Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage? [How Much, Benefits, Precautions, and More]
Cabbage is undoubtedly one of many vegetables most people have in their fridges. If you own a rabbit or are thinking of getting one, you might ask yourself—Can rabbits have cabbage? Here is what I’ve learned about rabbits and this popular vegetable.
Contents
- Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage?
- Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage Daily?
- How Much Cabbage Can Rabbits Eat?
- Can Cabbage Kill Rabbits?
- Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage of Any Color?
- Can Too Much Cabbage Be Harmful To Your Rabbit’s Digestive System?
- Can Young Rabbits Eat Cabbage?
- Can Rabbits Eat Processed Cabbage?
- Do Wild Rabbits Eat Cabbage?
- Final Thoughts On Question ”Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage?”
Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage?
Cabbage is a safe cruciferous vegetable your rabbit can eat every day. Any cabbage is a healthy choice for your rabbit, and common types include white, green, red (purple), savoy, and Chinese (Bok Choy). Cabbage is high in minerals and vitamins and is especially rich in Vitamin C. However, some rabbits can have a sensitive digestive system, and cabbage can cause bloating and gases.
When you own a rabbit, many questions come to mind, and you want nothing but the best food choices for your loving furry pet.
It’s not always easy to find answers on the rabbit’s dietary needs, but I found a lot of useful information that might help.
Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage Daily?
Rabbits can eat cabbage every day.
Cabbage can be a part of the rabbit’s daily vegetable intake, but it should not be the only vegetable your rabbit eats.
The best practice is to combine cabbage with fresh leafy vegetables and herb greens such as:
| dandelion | romaine lettuce | celery |
| clover | endive | cilantro |
| coltsfoot | radicchio | carrot tops |
| Bermuda grass | collard green | ground elder |
| dead-nettle |
These are just to name a few, but choices are almost endless.
How Much Cabbage Can Rabbits Eat?
Cabbage can be a part of a rabbit’s fresh greens and vegetable daily needs
Approximately 10-15% of rabbits’ daily food intake should come from various vegetables, and cabbage can be part of that percentage.
Your rabbit’s size should be a guideline of how much cabbage your rabbit should eat on a daily basis.
The general guideline is 1 cup of greens per 5 pounds of the rabbit.
Ideally, you want to give your rabbit three different greens every day, and one of those three can be any type of cabbage.
Depending on your rabbit size, approximately 1/3 of daily veggie needs can come from cabbage.
If your rabbit has never had cabbage before, start introducing it in a small amount once a week.
Eventually, the cabbage can become part of your rabbit’s regular daily diet.
Can Cabbage Kill Rabbits?
While cabbage itself is very unlikely to kill your rabbit since it is not toxic to rabbits, the rabbit’s digestive system can suffer from sensitivity and lead to serious illness.
Cabbage can cause bloating and gases and can be uncomfortable for your rabbit.
If the rabbit is sensitive to cabbage, but you keep feeding it and feeding it too much, over time, bloating, and gases can cause severe digestive system problems and be fatal in some cases.
Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage of Any Color?
Rabbits can eat any type and color of cabbage.
Many different types are available, depending on where you live, but the most common ones you can find in stores are:
- white
- green
- red (purple)
- savoy
- Chinese (Bok Choy)
You may find other types of cabbage in your area, or maybe you are even growing it in your garden.
Can Rabbits Eat White Cabbage?
White cabbage is a healthy choice for your rabbit’s daily vegetable intake.
White cabbage is one of the most common types of cabbage available in grocery stores and farmer’s markets across the world.
The availability of this type of cabbage makes it popular among rabbit owners and can be found in many rabbit homes.
Can rabbits Eat Green Cabbage?
Rabbits can eat green cabbage, and this type of cabbage is widely available.
Green cabbage is a safe choice if you want to feed your rabbit this vegetable.
Again, be sure your rabbit is not sensitive to this cabbage type and combine it with other types of greens.
Can rabbits Eat Red (Purple) Cabbage?
Red cabbage contains a similar amount of vitamins and minerals compared to other cabbage types.
Your rabbit can eat red cabbage in similar amounts as other types.
Red cabbage or purple cabbage is different in color comparing to other types.
Does red/purple mean this cabbage type is a better or worse choice of vegetable for your pet rabbit?
Red/ purple cabbage has higher levels of antioxidants, which would make it a little bit better of choice.
Darker or lighter red/purple color results from acidity levels in the soil where this type of cabbage is grown.
Can rabbits Eat Savoy Cabbage?
Savoy cabbage is a little bit different compared to white, green, and red types. Not just that it looks different, but it has less vitamin C compared to other types.
This does not mean it’s not healthy for the rabbit. Your rabbit can certainly eat Savoy cabbage, as this cabbage type contains many vitamins and minerals.
Can Rabbits Eat Chinese Cabbage?
Chinese cabbage or Bok Choy is a safe choice of vegetables for your rabbit’s diet.
Bok Choy is not available everywhere and is a less known type of vegetable comparing to other cabbage types.
While Bok Choy contains less vitamin C than red, green, and white cabbage, it’s still a great choice of vegetables to mix in with other vegetables.
When giving your rabbit Bok Choy for the first time, always start with a small amount once a week.
If you notice strange behavior or diarrhea in your rabbit after eating this vegetable, remove it from the diet.
Can Rabbits Eat Brussel Sprouts?
Brussel sprouts can be part of your rabbit’s diet.
This plant belongs to the cabbage family and looks like a little cabbage.
Brussel sprouts contain twice as much vitamin C as other cabbages but also double calories.
Introduce it slowly to your rabbit, making sure it doesn’t have a Brussel Sprout sensitivity.
Feed your rabbit the same amount of Brussel sprouts as any other type of cabbage.
Can Too Much Cabbage Be Harmful To Your Rabbit’s Digestive System?
Your rabbit can have a sensitivity to many fresh vegetables, and cabbage is not an exemption.
Too much cabbage can be harmful to your rabbit if your rabbit has a sensitive digestive system.
How do you know if your rabbit is sensitive to cabbage?
If the rabbit gets diarrhea shortly after eating the cabbage, it’s most likely a sign of cabbage sensitivity.
In this case, remove the cabbage from your rabbit’s diet.
Rabbits can be sensitive to any cabbage type, but can also be vulnerable to one but not to another.
For example, while green cabbage can cause diarrhea for your rabbit, red and Chinese might not, and vice versa.
If you never gave your rabbit any cabbage, always start with one type for a couple of weeks. This way, it will be easier to notice insensitivity.
Can Cabbage Cause Bloating In Rabbits?
Cabbage can cause bloating in rabbits due to the non-digestible carbohydrates found in these vegetables.
Not every rabbit will experience bloating from eating cabbage, but some of them might.
It’s essential to introduce the cabbage gradually to your rabbit’s diet and let the digestive system adjust slowly.
Can Young Rabbits Eat Cabbage?
Young rabbit’s digestive systems might be more sensitive than in older rabbits.
It’s better to leave cabbage out of the young rabbit’s diet if you are unsure if the cabbage will cause digestive problems.
There are better choices of vegetables to introduce to young rabbits than cabbage.
Can Rabbits Eat Processed Cabbage?
Processed food is never the right choice, and processed cabbage is certainly not a good food choice for rabbits.
Many chemicals are added to processed cabbage that can be harmful to rabbits.
Can Rabbits Eat Baked Cabbage?
Rabbits should not eat any type of baked cabbage.
Baked cabbage is processed and usually contains oils and spices that are unhealthy for your pet rabbit.
Can Rabbits Eat Cooked Cabbage?
Any form of cabbage other than fresh should not be part of the rabbit’s diet. Rabbits eat fresh vegetables, so avoid giving cooked cabbage to the rabbit.
Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage In Frozen Form?
Frozen cabbage is pre-cooked or blanched. This means the cabbage was processed before freezing.
Avoid feeding the rabbit with frozen cabbage since it is unhealthy.
Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage From Cans?
Canned vegetables are full of sodium and chemicals, and cabbage in that form is the wrong choice for rabbits.
Rabbits should only eat fresh cabbage, so frozen, cooked, and baked varieties should be avoided.
Do Wild Rabbits Eat Cabbage?
Wild rabbits do eat cabbage.
If you have a garden and growing cabbage, you may have witnessed wild rabbits destroying your unprotected garden.
Depending on where you live, wild rabbits can be regular visitors to your garden.
Food for wild rabbits is available everywhere, as they will eat many plants found in your neighborhoods.
Final Thoughts On Question ”Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage?”
Any type of cabbage can be a healthy choice for your pet rabbit if your rabbit has a healthy digestive system.
However, cabbage is not crucial for the rabbit’s nutritional needs and can be replaced with other vegetables.
Vitamins and minerals found in cabbage can also be found in many other widely available vegetables.
Many owners choose not to feed their rabbits cabbage simply to avoid bloating and gas issues.
Whether you will or will not feed your rabbit cabbage is a matter of personal choice, just be careful and make sure your rabbit is not showing signs of cabbage sensitivity.
