Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage? (Cabbage Leaves, Cabbage Stalk)

Rabbits love to eat cabbage due to its crunchy texture and sweet taste. Cabbage is one of the favorite meals of bunnies and they want to eat it more often. Rabbits have very delicate and sensitive stomachs and we must be careful about the type of diet we are feeding them. Cabbage is a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, and small amounts of iron, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and vitamin E.

Can rabbits eat cabbage? Yes, rabbits can eat cabbage in moderate amounts as it is very healthy for the health of your bunny. It is an excellent source of various vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. You can feed 5 leaves of cabbage to your adult rabbit 4 to 5 times a week and never feed this to the baby bunny. Overfeeding cabbage to rabbits can develop gas and diarrhea in them.

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How Often Can I Feed Cabbage To Rabbits?

Rabbits are herbivores and we should give them fresh hay and fresh leafy vegetables such as cabbage. You can feed fresh vegetables to your bunny as a 10% part of their diet which is very healthy for them.

You can feed cabbage to your bunnies four to five times a week which is safe for them. Always give them completely mature cabbage so that your rabbit can enjoy the valuable nutrients and taste of cabbage. Immature or over-ripen cabbage is not good for rabbits as it lacks the valuable nutrients that your bunny needs.

However, avoid feeding dry and over-ripened cabbage to your bunny because your bunny may not like the taste of it and it also loses half of the nutrients in drying and cooking procedures. Do not overfeed cabbage to your bunny because it may lead to gas development and diarrhea in your bunny.

If you are feeding cabbage to your bunny for the very first time, make sure you are doing it slowly because sometimes it may not suit the stomach of the rabbit.

How Much Cabbage Is Safe For Rabbit To Eat?

You can serve 10% of cabbage in the occasional diets of your rabbits. It will be good if you do not feed them more than 5 leaves of cabbage four to five times a week. Adding cabbage to the diet of your bunny would be very beneficial for adding extra nutrients to your diet.

All rabbits may respond differently after having cabbage in their diets, some may show interest while eating them and some may not like them. You should wait for the reaction of your bunnies for at least one day after feeding the cabbage to rabbits.

Can Bunnies Eat Cabbage Daily?

No, it would be best if your rabbit did not eat cabbage every day. cabbage contains a chemical called glucosinolate goitrogens and this does not allow the discharge of iodine From the thyroid of your rabbit so, it would be best if you give a small amount like 10% of cabbage 5 times a week.

Moreover, overfeeding cabbage to your rabbits may lead to indigestion which shows symptoms like loose stools, bloating and the development of gas. Always feed fresh and fully mature green cabbage to rabbits and avoid feeding unfresh and dry cabbage to rabbits.

Nutritional Benefits Of Cabbage

100 grams of raw cabbage contain the following amount of nutrients that play an important role in the health of a rabbit;

Nutrients	Amount
Energy	25 kcal
Carbohydrates	5.8 g
Sugar	3.2 g
Protein	1.28 g
Fats	0.1 g
Dietary Fibers	2.5 g
Vitamin C	36.3 mg
Calcium	40 mg
Magnesium	12 mg
Sodium	18 mg

How to Feed Your Cabbage to Your Rabbits?

There are some precautionary measurements that you must take while serving cabbage to your bunnies such as;

Fresh cabbage

The first step is to make sure the cabbage is fresh and clean before feeding it to your rabbits.

Raw cabbage

Feed raw cabbage to your bunny as it is rich in nutrients and your bunny enjoys more while eating raw vegetables.

Start with a small amount

Always start to feed small amounts of cabbage to your bunnies.

Washing

Make sure that you have thoroughly washed the cabbage before serving because there may be some harmful bacteria and chemicals that can upset the stomach of your rabbit.

Feed moderate amount

You should feed a moderate amount of cabbage to rabbits because overfeeding can cause diarrhea, bloating, and gas in your bunnies.

Mixing with other veggies

You can also serve a mixture of cabbage with other vegetables like spinach, Lettuce, kale, and other green leafy vegetables.

Keep an eye

Keep an eye on the health of your rabbit after feeding cabbage to them.

Can Rabbits Eat Cabbage Leaves?

Yes, rabbits can safely eat cabbage leaves. Adding cabbage leaves to the diet of your bunny will be very nutritious and healthy. You can feed four to five leaves of cabbage to your bunnies about 5 times a week. You can also mix cabbage with other vegetables like spinach, kale, carrot, and broccoli and serve it to your bunny. There are some precautionary steps that you need to consider while serving cabbage leaves to your rabbits;

Feed crunchy fresh cabbage leaves to rabbits
Never feed over-ripened cabbage leaves to rabbits
Wash the cabbage leaves before serving to the bunnies
Make sure the leaves are bright green
Do not feed dry cabbage leaves to rabbits because it can cause choking issues for them
Always feed cabbage leaves in moderate amounts to your loving pets
If you are feeding cabbage to your young bunnies for the very first time then you must do it slowly.
Never feed cabbage leaves to baby bunnies until they are 3 months old.

Can Rabbits Eat Napa Cabbage Or Chinese Cabbage?

Yes, rabbits can eat napa cabbage also called Chinese cabbage. The color of the leaves of napa cabbage is green and white and they are very healthy for your bunny. Make sure to serve a small amount of napa cabbage to your rabbit. Napa cabbage is a good source of vitamin C which is best for the skin, nails, and hair of your bunny.

Can Rabbits Eat Red Cabbage?

You can serve red cabbage to your bunnies in small amounts two to three times a week. Red cabbage takes more time to get mature but it has low amounts of calories and fats. Cabbage contains antioxidants that are enough to protect your bunny from chronic diseases such as cancer. The leaves of red cabbage are red and purple.

Can Rabbits Eat Green Cabbage?

Yes, rabbits can eat a moderate amount of green cabbage as it is rich in nutrients and minerals. Green cabbage leaves are whitish-green, they are soft and sweet. Green cabbage is rich in vitamin A and vitamin k which is best for the eyes and blood of your rabbits. You must feed a moderate amount of green cabbage because overfeeding may lead to indigestion and other health issues. Rabbits should not eat hard foods like corns as it can cause choking issues in them, you can also read complete article, can rabbits eat corn to get information.

Can Rabbits Eat Lettuce and Cabbage?

Yes, there are many health benefits of cabbage and lettuce for our bunnies. Lettuce is a green leafy vegetable that we can use to make vegetable salad in the meal of rabbits. Both these green leafy vegetables are rich in fiber and water and other nutrients. Water in the lettuce and cabbage is good for keeping the rabbit hydrated and the fiber content in them is very helpful for running the digestive system of your bunny smoothly.

Can Rabbits Eat Savoy Cabbage?

Yes, rabbits can eat savoy cabbage or Cavolo Nero in small amounts. This kind of cabbage looks like green cabbage but it is more sweet and tender than green cabbage. The leaves of savoy green cabbage are a little curly which gives a more crunchy texture to rabbits. It is rich in water, fiber, protein, and calories which are very beneficial for the health of your rabbit. But this cabbage also contains high levels of sugar, so you must feed it in moderate amounts. The water content in the savoy cabbage is enough to keep your bunny hydrated for a long period.

Can Rabbits Eat White Cabbage?

Yes, rabbits can eat moderate amounts of white cabbage about 3 to 4 times a week. White cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable that rabbits can eat in small amounts. Eating an excessive amount of white cabbage can lead to digestive issues such as gas or diarrhea due to its high fiber content. Always wash the white cabbage before serving it to your rabbits because it may contain some bacteria and harmful chemicals that can cause digestive issues in rabbits.

FAQ

Can Baby Bunnies Eat Cabbage?

No, baby rabbits should not eat cabbage or any other fruit and vegetable until 3 months of age. Baby bunnies have an extremely weak digestive system because it is in a growing phase. Feeding any kind of solid foods can develop gas in them and they cannot pass it from the body and the developing gas may cause other health issues.

When your baby rabbits get 3 months old, you may start adding small pieces of fruits and vegetables into their diet. It would be best if you begin to feed small amounts of hay, fruits, and vegetables to check their health condition and behavior towards the cabbage.

Can Rabbits Eat Cooked Cabbage?

Rabbits should not eat cooked cabbage because the cooking process loses many of its nutrients and taste while cooking. Moreover, the stomach of rabbits is not well developed to digest cooked foods.

It will be best if we only feed fresh and raw cabbage to our bunnies instead of cooked cabbage. Cooked vegetables or cooked cabbage may contain salt and other spices that can be very toxic to the health of your rabbit. So, it is better if you do not feed cooked vegetables to rabbits as a precautionary measure.

Rabbits can eat cabbage in a moderate amount and it will be very healthy and nutritious for the health of your rabbits due to its valuable nutrients. You can feed four to five leaves of cabbage up to five times a week.

Overfeeding cabbage can cause bloating, diarrhea, and gas in rabbits so always keep the moderation. Always feed fresh cabbage to your bunnies instead of cooked and dry. Rabbits can eat all types of cabbage such as purple cabbage, red cabbage, green cabbage, white cabbage, and Chinese cabbage. You should not feed any type of cabbage to baby bunnies because of their sensitive stomachs.