Last Updated on March 8, 2023 by Marjon Ramos
Quick Facts About Radishes:
- Scientific name – Raphanus sativus
- Also known as – Radis, Radies, ramolaccio, and daikon.
- Origin – China
- Most commonly found in – Netherlands, Italy, and China.
- Average weight – 3 lbs
Radish, especially radish tops, are on the list of the safest foods to add to your rabbit’s diet. Just make sure that your rabbit is old enough and is eating its required hay (fiber) for the day.
Problems arise when rabbit owners allow their pets to eat large amounts of radish in lieu of hay.
This lack of fiber is what causes your rabbits to develop digestive distress.
Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain in more detail why rabbits can eat radishes:
Table of Contents
Do rabbits like eating radishes?
It depends on your rabbit’s personality and preference for food.
Each rabbit is unique, with its own likes and dislikes when it comes to food.
Like with my babies (Tyr and Freya), for example, whenever I toss some radish in their bowl, Tyr would just smell it and ignore it.
Freya, on the other hand, would jump on it and eat the whole thing, especially the tops.
Are radishes safe to be eaten by rabbits?
Yes, radish is safe to be eaten by rabbits as long as your rabbit is old enough and is eating enough fiber (hay).
Contrary to popular beliefs where starch and sugar are blamed for causing digestive distress in rabbits, starch and sugar directly causing digestive distress are only observed in young rabbits.
Radishes would only become a risk when rabbit owners fed large amounts of radishes to their rabbits in lieu of hay.
What are the benefits of feeding radishes to rabbits?
In order to determine the benefits of feeding radishes to rabbits, let’s first take a look at their nutritional value compared to the nutritional constraints for rabbits.
You can use this calculator to determine if you are within the safe range when feeding your rabbits.
You can click on the blue icon beside each nutrient to show the benefits and deficiency of each nutrient:
Nutrient Constrain Calculator For Rabbits
Warning:
Although radishes have these benefits, overfeeding your rabbit is not recommended. This is only to inform you of the different vitamins and minerals your rabbit can get when you give them radishes.
As you can see from the calculator above, 100g of radish only contains small amounts of vitamins and nutrients.
This means that you should only consider radish as a treat or as an additional variety in your rabbit’s diet.
You should avoid feeding large amounts of radish to your rabbits. They won’t be able to get enough nutrients from it.
How much radishes can a rabbit eat?
To determine how much radishes you should feed your rabbit, you can use this calculator to determine your rabbit’s diet portion based on their age and weight:
Diet Portion Calculator For Rabbits
If you don’t have a weighing scale available, here’s an estimated weight of rabbits based on their breed and how many radishes you need to feed:
| Rabbit’s weight based on breed | Allowed radish per day |
|---|---|
| Small breed (1.1–3.5 pounds) | <128 grams |
| Medium breed (6 to 10 pounds) | 384-640 grams |
| Large breed ( 9 and 12 pounds) | 384-760 grams |
The table above only accounts for the weight of your rabbit.
Another important factor when deciding how much radish to feed your rabbit is their age:
| Age | Vegetables |
|---|---|
| Less than 12 weeks | None |
| 12 weeks | Introduce vegetables (one at a time) in small quantities < 1/2 oz (15 g) |
| 7 months to 1 year | Increase vegetables fed daily gradually |
| Adult (1-5 y) | 1-2 cups per 6 lbs (2.7 kg) BW |
| Seniors (>6 y) | Talk to your veterinarian for a more specialized diet. |
When should you not feed radishes to rabbits?
Gist:
You should not feed radishes to rabbits that are having digestive problems. Any other food, except hay, should be avoided when a rabbit is having digestive problems.
When you notice any changes in your rabbit’s stool, you should assume that your rabbit is having digestive issues and remove any other food from your rabbit’s diet except for hay.
This would ensure that your rabbit is eating enough fiber.
You should also talk to a veterinarian if your rabbits are having digestive problems.
Relying on home remedies when your rabbits are having digestive issues carries a huge risk.
Digestive issues are a major cause of fatality among rabbits, especially young rabbits.
Risk of overfeeding radishes to rabbits.
While radish is not toxic to rabbits, there are still risks associated with it when overfed:
- Gastrointestinal stasis: GI stasis happens when a rabbit is not eating enough fiber. Rabbits eating radishes in lieu of hay are the most likely to develop this condition.
- Soft uneaten cecotropes: It’s also possible for your rabbit to develop soft uneaten cecotropes when you overfeed them with too much radish. This in turn causes obesity, making it hard for your rabbits to reach their bottoms and eat the cecotropes.
Healthy alternatives to radishes.
While radish is safe for rabbits to eat, it’s still important to feed your rabbits other vegetables to give them a variety of food, just like what wild rabbits have.
Here are some of the best and healthiest alternatives to radishes:
- Spinach
- Celery
- Green peppers
- Basil
- Mint
- Alfalfa & 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)
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can rabbits eat radish tops/greens?
Yes, rabbits can eat radish tops. In fact, it’s much better to feed the greens of radishes instead of the body. Most rabbits also prefer the tops of radish.
Can rabbits eat radish sprouts?
Yes, rabbits can eat radish sprouts. Although it depends on your rabbit if they would eat one. Some rabbits dislike the taste of radish sprouts.
Can rabbits eat radish roots?
Yes, rabbits can eat radish roots. Although some rabbits dislike the taste of radish roots.
Can rabbits eat radish microgreens?
Yes, rabbits can eat radish microgreens. It’s actually healthier to feed your rabbits microgreens because it’s full of nutrients.
Conclusion
Radishes are one of the safest foods to give to your rabbits in moderation due to their low sugar content.
Just make sure that your rabbit is at least 12 weeks old before giving him veggies like radish.
Also, when it’s the first time you’re giving radish to your rabbits, introduce it to their diet slowly to reduce the risk of digestive distress.
Cite this article:
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