Can Rabbits Eat Spinach? Your Questions Answered.

Last Updated on March 7, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

Spinach is safe to be given to rabbits as long as you only give it in small amounts (e.g., 15 g) and your rabbit must be old enough (12 weeks) to have one.

The main consensus on spinach is the amount of oxalates in it.

While it’s true that spinach has high amounts of oxalates, as long as you stick to the amount I mentioned above, it’s completely safe to be given to rabbits.

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

Do rabbits like eating spinach?

Just like any other leafy green, rabbits will gladly eat spinach if you give them some.

In my case, both of my rabbits (Tyr and Freya) like to eat spinach whenever I give them some.

I’ve also asked several rabbit owners and breeders if they give spinach to their rabbits.

Most of them reported giving spinach in small amounts.

While others are afraid to give their rabbits spinach due to its bad rep of having too many oxalates.

Is spinach safe for rabbits to eat?

Contrary to popular belief, spinach is safe to give to rabbits as long as you only give it in small amounts and your rabbit is old enough to eat vegetables.

The oxalates in spinach would only be harmful to rabbits if you fed them large amounts of it for long periods of time.

To counteract this, provide at least 3 varieties of leafy greens in your rabbit’s diet.

What are the benefits of feeding spinach to rabbits?

Gist:

Spinach is rich in vitamin A and potassium.

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To better understand the benefits of feeding spinach to your rabbits, you can use this nutrient constraint calculator to see what nutrients your rabbit is getting and whether or not the amount you’re giving is within the nutritional constraint.

You can also click on the blue icon beside the nutrients to see each of the benefits and deficiencies of each nutrient:

As you can see from the nutrient constraint calculator above, 100 grams of spinach has a lot of vitamin A and potassium while still being within the nutritional constraint.

Spinach also contains trace amounts of vitamin E, B6, copper, niacin, protein, choline, and fiber.

Is spinach good for rabbits?

Spinach is packed full of nutrients that are great for rabbits.

Just make sure that you only give spinach in small amounts because spinach is high in oxalates.

How much spinach can a rabbit eat?

To better understand the amount of spinach you can give your rabbits, you can use the diet portion calculator below to see how much spinach (vegetables) you should give your rabbits based on their weight and age:

If you currently have no idea what your rabbit’s weight is, here’s a table on the average weight of rabbits based on their breed and how much spinach is allowed per day:

At what age can rabbits eat spinach?

The table above assumes that your rabbit is already 7 months to 1 year old.

Another important factor when deciding how much spinach to give your rabbits is their age.

Here’s a table to guide you on how much spinach you should feed your bunnies as they get older:

When should you not feed spinach to rabbits?

Gist:

Stop giving spinach to rabbits that are having digestive issues.

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The proper protocol whenever you notice or suspect digestive problems in your rabbits is to remove any other food from their diet except hay.

This would ensure that your rabbits are getting their required fiber (hay) for the day.

But just to be safe, you should still bring your rabbit to a veterinarian.

Risk of overfeeding spinach to rabbits.

While spinach is safe and highly nutritious for rabbits, it still carries certain risks when overfed.

That’s why it’s important to limit the amount you give and to introduce it slowly if it’s their first time eating it.

Here are the most common problems when rabbit owners overfeed spinach to their rabbits:

• Gastrointestinal Stasis: Overfeeding spinach in lieu of hay to your rabbits could lead to GI stasis, which is caused by a lack of fiber in your rabbit’s diet.
• Diarrhea: Diarrhea is also possible when rabbit owners overfeed large amounts of spinach to their rabbits too fast. Always introduce any new diet to your rabbits slowly.
• Uneaten cecotropes: Soft uneaten cecotropes are also possible when rabbits are eating large amounts of spinach instead of hay. This could lead to softer cecotropes due to the lack of fiber.
• Kidney Damage: Overfeeding large amounts of spinach over a period of time could lead to kidney damage as well as tingling of the skin and mouth.

Healthy alternatives to spinach.

While spinach is safe and nutritious for rabbits, you should still mix in some other vegetables into your rabbit’s diet.

This would ensure that your rabbits’ diet mimics the abundance of choices wild rabbits have when it comes to their diet.

Here are some of the best and healthiest alternatives to 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 spinach stems?

Yes, spinach stems are safe to be eaten by rabbits.

Just wash it first to remove any potential pesticides used on the plant.

Can rabbits eat spinach daily?

No, spinach should not be fed daily.

It contains high amounts of oxalates, which could lead to kidney damage if overfed over a period of time.

Mix in some other vegetables to negate this problem.

Can rabbits eat spinach leaves?

Yes, spinach leaves are safe to be eaten by rabbits.

Just make sure that you are only giving it in moderate amounts and that your rabbit is still eating their required hay.

Conclusion

Spinach is safe to be eaten by rabbits as long as your rabbit is old enough (12 weeks old) and you only give it in small amounts.

The oxalates in spinach would only become a problem if you were feeding large amounts of spinach to your rabbits for long periods of time.

You can negate this by only giving small amounts and mixing in some other vegetables.