Can Rabbits Eat Okra? Your Questions Answered.

Last Updated on March 15, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

Okra is safe to be eaten by rabbits as long as your rabbit is not eating it in lieu of hay and your rabbit is at least 7 months old.

You should also limit the amount of okra you give to your rabbit and prioritize other vegetables that’s more beneficial to your rabbits health.

Even though okra is safe to be eaten by rabbits, the nutrient content of okra is relatively low compared to other vegetables.

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

Do rabbits like to eat okra?

Yes, rabbits like eating okra. In fact, several people from rabbit communities have reported that their rabbits loves eating okra.

Here’s a quote from a rabbit owner that fed okra to their rabbits:

I’ve also personally fed my rabbits okra, both of them (Tyr and Freya) loves okra.

Is okra safe to be eaten by rabbits?

As long as your rabbit is old enough to eat vegetables (> 12 weeks old) and your rabbit is not eating it in lieu of hay, then okra is perfectly safe for rabbits.

Young rabbits have sensitive stomachs and should stick with eating hay.

Finally, you should introduce any new vegetables to your rabbit slowly to see if it has any negative reaction to it and to let your rabbit’s gut flora get used to the new food.

What are the benefits of feeding okra to rabbits?

To properly understand the benefits of feeding okra to your rabbits, you can use the nutrient constrain calculator below, which shows the different nutrients your rabbits are getting whenever you feed them okra.

It also shows if the amount you’re giving is within the safe nutritional range:

As you can see from the nutrient constrain calculator for rabbits above, 100 grams of okra contain moderate amounts of vitamin A.

Is okra good for rabbits?

Okra contain moderate amounts of vitamin A. It also contains trace amounts of vitamin E, B6, copper, niacin, pantothenic acid, protein, choline, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and potassium.

All of which would benefit your rabbit’s health if fed in reasonable amounts.

How much okra can a rabbit eat?

The amount of okra you should feed your rabbits depends on your rabbit’s current weight and age.

You can use the diet portion calculator below to see how much okra (vegetables) you should feed your rabbits per day:

If you don’t have a weighing scale, here’s the estimated weight of rabbits based on their breed and how much okra to give per day:

When can rabbits start eating okra?

The table above assumes that your rabbit is old enough (1–5 years old) to regularly eat vegetables (okra). Another important factor when deciding how much okra to give your rabbits is their age.

Here’s a table that shows how much okra you can give your rabbits as they get older:

Make sure you follow the table above and only feed your rabbits vegetables (okra) if they are old enough. It’s also important to introduce any new food slowly and only in small quantities.

When should you not feed okra to rabbits?

Gist:

You should not feed okra to rabbits that have any digestive problems or when you notice any changes in their stool.

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If your rabbit is already having digestive issues like uneaten caecotrophs or watery stool, then you should immediately remove any other food you’re giving to your rabbits except hay.

Your rabbit might not be getting enough fiber because you got the portion of their diet wrong. Remember that your rabbit should be eating 80–90% hay, 10% vegetables, 5% pellets, and occasional treats.

Finally, bring your rabbit to a veterinarian just to be safe. Most of the time, rabbit owners misdiagnose their rabbits with just softer stool, which can be corrected by feeding more hay. When in fact it’s diarrhea, which is fatal to rabbits.

Risk of overfeeding okra to rabbits.

• Uneaten caecotrophs: Uneaten caecotrophs are usually caused by a diet that is low in fiber or overfeeding foods that are high in water content. Okra alone could not meet the daily fiber requirement of rabbits. Therefore, okra should only be fed in small amounts as a supplement to a hay-based diet.
• Diarrhea: Overfeeding okra to rabbits could also lead to diarrhea because of the lack of fiber in them. Your rabbit’s diet should mainly consist of hay and pellets. Vegetables like okra should only be fed in small amounts because rabbits cannot get enough fiber from them. If your rabbit is suffering from diarrhea, bring your rabbit to a veterinarian immediately because diarrhea is fatal to rabbits extremely fast.
• Gastrointestinal stasis:  Gastrointestinal stasis is also caused by a diet that is low in fiber and too many carbohydrates. When your rabbit is overfed with the wrong kind of food, like okra, it could lead to an imbalance in your rabbit’s gut flora and slow down the passage of food through the GI tract. If you suspect that your rabbit might be suffering from GI stasis, immediately bring your rabbit to a veterinarian because GI stasis could lead to organ failure and death if not treated.

Healthy alternatives to okra.

Your rabbit would love you if you provided them with different kinds of food.

Rabbits in the wild have an abundance of food available to them.

This is why rabbit experts suggest giving your rabbits a variety of choices when it comes to food, because they believe that it’s the key to a healthy diet.

Here’s a list of vegetables and leafy greens that are a great alternative to okra:

• 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)

Conclusion

Okra can be eaten by rabbits, but keep it to a minimum because there are better vegetables to feed your rabbit than okra.

Okra’s nutritional content is relatively low compared to other vegetables so you should not feed it to your rabbit exclusively.

If you really want to feed okra to your rabbit, mix in some other vegetables and leafy greens.