Every owner wants their rabbits to be healthy and live a long life. Providing food, shelter, and their requirements are essential to keep them fit and happy. But when it comes to providing food, many owners need clarification about which food is safe for their rabbits. So, the question is can rabbits eat cabbage? Is it safe and healthy for them? How often should I provide cabbage to my rabbit? Let’s find it out all in this article.
Rabbits can eat cabbage as it is safe and rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients. However, feeding cabbage frequently or in excess amounts leads to diarrhea or loose stools. So, consider providing one to two small leaves of cabbage with mixed veggies once or twice a week.
This article will briefly discuss cabbage’s health benefits and drawbacks, whether rabbits eat cabbage stalks and leave daily, whether baby rabbits consume cabbage and many more. So, let’s get into it.
Contents
Can I feed cabbage to my rabbit?
Cabbage is considered a safe veggie and can be given to your rabbit in moderation.
A rabbit could have all types of cabbage, including red cabbage, savoy cabbage, Bok Choy, cavolo nero, or spring greens.
However, feeding cabbage in excess amounts could result in health issues like diarrhea, loose stools, or upset stomach.
In addition, cabbage causes gas problems and bloating, which could upset the gut system of your rabbit.
Rabbits are prey animals. They don’t show their inner pain or weakness in front of their predators, which makes them suffer in silence.
Providing the right food with the right amount to your rabbit is essential, which is safe for them and does not create any complications.
Providing cabbage in a limited amount is safe and beneficial for your rabbit’s health if fed in moderation.
To maintain a balanced and healthy diet, rabbits must consume greenery veggies that provide extra beneficial nutrients, and cabbage can help with this.
However, the staple diet of a rabbit should always consist unlimited supply of hay.
Vegetables and leafy greens should always include only 10% of your rabbit’s diet.
In addition, rabbits require enough fiber, which can be provided by hay that keeps their digestive system healthy and functioning properly.
So, it is essential to feed cabbage to your rabbit as an occasional treat, along with other leafy greens or veggies.
What are the health benefits of cabbage?
Cabbage is rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients that a rabbit may require as additional supplements.
In addition, it is rich in vitamins K, C, B9, and other nutrients, which are essential for the rabbits’ healthy growth.
Similarly, cabbage contains a low amount of sugar and protein, which is beneficial for their diet.
So, to identify the other nutrients that cabbage carries, here are some nutritional values of 89g of one cup of chopped cabbage:
| Nutritional values | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fiber: | 2.2g |
| Calories: | 22 |
| Fat: | 0.1g |
| Protein: | 1.1g |
| Sugars: | 2.9g |
| Potassium: | 151mg |
| Carbohydrates: | 5.2g |
| Folate: | 38.3mcg |
| Sodium: | 16mg |
| Vitamin C: | 32.6mg |
| Vitamin K: | 67.6mcg |
Fiber:Â
Rabbits require fiber to keep their immune and digestive systems working properly.
Cabbage contains a good amount of fiber, which is beneficial for them as it improves the gut system and reduces the chances of constipation.
However, too much fiber intake could cause too much gut mobility, which leads to health issues.
Water:Â
Cabbage contains a high amount of water content which is again beneficial for a rabbit to keep them hydrated.
If your rabbit is not having enough water and becomes dehydrated, you may provide cabbage to boost its energy level.
However, too much water is also concerning, leading to health issues like diarrhea or loose stools.
Vitamins:Â
Cabbage provides beneficial vitamins like K, C, and B, which offers additional nutrients in your rabbit’s diet.
This vitamin aids in increasing the body’s defense mechanisms against disease and infection.
Different infections can affect rabbits, especially if they have weak immune systems.
In addition, vitamin C also promotes the growth and healing of organ tissue in rabbits.
There is a variety of cabbages that contain vitamin C according to different categories.
According to the 100g portion, red-purplish cabbage has 57 mg, green cabbage has 36.6 mg, savoy has 31 mg, and napa has 45 mg.
Minerals:
Cabbage also contains beneficial minerals, like calcium, potassium, and phosphorus, to keep your rabbit’s body healthy and functioning properly.
Calcium in your rabbit’s diet is essential to keep bones, teeth, and nails strong and to maintain bone growth.
However, too much calcium could lead to bladder stones or kidney infections.
So, providing cabbage in a limited amount is essential to avoid these health issues.
Antioxidants:
Cabbage also contains some antioxidant properties, which benefit the immune system and prevent diseases or cancer.
In addition, this vegetable is an excellent source of antioxidants, which keep rabbits’ body cells healthy and fight off many diseases.
Is it safe to feed cabbage to rabbits every day?
Feeding cabbage to your rabbit daily is not considered safe as it causes gas issues and other stomach problems.
Cabbage should always be provided in small amounts as an occasional treat with other mixed vegetables around a rabbit’s head.
The cabbage portion you provide your rabbit should be adjusted per the other greenery you provide, particularly if you add more brassicas.
It is essential to avoid offering any different brassicas to your rabbit on straight days and to give them one brassica at a time on alternate days.
Cabbages are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals which is beneficial for your rabbit in small amounts.
However, feeding cabbage frequently or in excess amounts would also lead to health issues like bloating, gas issues, diarrhea, or loose stools due to high fiber intake.
In addition, this may cause their digestive system to feel pain or uncomfortable.
Similarly, too much cabbage causes kidney stones or urinary infections due to its high calcium content.
So, providing cabbage in the right portion with other mixed vegetables or greeny leaves to your rabbit is essential to avoid digestive issues.
Can rabbits eat cabbage stalks or core?
Rabbits can eat cabbage stalks as it can be healthy for their teeth to be get trimmed as it is a bit tougher and thicker to nibble.
However, cutting them before serving is preferable if you have a small rabbit.
In addition, you can provide cabbage stalk in pieces to your rabbit to make it easier to chew.
Can I feed cabbage leaves to my rabbit?
Cabbage leaves are the vital part that is beneficial for rabbits as they contain many nutrients, which are a good source for their growth and keep them healthy.
However, feeding cabbage leaves in excess amounts leads to diarrhea or loose stools in some rabbits, which could also cause severe health issues.
Like cabbage, other leafy vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, collards, and kale, among others, can cause severe digestive problems in rabbits if provided in large amounts.
So, it is essential to provide cabbage in a small amount into your rabbit’s diet if they can tolerate it.
In addition, you should offer them mixed vegetables except for other veggies like broccoli or cauliflower that cause gas issues.
Always choose fresh vegetables with vibrantly colored leaves that are crisp because wilted ones can hurt your young rabbit.
Similarly, providing fresh and washed leaves to your rabbit is essential to remove harmful chemicals like pesticides or diet, which could cause health issues.
How often should I feed cabbage to rabbits?
It is essential to provide only one to two small cabbage leaves to your rabbit, along with a handful of other mixed veggies, once or twice a week as an occasional treat.
Too much cabbage could cause severe health issues like diarrhea or loose stools.
If you’re starting to feed your rabbit cabbage, introduce it gradually by giving it one leaf at a time and not every day.
In addition, when introducing new food into your rabbit’s diet, it is essential to slow down.
Despite being generally harmless, cabbage can cause adverse reactions in some rabbits, like gas issues, diarrhea, or bloating.
Various rabbits will respond to cabbage differently; some will immediately display clear signs of indigestion.
Provide a small piece of cabbage leaves to your rabbit and observe them for 24 hours.
Ensure your rabbit is acting normally in terms of pooping, eating, and behavior.
In addition, if there is no change in their behavior, you can add cabbage to your rabbit’s diet in moderation.
However, you shouldn’t feed your rabbit cabbage again if you find any problems.
Provide only hay and water to your rabbit for the next few days to normalize its digestive system.
In addition, while introducing cabbage, do not offer any other new food item to your rabbit.
If your rabbit gets sick after trying numerous new foods, you won’t be able to pinpoint the problematic meal.
Can small rabbits eat cabbage?
It is vital not to provide cabbage to small rabbits as they have a sensitive digestive system.
Providing vegetables like cabbage would lead to severe health conditions for small rabbits.
In addition, you shouldn’t provide any fruits or vegetables to small rabbits until they become three months old.
If you have a baby rabbit (less than six months old), it should consume alfalfa hay and premium pelleted food specifically designed for baby rabbits.
A week after you’ve started feeding them on hay, you can introduce them to small amounts of leafy greens.
To avoid upsetting your rabbit’s stomach, you should introduce the greens one at a time and in small amounts.
Conclusion:
- Cabbage is considered a safe veggie and can be given to your rabbit in moderation.
- A rabbit could have all types of cabbage, including red cabbage, savoy cabbage, Bok Choy, cavolo nero, or spring greens.
- Feeding cabbage frequently or in excess amounts leads to diarrhea or loose stools.
- Feeding cabbage to your rabbit daily is not considered safe as it causes gas issues and other stomach problems.
- Cabbage should always be provided in small amounts as an occasional treat with other mixed vegetables around a rabbit’s head.
Reference: NCBI