It is your responsibility as a rabbit owner to provide a nutritious meal that satisfies all of your pet’s nutritional requirements. All rabbits need is access to an endless supply of grass hay like timothy hay, plus a variety of vegetables and the odd fruit treat. Even though rabbits are clearly herbivores, not all plant-based diets are suitable for them. You should never feed your rabbit certain things since they might cause serious health problems or even death. Check out our top 10 list of foods that are harmful, poisonous, or just awful for rabbits, and don’t give them to your pet.
1. Iceberg Lettuce
You may be surprised to learn that rabbits are not suitable consumers of iceberg lettuce. Iceberg lettuce, on the other hand, is not a good addition to a rabbit’s diet since it includes lactucarium, a chemical with an opiate-like effect that may be fatal in excessive doses. To add insult to injury, iceberg lettuce is nutritionally deficient and wouldn’t benefit your pet in any way.
2. Grains
However, despite the fact that grains aren’t strictly harmful or hazardous for rabbits (in fact, commercial rabbits are given grain feed), you still shouldn’t feed your pet any grains or grain-based items. No one wants their rabbit to develop a dietary imbalance and become overweight. It should go without saying that rabbits shouldn’t eat any grain-based processed meals like cookies, crackers, and pastries.
3. Beans
We may all agree that eating beans can be rough on the digestive tract, but rabbits seem especially vulnerable. Beans, in any form (raw or cooked), should never be given to rabbits since they may severely disrupt digestion, leading to gas, bloating, and other GI disorders.
4. Avocado
Avocados, against popular belief, are one of the most toxic meals for rabbits. The avocado’s peel, flesh, and pit are loaded with a chemical called persin, and rabbits are very sensitive to this component. The persin in avocados may induce respiratory problems and possibly cardiac failure if even a tiny quantity is eaten.
5. Garlic or Onions
In particular, rabbits should avoid allium vegetables including onions, leeks, garlic, chives, and shallots. Hemolytic anaemia, or the death of red blood cells, is brought on by the oxidant n-propyl disulfide found in these vegetables, which is fatal to rabbits. Pale gums, dizziness, fatigue, and lack of appetite are only few of the symptoms of hemolytic anaemia. This is potentially deadly ailment that needs immediate attention!
6. Potatoes
Don’t give your rabbit any potatoes, either raw or cooked. Potatoes, being heavy in starch, are terrible for a rabbit’s digestive system and should be avoided at all costs. In addition, solanine, found in uncooked potatoes, is known to produce fatigue, a lack of appetite, and stomach discomfort. The leaves, vines, and blooms of the potato plant are also very toxic to rabbits, therefore it’s best to keep them away from anything with the word “potato” in it.
7. Mushrooms
All mushrooms, not simply those growing in the wild and seeming strange, may be harmful to rabbits. Rabbits shouldn’t eat mushrooms because they contain mycotoxins, which are toxic to rabbits and are present in many types of mushrooms. Though store mushrooms generally won’t kill your rabbit, they might still cause stomach distress.
8. Fruit Seeds or Pits
If you want to give your pet rabbit some fruit, make sure you take out the pits and seeds first since many fruits contain cyanide. While apple and pear seeds are the most well-known instances of cyanide in seeds, apricot, peach, mango, cherry, and plum pits all contain trace amounts of the poison, so it’s best to avoid giving them to your rabbit even in little amounts.
9. Rhubarb
While it’s delicious in sweets, rhubarb is one of several plants that should be avoided when feeding a pet. In larger doses, it may induce gas, swelling of the mouth and throat, diarrhoea, and lethargy due to its high oxalic acid content. The oxalic acid in rhubarb prevents the rabbit’s body from absorbing calcium, so avoid feeding it to your pet at all costs.
10. Nuts
It’s true that your rabbit would love to snack on some nuts, but despite the fact that they aren’t harmful or dangerous, nuts aren’t the best diet option for rabbits. Nuts are not suitable for your rabbit since they are heavy in fat and pose a choking threat, and they also do not agree with the rabbit’s digestive system. Due to their low-fat diet as herbivores, eating too many fatty foods (like nuts) might lead to health problems.
Finally, it’s crucial to stress that you should never give your rabbit anything from your plate, including meat, dairy, processed human meals, sweets, chocolate, and so on. By only feeding your rabbit the right kinds of fruits and vegetables, you can ensure its continued good health.