Can Rabbits Eat Bell Peppers? What you need to know.

Last Updated on February 27, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

As long as it’s in moderation, bell peppers, whatever color they are, are safe to be eaten by rabbits.

Before giving bell peppers to your rabbits, remove the seeds and the core.

Bell pepper seeds are bitter anyway, and most rabbits will avoid them.

There’s a growing consensus in the rabbit world that most people believe that rabbits should avoid sugary veggies like bell peppers.

But, that’s actually not the case.

As long as your rabbit is old enough and they are eating enough hay (fiber), then eating bell peppers or other sugary veggies is completely safe.

Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain in more detail why rabbits can eat bell peppers:

Do rabbits like eating bell peppers?

Yes, rabbits like to eat bell peppers due to their sugary taste.

Rabbits are suckers for sugary foods, and they would likely eat too much of it if you allowed them.

Make sure that your rabbits are not eating bell peppers instead of their main diet, which is 80% hay.

Are bell peppers safe to be eaten by rabbits?

Yes, bell peppers are completely safe to be given to rabbits.

The only way it could be harmful to your rabbits is if they are eating it in lieu of hay.

Contrary to popular belief, a rabbit eating sugar is not the main cause of digestive distress in rabbits.

It’s actually the lack of fiber in their diet that’s causing it.

What are the benefits of feeding bell peppers to rabbits?

In order to know the benefits of feeding bell peppers to your rabbits, let’s first take a look at how many nutrients bell peppers contain per 100 grams.

You can use this calculator to determine how many nutrients your rabbits are getting per serving of food.

This will also tell you if you are over their nutritional limit.

You can click on the blue icon to see the benefits and deficiency of each vitamins:

As you can see from the calculator above, bell peppers are rich in vitamin A.

Bell peppers also contain some amounts of vitamin E, niacin, choline, and fiber, all of which are great for rabbits.

The most notable vitamin in bell peppers is vitamin A, which is responsible for a bunch of metabolic reactions as well as bone development, vision, reproduction, immunological response, and maintenance of epithelial integrity.

How many bell peppers can a rabbit eat?

To know how much bell pepper to feed your rabbits, first you need to know your rabbit’s age and weight.

Then, use this calculator to determine how many bell peppers and other veggies you should feed your rabbits:

If you don’t have a weighing scale available, here’s an estimated weight of rabbits based on their breed and portions of vegetables you need to feed:

The table above only accounts for the weight of your rabbit.

Another important factor when deciding how much bell peppers to feed your rabbit is their age:

Be careful when feeding veggies to young rabbits.

Their stomachs are sensitive, and feeding them the wrong diet could lead to fatal digestive distress.

Follow the table above and don’t give any veggies to rabbits that are less than 12 weeks old.

At 12 weeks old, you can slowly introduce veggies like bell peppers in small amounts.

And finally, try to give your rabbits as many varieties of veggies as possible to mimic the abundance of food they have in the wild.

This would make your rabbit extremely happy and healthy.

When should you not feed bell peppers to rabbits?

Gist:

You should stop feeding any bell peppers or veggies if you notice any changes in your rabbit’s stool. Also, if you notice any changes in your rabbit’s behavior, it’s best to stop giving unnecessary food until the problem is resolved.

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The most recommended protocol when you notice any changes in your rabbit’s stool is to only give them high amounts of fiber through hay.

This would ensure that your rabbits are getting their required hay for the day.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to meet your rabbit’s daily fiber requirements.

Rabbits can even survive with just hay in their diet.

Every other food should be seen and considered as a supplement.

Finally, bring your rabbit to a veterinarian if the problem is digestive in nature.

Risk of overfeeding bell peppers to rabbits.

While bell peppers are safe and non-toxic to rabbits, there’s still a risk associated when an owner overfeeds their rabbits:

• Gastrointestinal stasis: Contrary to popular beliefs, GI stasis is not caused by too much sugar or starch in a healthy adult rabbit’s diet. The likely cause of GI stasis is the lack of fiber, which happens when a rabbit eats too much unnecessary food instead of hay.
• Soft uneaten caecotrophs: It’s also possible for your rabbit to develop soft uneaten caecotrophs when you overfeed them with too many sugary veggies like bell peppers. This in turn causes obesity in your rabbits, making it hard to reach their bottoms and eat the caecotrophs.
• Obesity: Obesity is also possible when you overfeed your rabbit’s bell peppers due to their high sugar content. This risk is increased the older the rabbit is due to its slower metabolism.
• Dental problems: Dental problems are also possible because sugar can damage your rabbit’s teeth. This would only happen if your rabbit is not getting enough hay to grind its teeth in.

Healthy alternatives to bell peppers.

While bell peppers are a great vegetable to feed your rabbits, it’s still best to give your rabbit a variety of veggies, just like what wild rabbits eat.

Here are some of the best and healthiest alternatives to bell peppers:

• Spinach
• Celery
• Basil
• Mint
• Alfalfa, radish & Clover sprouts
• Beet greens (tops)
• Parsley
• Peapods (the flat edible kind)
• Peppermint leaves
• Bok choy
• Escarole
• Clover
• Peppermint leaves
• Carrot & carrot tops
• Radicchio
• Raspberry leaves
• Wheatgrass
• Watercress
• Cilantro
• Dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides)

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can rabbits eat red bell peppers?

Yes, rabbits can eat red bell peppers.

Red bell peppers are just a different stage of the ripening process of bell peppers.

Red bell peppers are the last stage of the ripening process and the sweetest.

Can rabbits eat orange bell peppers?

Yes, rabbits can eat orange bell peppers in moderation.

Just make sure that you remove the core and seeds before giving them to your bunnies.

Also, make sure that your rabbit is old enough to eat veggies, and make sure that they’re not eating orange bell peppers in lieu of hay.

Can rabbits eat bell peppers every day?

While bell peppers are not toxic to rabbits and can be eaten by them every day, it’s still best to provide a variety of veggies in your rabbit’s diet in order to mimic what they eat in the wild.

Can rabbits eat green bell peppers?

Yes, rabbits can eat green bell peppers.

Green bell peppers are just a different stage of the ripening process of bell peppers.

The green bell pepper is in the first stage of the ripening process and is still immature.

Conclusion

As long as it’s in moderation, bell peppers of any color can be given to rabbits. 

Just make sure that your rabbit is old enough and eating its required fiber (hay) for the day.

Remember that veggies like bell peppers should only account for 10% of your rabbit’s diet.

Digestive distress when overfeeding bell peppers is due to the lack of fiber in your rabbit’s diet when they’re eating a large amount of bell peppers in lieu of hay.