Can Rabbits Eat Cabbages? What You Need To Know.

Last Updated on March 2, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

We, as pet owners, want our pets to be as healthy as possible. That’s why we give them the best possible food we can. For rabbits, it’s widely believed that anything green is okay as food. But is that true?

Can rabbits eat cabbage? Yes, but only in small amounts. Cabbage contains glucosinolate goitrogens which impair the iodine uptake of your rabbit’s thyroid if taken in large amounts.

If you’re still planning on feeding your rabbits cabbage, just remember that it’s still important that they eat enough fiber and protein in the form of hay.

Making cabbage the main source of your rabbit’s diet is not recommended because cabbage doesn’t have enough fiber and protein that a rabbit needs throughout the day.

Remember, your rabbit’s diet should be made up of 80% hay, 10% leafy greens, and the rest are pellets.

Can rabbits eat cabbage daily?

Gist:

No, cabbage contains glucosinolate goitrogens which impair iodine uptake in your rabbit’s thyroid. Cabbage should only be given in small amounts.

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Making cabbage the main source of your rabbit’s diet is not ideal. Although rabbit farms used to give cabbages to rabbits as their main source of food.

According to several books that I’ve read, feeding your rabbits large amounts of cabbage or feeding them small amounts over a period of time can cause impaired iodine uptake.

Cabbage is actually on the list of potentially poisonous plants for rabbits.

What are the benefits of feeding cabbage to rabbits?

Cabbage can be a moderate source of calcium and fiber for rabbits.

But you still need to mix up their diet with other foods because feeding your rabbits large amounts of cabbage could cause diarrhea and impaired iodine uptake.

Cabbage also contains some phosphorus, which is great for rabbits, but not enough.

How much cabbage should a rabbit eat?

Gist:

Leafy greens should only make up 10% of your rabbit’s diet. But cabbage in large amounts can impair iodine uptake and cause diarrhea.

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We recommend skipping cabbage as your rabbit’s main source of leafy greens because it can cause diarrhea and impaired iodine uptake.

Instead, we recommend choosing other leafy greens from the table below. Just remember to only give them small amounts of leafy greens and make sure they eat enough hay per day.

Here’s a list of vegetables and leafy greens that are recommended for rabbits.

• Spinach
• Celery
• Green peppers
• 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)

When should you not feed cabbage to rabbits?

Gist:

You should not feed cabbage to rabbits that are less than 7 months old.

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Feeding your rabbit leafy greens when they are less than 7 months old is not recommended. Growing rabbits should only eat hay to maximize their growth and nutrition.

Another reason why you should not feed cabbage to rabbits is when they have diarrhea. If your rabbit has diarrhea, you should remove any other food, except hay, and take them to a vet.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Conclusion

Feeding your rabbit cabbage in small amounts is safe. Just make sure that you only give it to them sometimes. Regularly feeding cabbage to your rabbits can cause diarrhea and impaired iodine uptake because cabbage contains glucosinolate goitrogens.

When choosing leafy greens to feed your rabbits, we recommend skipping cabbage just to be safe.