Last Updated on February 28, 2023 by Marjon Ramos
Orchids (Orchidaceae) are not toxic to rabbits.
Just make sure that your rabbit is eating enough hay.
Even though orchids are safe to be eaten by rabbits, they cannot meet the required fiber a rabbit would need per day.
So, it’s best that you avoid making them part of your rabbit’s regular diet.
There is better, more nutritious food out there for rabbits.
Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain if rabbits can eat orchids in more detail:
Table of Contents
Would rabbits intentionally eat orchids?
Yes, rabbits would intentionally and gladly eat orchids.
Even gardeners are having trouble keeping wild rabbits away from their orchids due to how much wild rabbits love this stuff.
Most gardeners are using all kinds of natural repellents to keep rabbits from eating their orchids.
Here’s a rabbit eating a bunch of orchids:
Risk of overfeeding orchids to rabbits.
While orchids 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 orchids in lieu of hay. Make sure that you’re not replacing your rabbit’s main diet (hay, veggies, and pellets) with orchids.
- Diarrhea: Diarrhea is also possible when you feed your rabbits too many orchids 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 orchids 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 orchids.
Here are some alternatives to orchids that are safe to give to rabbits:
Conclusion
Giving orchids 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 orchids 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.
Cite this article:
Sources
Image source – Lawanga Ranwala, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
