Last Updated on February 19, 2023 by Marjon Ramos
Marigolds (Tagetes) are one of the safest and most recommended plants that can be eaten by rabbits.
Just make sure that your rabbit is eating enough hay because, even though marigolds are nutritious, they cannot meet the required fiber a rabbit would need per day.
Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain the topic in more detail:
Table of Contents
Would rabbits intentionally eat marigolds?
Yes, rabbits would intentionally and gladly eat marigolds.
Marigold is actually one of the most common and safest plants that can be fed to rabbits.
Rabbits in the wild would also often eat marigolds in summer, when marigolds are abundant. Marigolds in the summer are fast to bloom (within a week) and can keep blooming for up to 2 months.
Here’s a rabbit eating marigolds:
We’ve interviewed several rabbit owners who have marigolds or from where they’re from.
Most of them reported giving their rabbits some amount.
Risk of overfeeding marigolds to rabbits.
While marigolds themselves are not poisonous to rabbits, overfeeding them to your rabbits, on the other hand, could lead to the following conditions:
- GI stasis: Gastrointestinal stasis is possible when your rabbit is eating marigolds in lieu of hay. Make sure that you’re not replacing your rabbit’s main diet (hay, veggies, and pellets) with marigolds.
- Diarrhea: Diarrhea is also possible when you feed your rabbits too much marigold in one meal. Diarrhea in rabbits often happens when new food is introduced too fast and too much.
- Soft uneaten cecotropes: Feeding too much unnecessary food like marigolds to your rabbits could also lead to uneaten cecotropes due to the lack of fiber in your rabbit’s diet. This can be fixed by feeding large amounts of fiber (hay) for several weeks to a month.
Healthy alternative to marigolds.
Here are some alternatives to marigold that are safe to be given to rabbits:
- Roses
- Dandelion
- Nettles
- Daisies
- Clover
- Sunflowers
- Pot
- Nasturtiums
- Pansies
- Chickweed
Conclusion
Giving marigolds to your rabbits is safe as long as they’re not eating them in lieu of hay.
If it’s the first time you’re feeding marigolds to your rabbits, take it slow and feed them in small amounts.
Introducing new food into your rabbit’s diet too fast could trigger diarrhea and other digestive distress.
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