Can Rabbits Eat Asparagus? (How Much? How Often? Benefits? Danger?)

Rabbits can eat many different types of vegetables that their owners eat. Can rabbits eat asparagus, though? Is it healthy, beneficial, or harmful for rabbits? Here is what I found after deep research.

Can Rabbits Eat Asparagus

Asparagus spears are a safe vegetable snack for adult rabbits. When following the recommended serving size of 1 tablespoon per every 2 lbs. (0,91 kg), asparagus can be a good addition to a rabbit’s balanced diet twice a week.

When it comes to rabbit’s health, you want to ensure that the asparagus is a healthy choice, that you feed it in the right amounts, as well precautions that come with eating too much of this vegetable.

How Much Asparagus Can Rabbits Eat?

Asparagus is not a common vegetable owners would feed their rabbits with, but it’s good to know how much you can safely feed when you do.

Since asparagus isn’t a staple vegetable in a rabbit’s diet, this can be fed as a non-leafy snack following the recommended serving size per rabbit’s body weight.

The general guideline for feeding asparagus is 1 tablespoon per 2 lbs. (0,91 kg) of rabbit’s weight.

Approximately two pieces 1,5-inch long of asparagus per 2 lbs. of rabbit’s weight.

Rabbit’s body weight	Serving in tablespoons	Serving in Inches
1 lbs. (0,45 kg)	½	0,75
2 lbs. (0,91 kg)	1	1,5
3 lbs. (1,36 kg)	1½	2,25
4 lbs. (1,81 kg)	2	3
5 lbs. (2,27 kg)	2½	3,75

Rabbit’s body weight	Serving in tablespoons	Serving in Inches
6 lbs. (2,72 kg)	3	4,5
7 lbs. (3,18 kg)	3½	5,25
8 lbs. (3,63 kg)	4	6
9 lbs. (4,08 kg)	4½	6,75
10 lbs. (4,54 kg)	5	7,5

Rabbit’s body weight	Serving in tablespoons	Serving in Inches
11 lbs. (4,99 kg)	5	8,25
12 lbs. (5,44 kg)	5½	9
13 lbs. (5,90 kg)	6	9,75
14 lbs. (6,35 kg)	6½	10,5
15 lbs. (6,80 kg)	7	11,25

One medium asparagus spear is 7 inches long (15.2 cm). This would be an appropriate size of a snack for a 9 lbs. rabbit.

When introducing the asparagus to a rabbit for the first time, please note—give only the tiny piece regardless of the rabbit’s body weight.

How Often Can Rabbits Eat Asparagus?

Feed your adult rabbit asparagus no more than twice a week following the suggested serving, depending on how big your rabbit is.

Feeding twice a week assumes that your individual rabbit is used to eating asparagus and is not causing any digestive problems.

Introducing An Asparagus

If your rabbit never had asparagus before, please do not feed it more than once a week.

In this case, offer only one-third of an inch, one time a week over the course of several weeks, to make sure your rabbit’s digestive system is digesting it properly.

After monitoring your rabbit after each feeding and with no outcomes (such as bloating or soft droppings), you can start feeding your rabbit with asparagus up to twice a week.

Can Rabbits Eat Asparagus Of Any Color?

Rabbits can eat all asparagus types. The most common ones are green, purple, white, and wild asparagus.

Green asparagus is the most widely spread kind found in-store worldwide and the one you will most likely feed to your rabbit.

White asparagus is the second most popular kind you will find in the produce section. It’s more expensive but equally delicious.

Green and white asparagus are botanically the same plants, with white asparagus growing without sun exposure and therefore staying white.

Purple is not as common; it’s hard to find and pretty expensive. If you happen to have it on hand, it’s safe for your rabbit consumption.

Useful info about purple asparagus is that it’s higher in sugar than other types.

Wild asparagus is not found in regular food stores. In certain countries (like Eastern Europe), it is available in the spring on the farmer’s market.

If you happen to ever come across this type of asparagus, you can safely give it to your rabbit.

Do Rabbits Like To Eat Asparagus?

Rabbit’s asparagus liking is very individual.

While some rabbits like it, most rabbits are not delighted with it and would instead pick some other veggie snack, such as carrot.

This is normal as rabbits pick their favorites just like their humans do.

If your rabbit doesn’t like the asparagus, don’t force it, as there are plenty of other snacks to offer.

Do Rabbits Eat Raw Asparagus?

Rabbits eat only raw asparagus, and owners should always feed this vegetable in the raw form.

Any other form of asparagus is considered processed and is not recommended ever to give a rabbit such food.

Rabbits are raw plant-based eaters, and as such, they should be only eating raw.

Can Baby Rabbits Eat Asparagus?

The rabbit’s GI system is extremely sensitive at a baby stage, and feeding asparagus could cause serious digestive issues.

While rabbits are still babies, they require only mother’s milk with an addition of alfalfa and pellets after 4 weeks.

Can Young Rabbits Eat Asparagus?

Young rabbits can start eating asparagus when they are about 7 months old, carefully introducing once a week.

After seven months, the rabbit’s digestive system should already be used to eating leafy and non-leafy vegetable, and therefore is safe to start feeding snacks—such as asparagus.

Can Rabbits Eat All Asparagus Parts?

Yes, rabbits can enjoy all parts of the asparagus spear.

Can Rabbits Eat Asparagus Stalks?

The stalk is a bottom part of the asparagus spear, more tender than the top part, equally eatable for rabbits as the middle and the top.

There is no need to cut the stalk before feeding it to the rabbit.

Can Rabbits Eat Asparagus Tips?

Rabbits can eat asparagus tips, and this part of the plant is the softest and nutritionally dense.

In fact, if your rabbit likes asparagus, the top part would most likely be its favorite.

Can Rabbits Eat Asparagus Fern?

Asparagus fern should not be fed to rabbits. Even though it is unknown whether the fern is toxic to rabbits or not, the berries that form on the adult plant in its last stage of growth are poisonous.

Asparagus spears that rabbits and humans eat are actually a very early stage of the asparagus plant (sprouts) that will further progress into the asparagus fern.

To see how asparagus grow stages from a spear to a fern, please click here.

Can Rabbits Eat Asparagus Leaves?

By looking at the asparagus, you might be wondering what part of the asparagus actually contains leaves.

Leaves are the small, rectangular part you can see on the stalk. They are part of the asparagus and are eatable for rabbits.

There is no need to remove the small leaves from the stalk before feeding it to your rabbit.

Nutrition In Asparagus And Benefits For Rabbits

1 medium-size asparagus spear (6 oz. or 17g) approximately contains:

Nutrients and other elements	Value
Water	93%
Calories	3
Fiber	0,3g
Sugars	0,3 g
Fat	0%

Vitamins in 1 medium spear	Value
A	126 IU
C	0,93 mg
B	8,6 μg
K	6,9 μg

Minerals in 1 medium spear	Value
Calcium	4 mg
Iron	2,3 mg
Potassium	33,6 mg
Phosphorus	8,6 mg
Magnesium	2,3 mg
Sodium	0,3 mg
Zinc	0,09 mg

Asparagus contains a lot of water, potassium, and medium values of phosphorus and calcium, from which rabbits can benefit.

As you can see from the table above, nutrients in one medium spear of asparagus are not high.

Considering that serving per asparagus is less than one spear for many rabbits, values are even lower.

Do Wild Rabbits Eat Asparagus?

Wild rabbits do eat asparagus, and in fact, growing this vegetable can be a real challenge for farmers in certain areas because of them.

While protecting asparagus plants in your veggie garden from wild rabbits is successful, it’s almost impossible to do so on bigger fields where fencing is not an option.

When growing asparagus and other plants in your garden, there is a good chance wild rabbits will choose other veggies first.

Oxalates In Asparagus And Danger For Rabbits

Asparagus contains Oxalic acid (an organic compound).

Oxalic acid in asparagus is present in moderate amounts— 1 medium spear contains 1,5 mg of this compound, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School Of Public Health.

Can Rabbits Eat Asparagus Despite The Oxalates?

While Oxalates are toxic to pets in high amounts, small amounts such as the amount found in a serving of asparagus are digestible and wouldn’t cause any side effects to your rabbit.

Does Asparagus Make Your Rabbits’ Urine Smell?

Due to the asparagusic acid in this vegetable, eating higher amounts of asparagus can make your rabbit’s urine have an odor.

However, this is nothing to be worried about. Asparagusic acid, after the rabbit’s digestive system, metabolizes it into sulfurous byproducts resulting in the urine odor.

Summing-Up On “Can Rabbits Eat Asparagus” Subject

Asparagus is a safe vegetable for your rabbit, so you can give it to your rabbit next time you have a chance.

Feeding this veggie in a suggested amount is advisable, ensuring its body is digesting it properly before making it a regular snack choice.

Please keep in mind that asparagus is not a vegetable that your rabbit can’t live without.

Even if your rabbit never eats asparagus, it will be just fine.

In fact, there are other, more common veggie choices of snacks to feed your rabbit; some of them include celery, carrots, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, and bell peppers.