000-1,200 IU daily per 100g feed of vitamin A, so cucumber helps a bit towards meeting this need.
Other nutrients		Not present in large enough quantities to be significant for bunny nutrition

As you can see from the table, cucumbers aren’t going to make a massive difference to your bunny’s nutritional needs, though they will help provide some of the requirements, particularly for potassium and vitamin A, but also a little iron and magnesium.

However, cucumbers are low in fibre, which is essential as a main component of a rabbit’s diet. Rabbits rely on fibre to keep their intestines healthy. Without fibre, they can get GI stasis (a type of painful constipation). This condition is dangerous for rabbits.

What this means is that cucumber can only ever be a small part of a rabbit’s diet – cucumber might be a suitable treat, but the main food for a rabbit should always be hay and water.

Is cucumber safe for rabbits to eat?

Cucumber is safe for rabbits to eat, so long as you only feed them small portions. Cucumber is not toxic to rabbits, containing nothing that might poison them. The main danger with cucumber is if your bunny eats too much, as that could lead to stomach problems.

The problems come in two areas. First, cucumber is high in water, so if it is the main food a rabbit eats, their intestines become too runny – the rabbit can get diarrhoea. In turn, this means that the rabbit can’t easily eat their caecotropes, which they rely on to make vitamin B and other nutrients.

Secondly, the lack of fibre can lead to food not moving through the intestines properly, potentially causing gastro-intestinal stasis (GI stasis).

If your rabbit develops diarrhoea, or stops pooping, consult a vet straight away.

Can rabbits eat cucumber seeds and skin?

Rabbits can safely eat cucumber seeds – there’s no need to scoop out the inside of the cucumber. And rabbits can also eat cucumber skin, so you don’t have to peel cucumber before giving it to bunnies. The skin will provide fibre, and rabbits need a lot of fibre. In fact, the skin is the most nutritious part of the cucumber for rabbits.

If you have cucumber plants, then the leaves are also safe to feed to your rabbits.

How much cucumber can rabbits eat?

You should give a mature rabbit a portion size of cucumber no bigger than 1 tablespoon for every 2lb (1kg) of bodyweight. So a 6lb rabbit could have up to 3 tablespoons of cucumber. This is about 50g or 2oz of cucumber. In other words, you can give your rabbit a few slices of cucumber.

You don’t want to give more than this, because the bunny will start to fill up with a food which is too low in fibre and protein, and too high in water.

What happens if rabbits eat too much cucumber?

Feeding rabbits too much cucumber could lead to problems with the delicate digestive system of rabbits. Having too much liquid could lead to diarrhoea – which in turn can lead to other problems. For example, rabbits produce caecotropes (a special type of poo that they then eat to get more nutrients out of food). If their stools are too runny, they can no longer do this. If your bunny starts getting diarrhoea, consult a vet as soon as possible.

Can baby rabbits eat cucumber?

Don’t give cucumber to baby rabbits. As rabbits begin to mature a little, the best advice is to introduce one new food at a time, in small portions, slowly. This way, you can give their digestive systems time to adjust to new foods and make sure that the bunnies aren’t struggling with too rich a diet for their development stage.

Do rabbits like cucumber?

Some rabbits like cucumber; others don’t. Just like humans, rabbits can have different tastes and preferences from each other. We have tried giving our rabbits a slice or two of cucumber, and they rather sniffily rejected it. A bit like having toddlers, really…

There’s only one way to find out for your rabbit. Try giving them a slice. Your bunny will let you know whether or not they are a fan of cucumber.

How does cucumber fit into the overall rabbit diet?

The main food for rabbits should always be hay – for example, Timothy hay. Hay provides the right balance of protein, fibre and minerals for bunnies, and also keeps their teeth healthy (read more about rabbit teeth here) – and dental problems cause big issues for rabbits. Rabbits also need access to lots of fresh drinking water.

Besides these two essentials, rabbits also benefit from having some greens each day – about a handful (think spinach, spring greens, parsley, coriander (cilantro)). Cucumber leaves can be included here. These greens make sure that the rabbit is fed the full range of the vitamins and minerals they need (you can find out more about rabbits’ nutritional needs here).

Rabbits can also have some vegetables, such as carrot and broccoli, up to about a tablespoon per 2lb/1kg body weight. Cucumber counts in this type of food.

Beyond that, rabbits can also have treats, such as smaller portions (a teaspoon per 2lg/1kg bodyweight) of fruits, which are high in natural sugars.

And many owners also give their rabbits about an eggcup-full of rabbit nuggets (also called pellets) each day.

Conclusion

Cucumbers are safe to feed to rabbits as snacks as part of a healthy diet based mainly on hay and fresh water. Cucumbers will provide a little of the minerals and vitamins that bunnies need for a healthy life.

If you’re interested in what rabbits can eat, check out our guides on what fruit you can feed rabbits, and what herbs are safe for rabbits.

We also have a thorough post on the vitamins and minerals that rabbits need, and how rabbits digest their food.

Want to keep your bunny entertained? Take a look at the toys that our bunnies loved.