Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber? (How Much, How Often, Benefits, And More)

Feeding a variety of healthy plants benefits rabbits in most cases, but what about feeding them cucumbers? Can rabbits eat cucumber, and what is to know about this combo? Here is what I’ve learned.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber?

Rabbits can eat all cucumber types along with seeds and skin twice a week, following the recommended serving amount of 1 teaspoon per every 2 lbs. (0,91 kg) of rabbit’s body weight. Sprouts, leaves, and flowers are a safe food for rabbits and can be served few times a week.

I found answers to many common questions regarding rabbits and cucumbers, and they are available for you in the text below.

Serving Size Of Cucumber Per Rabbit’s Weight

Rabbits of all kinds can eat cucumber, with servings according to their body weight.

Keeping the served amounts of cucumber close to its individual body weight is important to avoid digestive issues.

Serving sizes for rabbits weighing 3 lbs. and 5 lbs. are not the same.

To make it easier for you to feed your individual rabbit, here are the recommended feeding amounts.

Body weight in lbs. and kg	Serving amounts in teaspoons or 1/3 of an inch piece wide
1 lbs. (0,45 kg)	½
2 lbs. (0,91 kg)	1
3 lbs. (1,36 kg)	1½
4 lbs. (1,81 kg)	2
5 lbs. (2,27 kg)	2½

Body weight in lbs. and kg	Serving amounts in teaspoons or 1/3 of an inch piece wide
6 lbs. (2,27 kg)	3
7 lbs. (3,18 kg)	3½
8 lbs (3,63 kg)	4
9 lbs. (4,08 kg)	4½
10 lbs (4,54 kg)	5

Body weight in lbs. and kg	Serving amounts in teaspoons or 1/3 of an inch piece wide
11 lbs. (4,99 kg)	5½
12 lbs. (5,44 kg)	6
13 lbs. (5,90 kg)	6½
14 lbs. (6,35 kg)	7
15 lbs. (6,80 kg)	7½

For an easier understanding…. a 1-inch piece of cucumber is approximately 3 teaspoons.

Your rabbit can weigh in between the measurements in the table, and in that case, follow the recommended serving for the closest body weight.

Here are two examples:

►1,3 lbs. (0,58 kg) rabbit—serving amount is a half teaspoon ►5,7 lbs. (2,56 kg) rabbit—serving amount is three teaspoons

How Often Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber?

Although cucumber is botanically a fruit, it’s used in the culinary world as a vegetable.

For rabbits, whether the cucumber is considered fruit or veggie, it’s just a snack.

Snacks in general, including cucumber fruit, are recommended for rabbits twice a week.

On the other hand, leaves and flowers are nutritionally speaking more beneficial with less water content and can be fed to rabbits more than twice a week.

Following the recommended servings, the cucumber quantities are the same for all rabbit types (Netherland Dwarf, Mini Lop, Rex, or any other rabbit).

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Daily?

Even though cucumber is a safe food for rabbits, feeding cucumber fruit to rabbits daily is not advised.

On the other hand, other parts of the cucumber plant (leaves, flowers, stems, and even baby plant—sprouts), rabbits can eat daily in small amounts in addition to hay, pellets, and leafy greens.

At What Age Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber?

Owners often wonder when rabbits can start eating cucumbers, as vegetables are not beneficial for rabbits in all stages of their lives.

Rabbits go through few growth stages:

1. baby
2. young adult
3. adult
4. senior

Let’s determine at which rabbit growth stage cucumbers are safe for consumption.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber When They Are Still Babies?

Unfortunately, baby rabbits shouldn’t eat cucumbers because they need mother’s milk at this stage of their lives, with the addition of nibbles and hay pellets at week 4.

Even though you possibly saw owners feeding baby rabbits cucumbers, experts do not suggest doing so.

Such a young rabbit’s digestive system is delicate, and cucumbers could cause harm to some babies.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Before The Adulthood Stage?

Rabbits are considered adults after they turn 7 months, and before that stage, they are young rabbits who should not eat cucumbers.

There is no need for snacks at this stage of their growth.

Their food at young age consists of unlimited hay and pellets and staple vegetables from month 4.

Can Senior Rabbits Eat Cucumber?

Senior rabbits can eat cucumbers as long as they maintain body weight and eat a nutritionally balanced diet.

The serving size for seniors is the same as for adult rabbits per body weight.

Rabbits are considered to be seniors after they turn 6 years.

Can Indoor Rabbits Eat Cucumber?

Indoor rabbits, just like outdoor and wild rabbits, can eat cucumbers.

In fact, most pet rabbits are indoor rabbits with outdoor play areas when the time allows it.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber If They Are Obese?

Yes, obese rabbits can eat cucumbers as this fruit consists mostly of water and is very low in calories.

Obese rabbits can eat other parts of cucumber plants, as other components are also low in calories while containing minerals and vitamins.

Please make sure not to overfeed obese rabbits with cucumbers to lose weight.

Obese rabbits still need a balanced diet, and overfeeding this watery fruit can cause diarrhea and digestive problems.

Can Rabbits Eat All Cucumber Parts?

Rabbits can eat most of the cucumber parts. Except for the root and vines (as that is unknown whether it is safe or beneficial for rabbits), other parts are usually more or less nutritional.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Skin?

Rabbits can safely eat cucumber skin, and compared to fruit, it is a healthier part of the fruit than the flesh.

With that said, whenever you can, serve organic cucumber to your rabbits to eliminate the pesticides used in cucumber production.

► Wash both organically and non-organically grown cucumbers thoroughly before feeding them to your rabbits.

This way, pesticides, environmental residues, as well as wax that could harm your rabbit’s GI tract are significantly eliminated.

If you are scared to feed your rabbit non-organic cucumber skin because of the chemicals found on it, your rabbit will be fine without ever eating the skin; peel it off.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Peels?

As you may or may not know, cucumber peel is actually cucumber skin (with a bit of flesh on it), and as a skin is eatable and healthy for your rabbit.

Cucumber Skin Bitterness

When growing cucumber, the plant is stressed either because of not getting enough water or over-fertilizing it; it may develop the cucumber’s bitter fruit.

Such fruit can have bitter skin, which rabbits don’t like. Peeling the cucumber and cutting the ends might help.

If the rabbit still doesn’t want to eat it, there is a good chance the flesh is bitter as well.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Seeds?

Rabbits can eat cucumber seeds that are present inside the fruit without any harm to their health.

The majority of cucumbers are harvested when seeds are not fully developed yet.

The size of seeds is, for that reason, still small and easy for rabbits to gnaw on.

Seedless cucumbers are available in case you are concerned about seeds not being good for your rabbit. Such a cucumber type is an English cucumber.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Plants?

The cucumber plant, which includes flowers, leaves, stems, and fruit, is eatable for rabbits.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Leaves?

Heart-shaped cucumber leaves are a great source of nutrients that benefit your rabbit more than the actual fruit. The younger the leaf, the more nutrients it contains.

Leaves grow bigger and bigger over time, so one huge cucumber leaf is plenty of food for a rabbit.

However, younger leaves are more nutrient-dense.

If you happen to have a cucumber plant or someone you know, use leaves that are bioproducts of pruning the plant to feed it to your rabbit.

This can be a free source of food for your rabbit without destroying the plant.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Stems?

Cucumber stems might not be the rabbit’s favorite part of the plant, and it could be because the main stem contains small thorns; rabbits do eat short stems that connect the main stem and leaf.

Truth be told, the sight of rabbits eating stems and not other parts (flowers and leaves) is seen very rarely.

The stem’s function is to transport water, minerals, and other elements to leaves.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Flowers?

Both female and male yellow cucumber plant flowers are eatable for rabbits and the most liked part in most cases.

While female flowers further develop into the fruit, male flowers open earlier to attract insects, such as bees, to help with pollination.

Did you know?

Cucumber flowers are the most favorite part of the cucumber plant for most rabbits.

Even in dry form, cucumber flowers are safe for rabbits.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Tendrils?

The nutritional value of tendrils is unclear but most likely contains a trace of nutrients. It’s unknown whether rabbits like this part of the plant or not, but what is important is that it is not toxic to rabbits.

Tendrils on a cucumber plant have the role of allowing the plant to move or to climb.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Sprouts?

Cucumber sprouts are a powerhouse of a variety of nutrients. Perhaps, this is the stage when nutrients are most concentrated and most beneficial to your rabbit.

Careful if you grow cucumbers in your yard and have a free-roaming rabbit; after just a few days, cucumber sprouts are big enough for rabbits to eat them.

Benefit And Precautions Of Feeding Cucumbers To Rabbits

Benefits

Since the fruit itself does not contain much nutrition, the benefit of feeding this watery fruit is uncertain.

Surely, trace minerals and vitamins could be somewhat beneficial in addition to other, highly nutritional foods, but cucumber itself doesn’t provide many benefits.

The water content (approximately 95%) could benefit individual rabbits that need to increase their water intake.

Precautions

The cucumber plant is not toxic to rabbits, but some precautions are still to be informed about.

Underweight rabbits should not eat cucumbers; they don’t provide needed nutrients and are very low in calories.

Feeding cucumbers can actually support losing weight even more because of the high water content.

Digestive issues are not uncommon when overfeeding on cucumbers.

This watery fruit can quickly thin a rabbit’s stool and cause a soft stool (this would be diarrhea in other pets).

Soft stool is a big issue in the rabbit world as they produced cecotropes (droppings they make and eat) and depend on them as a part of a nutritional intake.

Diarrhea would disturb the production and have an impact on the rabbit’s overall health.

Processed Cucumbers

Processed cucumbers in any form (pickled ) are harmful to your rabbit, and under any circumstances, do not feed it to a rabbit.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Combined With Other Foods?

Combining different fruits and vegetables to feed your rabbit is acceptable as long as feeding guidelines are followed.

Keep in mind that cucumbers are fed to rabbits as snacks even though we call them vegetables.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Combined With Other Fruits?

Combining cucumbers with other fruits is generally okay, as long as the serving amount is divided by the fruits you plan to feed.

Fruits can be fed at different times during the day, but keeping the total daily amount recommended is important.

Please note, cucumber and other fruit snacks are not supposed to be fed daily to your rabbit, but preferably once or twice a week.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber And Tomatoes?

Cucumber and tomatoes can be served together but divide the total serving size into two equal parts. Both cucumber and tomato are fruits.

As an example 1

Rabbit’s bodyweight	Total Serving Amount in teaspoons	The suggested serving of cucumber in teaspoons	The suggested serving of tomato in teaspoons
8 lbs. (3,63 kg)	2	1	1

Example 2

Rabbit’s bodyweight	Total Serving Amount in teaspoons	The suggested serving of cucumber in teaspoons	The suggested serving of banana in teaspoons
4 lbs. (1,81 kg)	1	½	½

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber Combined With Vegetables?

Rabbits can eat cucumbers combined with suggested leafy staple vegetables or non-leafy snack vegetables following feeding recommendations.

Please note that cucumbers are only recommended once to twice a week, while some vegetables can be fed daily.

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber And Celery?

Yes, rabbits can eat both cucumbers and celery.

Celery serving rabbit per day is about 2 tablespoons per every 2 pounds and can be fed daily as a staple, non-leafy veggie.

As a simple example…

Rabbit body weight	Cucumber serving	Celery serving
2 lbs. (0,91 kg)	1 teaspoon	1 tablespoon

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber And Peppers?

Peppers are another non-leafy staple veggie, and rabbits can eat daily, 2 tablespoons per 2 lbs. of rabbit’s weight.

Rabbit body weight	Cucumber serving	Pepper serving
2 lbs. (0,91 kg)	1 teaspoon	1 tablespoon

Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber And Lettuce?

Lettuce is a staple leafy green that rabbits can have 1 cup per every 2 lbs. of the rabbit’s weight per day.

Rabbit body weight	Cucumber serving	Lettuce serving
2 lbs. (0,91 kg)	1 teaspoon	1 cup