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If you’re considering having rabbits as your pet then this might be a topic of your concern that what do they like to eat and what is healthy for them? Because you’re gonna be the one who’ll be taking care of your pet.
As we all know that rabbits are herbivorous so it’s obvious you can’t feed them meat, but what about some specific types of vegetables such as kale?
Can My Rabbit Have Kale?
Kale, also called leaf cabbage, is considered as one of the healthiest and nutritious vegetables in the world. Rabbits love eating leafy greens.
In fact, 15% on average of the overall daily rabbit’s diet is composed of leafy greens.
Being a human you may know the benefits of eating leafy vegetables, so anything that is safe and healthy for a human to eat is safe for rabbits as well.
So, yes! Rabbits can eat kale in their diet because they are green and nutritious vegetables and do not harm them when eaten in a reasonable amount.
Also, the texture and taste of kale is something that attracts rabbit and he gets crazy for.
Health Benefits of Kale for Rabbits
As mentioned above kale is one of the healthiest foods in the world because of having tons of health benefits.
Kale is rich in iron which is responsible for carrying oxygen to be distributed to different parts of the body as well as for producing blood and other enzymes.
It also contains calcium, magnesium and many more nutrients.
Just for information though, kale is rich in vitamins A, C, K, rabbits make their own vitamin C in their bodies unlike us who consume vitamin C from their diet.
Rabbits are known to be that kind of pet who easily becomes fat when they don’t do any activity or exercise, but a small amount of kale in a rabbit’s diet doesn’t only give him energy to engage in activities and physical exercise but also help him losing fat.
Besides health one benefit of kale is that it diversifies your rabbit’s diet and keeps it interesting.
Risks of Feeding Kale to Rabbits
No doubt, kale makes for a good snack for your rabbit when fed in a reasonable amount but it can upset your rabbit’s stomach, and also can cause digestive, gastric and kidney problems such as bladder sludge, kidney stones, diarrhea or bloating when fed in excessive amount.
These are those kinds of severe problems that may not kill your rabbit but can cause serious discomfort and health issues.
The reason is that kale is rich in calcium and too much intake of calcium can cause these problems.
Fortunately, the digestive system of the rabbit does not allow metabolize calcium in a complex way.
Hence, you can easily monitor your bunny’s calcium intake and reduce the amount of calcium-rich foods from their diet, when you feel they’re having too much calcium.
How Much Kale Should I Feed my Rabbits?
You can feed your rabbit a cupful of 2-3 different types of vegetables a day, kale can be one of them but in a reasonable amount.
Although rabbits love variety in their diet too much can cause health problems.
Try to feed them vegetables different from the previous day, it would be ideal for their health.
Kale is usually recommended to introduce in a rabbit’s diet when he has become an adult but to avoid any complications start with small amounts of kale which means one leaf at a time for a week, and see the effects.
If it’s fine to start feeding them kale in a moderate amount.
You can even make a healthy diet plan for your rabbit consisting of vegetables and fruits but make sure all the dietary and nutritional needs of your rabbit have met.
Can Baby Rabbits Eat kale
Although young rabbits and adult rabbits both eat the same types of foods, the extra sensitivity of their developing digestive system and nutritional needs of their growing bodies are different.
This means young rabbits can also eat kale but in a small amount.
Initially, baby rabbits drink their mother’s milk, and then about 6-8 weeks later they start nibbling on solids such as hay.
This is how their digestive system adjusts from milk to adult solids. At this point, you can introduce kale into their diet starting from a small amount to moderate amounts as they age.
How to Prepare Kale for Your Rabbits?
So the best way is fresh kale with two different types of fresh vegetables in a moderate amount.
A diet containing only kale is not good for your Rabbit so try adding different vegetables in their diet as well to avoid any nutrient imbalances and health problems.
- Can Rabbits eat cooked kale?
No, rabbits can only eat uncooked kale.
No matter they are living a wild life or pet life, they never eat cooked food.
This is really for good for rabbits because cooking degrades nutrients and reduces fiber content from any plant material.
- Can Rabbits eat kale stems?
Yes, rabbits can eat kale stems.
Unlike humans who prefer not eating the stem, rabbits can eat kale with its stem without any difficulty.
It is not toxic or harmful. Therefore, you don’t need to remove the stem before feeding them to your bunnies.
- Can Rabbits eat frozen kale?
Yes, rabbits can eat frozen kales. They are okay to feed your rabbits, providing they are completely natural.
- Can Rabbits eat kale every day?
No, rabbits can’t eat kale every day.
The reason is that kale contains a huge amount of calcium which can upset your rabbit’s stomach and cause serious health problems when fed daily or in excessive amounts.