Wild rabbits often attack the backyard garden to eat vegetables. They love almost all types of vegetables including cabbage.
The digestive system of bunnies is sensitive, so as a responsible pet parent, you should be sure whether you should feed cabbage to your pet or not.
Well, here I will walk you through everything about cabbage, including why cabbage is safe for the bunny, the limits of feeding cabbage, nutrition and health benefits, and many more.
So, let’s get started.
So, Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage Really?
Yes, the rabbit can eat cabbage. But don’t provide cabbage as the main food for your rabbit. Since cabbage contains high sulfurous compounds like all other brassica vegetables, excess cabbage may be responsible for diarrhea, bloating, and gas. But providing a small amount of cabbage regularly could be a good source of nutrition and roughage for the bunny.
Types of Cabbage to Feed Your Rabbit
All the common types of cabbage including:
- White cabbage
- Green Cabbage
- Red or Purple Cabbage
- Sweetheart Cabbage
- Napa Cabbage
- Savoy Cabbage
- Chinese cabbage.
- Spring Cabbage
You just need to ensure that the cabbage doesn’t contain chemicals or insecticides. It would be great if you fed organically grown cabbage to your bunny.
Which Part Of Cabbage Can Rabbit Eat?
Rabbits can eat the following part of the cabbage. All of these parts of the cabbage are safe for rabbits.
- Cabbage leaves
- Cabbage greens
- Cabbage core
- Cabbage stalks
Nutrition Facts for Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the most popular and common vegetables in our daily life. It is a vegetable from the brassica genus like broccoli, kale, and cauliflower. Cabbage is good for rabbits because it contains the optimal amount of fiber content for the bunny.
According to Self Nutrition Data, 1 cup (89-gram) of raw cabbage contains the following amount of nutrients.
| Nutrient Component | Quantity |
| Fiber | 2 grams |
| Protein | 1 gram |
| Calories | 22 |
| Vitamin C | 54% of the RDI |
| Vitamin B6 | 6% of the RDI |
| Vitamin K | 85% of the RDI |
| Potassium | 4% of the RDI |
| Magnesium | 3% of the RDI |
| Folate | 10% of the RDI |
| Manganese | 7% of the RDI |
| Calcium | 4% of the RDI |
Health Benefits of Cabbage for Rabbits
Cabbage is a low-calorie vegetable. That is why it is perfect for bunnies. Additionally, it contains a lot of vitamins and nutrition. So, cabbage is an idle source of nutrition for the bunny.
Cabbage contains antioxidants and vitamin C. so, it boosts the immune system of the bunnies and reduces inflammation. Since cabbage contains insoluble fiber, it improves the gut health of the bunny.
Health Risks of Cabbage for Rabbits
Fiber is crucial for the rabbit. But providing an excess amount of fiber will create gas. So, to avoid Gastrological problems, you could provide cabbage once or twice a week. Actually, vegetables are not the main food for a rabbit. We provide vegetables to bring diversification in feeding habits.
Can Baby Rabbits Eat Cabbage?
No, baby rabbits can’t eat cabbage. In the first six or seven weeks, the baby bunnies will only eat their mother’s milk. Then you could introduce the alfalfa hay or pellets to the baby bunny.
So, in the first year, you should not provide any types of vegetables including cabbage to the bunnies.
Actually, there is a huge difference in the feeding habit of pet bunnies and wild bunnies. Usually, the lifespan of the wild bunny is a maximum of one year to two years. So, they eat almost everything that they can digest.
But the life span of the house rabbits is a minimum of 5 years. Some species live more than this period. That is why the feeding habit Is different.
Related: Can Rabbit Eat Strawberries
Do Rabbits Like Cabbage?
Most of the rabbit breeds like cabbage for its crunchy taste. But some rabbits may refuse cabbage initially. Overall, the rabbit likes the cabbage. Wild rabbit eats cabbage from the cabbage field.
Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage Daily?
No, you should not feed cabbage daily to your bunny to avoid the gas and diarrhea problem. Cabbage is enriched with high fiber and vitamins. So, providing cabbage daily may cause a gastrointestinal problem.
How to Feed Your Cabbage to Your Rabbits?
You have to feed cabbage to your bunny in raw form. Cooked and processed cabbage is strictly prohibited to the bunny. Feeding cooked and processed cabbage may cause a serious digestive problem. Also, the rabbit doesn’t like processed or cooked cabbage.
Can Cabbage Kill Rabbits?
No, cabbage is not lethal to bunnies if you provide the right quantity. Excess cabbage may cause a digestive problem. In this case, you could contact a rabbit vet.
How Much Cabbage Can I Feed My Rabbit?
If your bunny is already accustomed to cabbage you could provide a few leaves of cabbage. But if you are introducing cabbage to your bunny, provide only a part of the leaves. Then observe the reaction of your bunny.
If your bunny is happy, you could provide a full leave once or twice a week.
If you see any problem with their poop, then please stop providing cabbage immediately.
Can Rabbits Eat cooked cabbage?
No rabbit should not eat cooked cabbage. Although some of the rabbit parents feed cooked vegetables to their bunny. Rabbit loves to chew the fresh cabbage. It is good for their dental health. Also, the cooked cabbage may lose some nutrients. Additionally, Cooked cabbage may cause digestive problems like diarrhea, bloating, and gas.
Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage from Cans?
No, you should not feed your rabbit from cans. Actually, any processed vegetable is not perfect for a rabbit. I have already mentioned that the rabbit loves to chew fresh vegetables including cabbage.
Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage in Frozen Form?
No rabbit should not eat the cabbage in frozen form. Only the raw form of cabbage is allowed to the bunny.
Can Rabbits Eat Baked or processed Cabbage?
No, baked or processed cabbage is not recommended for the bunny. You should only provide the raw cabbage after a proper wash with clean water.
Do Wild Rabbits Eat Cabbage?
Yes, the wild rabbits love cabbage. They often attack the vegetable garden or open field of cabbage.
Alternatives to Cabbage for Rabbits
If you don’t have access to cabbage you could feed the following alternatives to your bunny. All of these vegetables are safe for the bunny.
The most important part of the vegetable is you have to rotate the vegetables. Don’t feed your bunny the same vegetable regularly.
- Celery
- Parsley
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
- Radish tops
- Carrot tops
- Cucumber
- Zucchini
Final Thought
So, the straightforward answer is you could feed cabbage to your bunny. It is completely safe for the bunny. But don’t provide cabbage as the main food for your bunny. You could provide cabbage once or twice a week to your bunny. Also, you should rotate different rabbit-safe vegetables.
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