Last Updated on March 9, 2023 by Marjon Ramos
Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum) are safe and highly nutritious for rabbits.
Just make sure that your rabbit is eating enough hay because, even though nasturtiums are nutritious, they cannot meet the required fiber a rabbit would need per day.
Avoid making them a part of your rabbit’s regular diet.
There is better, more nutritious food out there that’s better for rabbits.
Treat nasturtiums as rabbit treats; limit them to 1-2 times per week.
Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain why rabbits can eat nasturtiums in more detail:
Table of Contents
Would rabbits intentionally eat nasturtiums?
Yes, rabbits would intentionally and gladly eat nasturtiums.
Nasturtiums are actually one of the most common and safest plants that can be fed to rabbits.
Here’s a rabbit eating a nasturtium flower:
We also interviewed several rabbit owners who have nasturtiums where they’re from.
Most of them reported giving their rabbits some.
Risk of overfeeding nasturtiums to rabbits.
While nasturtiums themselves are not poisonous to rabbits, overfeeding them, on the other hand, could lead to the following conditions:
- GI stasis – Gastrointestinal stasis is possible when your rabbit is eating nasturtiums in lieu of hay. Make sure that you’re not replacing your rabbit’s main diet (hay, veggies, and pellets) with nasturtiums.
- Diarrhea – Diarrhea is also possible when you feed your rabbits too many nasturtiums in one meal. The lack of fiber would likely soften your rabbit’s stool and lead to true diarrhea.
- Soft uneaten cecotropes – Feeding too much unnecessary food like nasturtiums 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 nasturtiums.
Here are some alternatives to nasturtiums that are safe to give to rabbits:
Conclusion
Giving nasturtiums 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 nasturtiums to your rabbits, take it slow and feed it in small amounts.
Introducing new food into your rabbit’s diet too fast could trigger diarrhea and other digestive distress.
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