Are you thinking of introducing celery in your rabbit’s diet? Very good! But, can rabbits eat celery? Will it have any adverse effects on your cute little rabbit’s health?
In short, “Celery is good for rabbits. It is rich in nutrients and can be a part of a balanced diet. It can serve as a source of energy for your rabbit. Your rabbit will love to eat celery leaves and grind its teeth on the celery sticks.”
Whenever an animal is offered a vegetable or fresh food, keep in mind that it is best to isolate and then serve.
This way, you will know whether the newly introduced treat is right for your rabbit. You will also find out if it can cause an allergic reaction.
Feeding Celery To Rabbits – The Recommended Serving How-Tos
First things first, you will be glad to know that celery is good for rabbits. Just like celery is good for guinea pigs if you have one.
However, you need to know which parts rabbits can eat and what parts they cannot eat.
Similarly, you also need to know when to stop feeding rabbits celery and help them digest it better.
“While rabbits can eat celery, but celery strings can get stuck in the rabbit’s stomach. It is potentially dangerous and can result in blockages. Celery strings can also get stuck in your rabbit’s razor-sharp teeth, resulting in an infection.”
Rich in vitamins and nutrients, celery is recommended for your rabbit because it completes its diet.
Rabbits can eat celery, but keep in mind that not all rabbits feel the same about food. Give your bunny a small portion and determine their reaction.
Only feed small pieces of the celery once or twice a week as a part of your rabbit’s diet.
1) Do Rabbits Eat Celery Naturally?
Generally speaking, rabbits do not eat celery in the wild.
It’s shocking, right?
Despite our basic understanding of these animals, they do not eat carrots either.
Rabbits eat a lot of grass, which is why grass or hay should be a big part of your rabbit’s food.
However, it does not mean that it cannot be part of your pet rabbit’s source of nutrients, just because rabbits do not eat celery in the wild.
In fact, it is best to feed them celery over the overly popular carrot. Carrots are high in sugar, and celery is not.
Excess sugar, even naturally, can lead to health problems with your rabbit.
2) Is Celery Safe For Bunnies To Eat? Can Bunnies Have Celery?
The answer is YES, celery is safe for bunnies to eat. They can have celery as long as it is fed in moderation. It contains a lot of nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber.
Although the contents of the celery pose no danger to rabbits.
However, the construction of the plant can lead to some small issues. Celery has long, thin fibers, which can pose a health risk to rabbits.
When eaten whole, these long fibers get stuck between the teeth or even in the throat and quickly become the cause of choking.
To eliminate this risk, cut your celery stick into small, bite-sized pieces. Half an inch to 1-inch length is recommended. It depends on the size of your rabbit.
3) How Much Celery Is Considered Safe For Your Pet Rabbit?
How to know how much celery is safe for your pet? Unlike apples or lettuce, celery does not have a lot of fiber.
This means it is okay to feed your rabbit celery a few times a week, but not daily.
Additionally, it also depends on how your rabbit reacts to this vegetable.
“If you notice symptoms of diarrhea or watery stools, stop giving celery to the rabbit immediately.”
As a first-aid measure, feed him hay. Hay is an excellent source of nutrients and will help in stopping diarrhea.
Some other information related to celery that you need to know is that it is 95% water. This means all water must be removed, so a higher-than-usual urine flow is expected.
You can try giving celery to your rabbit later. But, if it gets messy or doesn’t work out, you can combine it with other foods like green leafy vegetables.
You may want to consider connecting them with others. Celery can be paired with lettuce, Swiss chard, carrot, or apple slices.
Mix them in each of the foods mentioned above until you find the combination your pet loves the most.
How do you know which combination you like? Pay close attention to the amount of sounds it makes. If they are happy, they will definitely prove it!
Nutritional Facts – 6 Reasons Why Rabbits Need To Be Fed Celery
Celery is rich in nutrients, and you can get a clear picture of it by looking at the nutritional facts of celery. These are per 100 grams of celery.
| Nutrient Fact | Nutrient Fact | Nutrient Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Calories – 16.2 | Carbohydrates – 3.5 grams | Dietary Fiber – 1.6 grams |
| Protein – 0.7 gram | Fat – 0.2 gram | Vitamin B6 – 0.1 mg |
| Vitamin K – 29.6 mcg | Riboflavin – 0.1 mg | Vitamin C – 3.1 mg |
| Folate – 36.5 mcg | Potassium – 263 mg | Manganese – 0.1 mg |
| Calcium – 40.4 mg | Magnesium – 1 mg |
6 Nutrient Gains Of Feeding Celery To Rabbits:
Celery being rich in nutrients, your pet rabbit can severely benefit from it. Here are some examples of how your pet rabbit can benefit from eating celery.
1) Vitamin A:
Vitamin A removes oxygen species. It keeps the mucous membranes such as the skin, throat, and digestive tract healthy.
2) Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant nutrient. It makes the immune system strong so that it is less susceptible to infections and other diseases.
3) Vitamin B6:
B vitamins increase metabolism, which helps in recovery from fatigue and increased strength.
4) Potassium:
Potassium removes excess salt from the body. It helps to keep kidney function normal and regulates blood pressure.
The aroma component of celery, aviary oil, increases appetite and helps in reducing stress.
5) Fiber:
Celery is also rich in fiber, which is essential for rabbits and other herbivores.
Rabbits being herbivorous, high fiber intake helps in the movement of the intestines and speeds up digestion. It also prevents hairball disease, which is a common cause of irritation and discomfort in rabbits.
6) High-Water Content:
Celery is composed of high-water content and very low calories, making it a natural food for rabbits who are the first to graze in the grass.
Eating a lot of celery will cause diarrhea if you feed it to a rabbit that mainly eats prepared rabbit foods.
All these benefits can be tempting, but make sure not to over-feed celery to your rabbit. Overfeeding celery to your rabbit can lead to certain health complications. For other nutrient-rich foods, you can try bananas, watermelon, and green beans.
7 Steps To Ensure Your Pet’s Safety While Feeding Celery
- The most important thing to keep in your mind is to cut the celery into small pieces.
- Mark the pieces in half to 1-inch pieces, depending on the size of your rabbit. In this way, the long strands of celery are cut, and there is no danger of choking.
- Additionally, remember to give your bunny a small amount of celery a day.
- Rabbits require constant access to fresh hay, and many interesting foods can be obtained along the way by consuming hay daily.
- Feed celery slowly to your rabbit and allow it to explore new flavors and textures. Do not force your rabbit to eat something they don’t want to eat.
- Also, make sure your rabbit has a positive reaction to celery.
- Check if your rabbit’s stool is loose or see any changes in its behavior. In case of any changes, stop with celery immediately and make sure your rabbit is as healthy as possible.
Never Over-Feed Celery To Your Rabbits – 2 Digestive Complications
Feeding too much celery does not lead to any side effects generally.
However, if your rabbit eats more than the recommended one, which is half of the stock per day, it means that he is not eating much hay.
Keep at least 75% of your rabbit’s diet from hay. If your rabbit is given other foods, it will reduce this important food item.
Stomach-related problems with high celery include:
- Loose stools
- Severe diarrhea.
If this happens, loosen the celery for a few days and give your rabbit plenty of fresh, clean hay and plenty of fresh, clean water.
Rabbits have a very sensitive digestive system. In case you plan on serving celery for the first time, feed it slowly with a few nibbles one by one.
4 Disadvantages Of Feeding Celery – The Best Way To Avoid Such Hazards
Although celery is considered safe for rabbits, there are some negative aspects you should keep in mind.
The most dangerous of these are celery strings (yes, celery strings are hazardous).
The strings can get stuck in its stomach and cause it to block (which may seem small, but dangerous to rabbits) and can also get stuck in rabbits’ teeth and lead to infection.
It is recommended to cut any celery before you feed it to your rabbit. This will prevent the celery fibers from getting caught (one-inch sections generally work).
Another disadvantage of celery is that it causes stomach discomfort. As the rabbits are natural foragers, many people think they can eat almost anything. But it is not entirely true.
The stomach of a rabbit is very delicate and can get upset easily (with fresh foods, more vegetables, more sugar, etc.).
A great way to avoid this is to feed them fresh foods (particularly vegetables) very slowly and in tiny pieces.
Watch carefully if you see soft or watery stool, it means their stomach is not happy.
Finally, the last con is the sugar in the celery. Humans think of celery as healthy food (and underestimate its sugar content). However, for rabbits, it is too much sugar (for what they need). It should be considered a treat rather than a daily meal.
Generally, it is recommended to feed your rabbit ½ a celery stick daily and not more than that.
5 Healthy Alternatives Of Celery For Rabbits
Does your long-eared friend dislike eating celery? Are you on the lookout for other vegetables to try?
Here are some alternatives you can try instead of celery.
- Carrot tops
- Radicchio
- Lettuce
- Brussels sprouts
- Oranges
What Can Rabbits Eat, People Ask? – Foods To Bring Variety To Your Pet’s Diet
It is really important to know what foods you can feed your rabbit and what you cannot.
They rely on you to feed them with nutritious food and keep their little tummy healthy.
While most people when imagining an eating rabbit, imagine it enjoying only fresh veggies.
It is a common belief that pet rabbits can survive on a salad diet.
Rabbits really need a balanced diet consisting of many components, with vegies mark up a small portion of their diet as a whole.
But the question people ask is, can rabbits eat, cucumber, watermelon, spinach, and can they eat lettuce?
1) Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber?
Yes, there is no harm for rabbits to eat a cucumber! Most rabbits like fresh flavor.
They also like to eat cucumber leaves.
Prior to feeding a cucumber to your rabbit, you must wash it with cold water in order to remove the pesticides. If it’s possible, select organically grown cucumbers.
Give your rabbit only a few small cucumber pieces at a time.
Health Benefits Of Cucumber:
- It is composed of 95% water.
- Feeding your bunny, a cucumber is a great way to help decrease dehydration, especially in summers or if your rabbit is not drinking enough water.
- Cucumbers are low in kilojoules and are a great treat for rabbits as they are obese.
- The healthy part of cucumber is the skin because it is high in fiber.
- Else, they have no such nutritional advantage.
Risks Of Feeding Cucumber To Your Rabbit:
Cucumber is naturally low in terms of nutrients. Hence, eating it frequently replenishes your rabbit without providing a significant amount of nutritional value.
Due to the high water content, cucumber can cause diarrhea in your rabbit.
If your rabbit produces loose cecotropes (the type of stool which the rabbits eat), then they are very difficult to ingest.
Rabbits depend on eating cecotropes to get more nutrients, such as vitamin B. Hence, diarrhea will result in malnutrition.
“Feed your rabbit only a small amount of cucumber at a time. If gas or diarrhea occurs after consuming cucumber, do not give it to your rabbit anymore.”
2) Can Rabbits Eat Watermelon Safely?
The answer is Yes, for adult rabbits, it is safe to eat small amounts of watermelon. Most rabbits love the sweet and fresh taste.
But always remember, never give fruit to baby rabbits.
Watermelon can be served as a treat once or twice a week. Each serving should not exceed one tablespoon. The less the better!
Try to feed them ripe watermelon. It is safer to treat them with unripe watermelon than dried ones.
Rabbits can eat watermelon peel. This is actually healthier for your rabbit than eating the flesh. Be sure to cut it into small pieces as it is very hard.
Rabbits cannot digest the seeds of a watermelon. Always cut the watermelon into pieces and remove the seeds. If you can, buy a watermelon without seeds.
Health Benefits Of Watermelon:
Watermelon is high in water and can help keep your rabbit hydrated on hot days.
It is rich in vitamins A, C, magnesium, and choline. Colin helps improve the sleep and muscle movement of your rabbits.
The rind is the healthiest part of the watermelon as it is high in fiber and low in sugar.
Risks Of Feeding Watermelon:
Watermelon consists of high levels of sugar. Rabbits cannot break these sugars on their own naturally.
Small amounts are fine, too much sugar can lead to an upset stomach and diarrhea.
The seeds can block the guts of your rabbits. They cannot chew or throw them up properly. Remember, always remove the seeds!
Like humans, rabbits regularly feed on sugar to make sweet tooth. If you feed them sweet fruits every day, they may start to deny the necessary foods like hay or pellets.
Watermelon juice is also sticky. If the juice gets on your rabbit’s fur, it will stick together. You have to give it a bath or, at the very least, clean its hair.
Always feed your bunny bit-sized pieces and do check its fur after he is done eating.
3) Can Rabbits Have Spinach In Their Diets?
Yes, they would love to eat! It is healthy for you and your rabbit. You can buy yourself a large bunch and share the rest with your pet.
Give your rabbit fresh spinach. Never give spoiled one (wilted, stinky, and slimy). This can cause your rabbit to have a bacterial infection.
Try to feed your rabbit raw spinach. Never feed them cooked one. Rabbits are unable to properly digest cooked food.
Wash the spinach thoroughly prior to feeding it to your rabbit. This will clean off the dirt and harmful pesticides.
Rabbits are very sensitive to chemicals.
Organic spinach would be a great choice for your pet rabbit. It has low exposure to pesticides and is high in nutrients.
If it is a new food for your rabbit, introduce it slowly to reduce diarrhea or digestive disorders.
Feed it a small portion, wait 24 hours and look if it passes soft stool.
If so, do not feed it the spinach regularly. If not, give the lowest amount for 2-3 weeks. After that, you can feed it normally.
Health Benefits Of Spinach:
Spinach is known as a superfood! Spanish is rich in essential vitamins and minerals that will benefit you and your friend with long ears.
It consists of Vitamin A, which is of significant importance for the healthy growth of the rabbit.
Spanish is an excellent source of vitamins C, E, and K and minerals such as calcium, iron, folic acid, magnesium, and potassium.
The Stems and stalks of spinach are its healthy parts. They are high in fiber.
The leaves of spinach are also full of nutrition. The roots are very high in sugar (because the spinach plant stores its energy in the roots) so it is better not to feed it to your rabbit.
For a potentially healthy bunny, give it a balanced diet with lots of fresh and leafy veggies.
Healthy veggies are broccoli, celery, carrot tops, and dark leafy lettuce. They also enjoy parsley, oregano, coriander, basil, dill, and mint.
Risks Of Feeding Spinach:
Spinach should be given to your rabbit in a moderate amount. It is good to eat spinach once a week, but not more than twice a week.
Spinach should be considered a part of a well-rounded diet with a diversity of freshly produced, grass hay and pellets. Variety is a must.
Your rabbit will get sick if you feed it too much spinach.
Spinach has a high concentration of oxalic acid. It is a naturally occurring toxin that is good in small amounts. But, if eaten too much, then it will bind the minerals together, and they won’t be soluble. These include magnesium and calcium.
It can cause skin, urinary tract problems, and life-threatening bladder stones.
Spinach is also high in calcium. Too much calcium can lead to kidney problems.
Do not stop feeding your rabbit spinach due to these risks! Making spinach a part of your rabbits’ diet is sure to have health benefits. Make sure you give it to them in moderation.
4) Is It A Good Idea To Feed Rabbits Lettuce?
Yes, rabbits can eat lettuce. However, a rabbit’s diet should never revolve around greens in the first place.
Any lettuce that you feed your rabbit should be given in a moderate amount as a kind of a vegetable intake. Too much lettuce can cause digestive problems and overall health problems for your rabbit.
However, some lettuces are better than others.
Yes, you read correctly. There are over 5 different types of lettuce.
One thing you have to keep in mind here is that you should not feed your pet rabbit light-colored and watery lettuce like iceberg lettuce.
The nutritional value of iceberg lettuce is very low. This means your rabbit may feel full, but will not get the nutrients or kilojoules which are essential for it.
Iceberg lettuce usually leads to diarrhea in rabbits, which, if worse, is dangerous.
Some vets also say that iceberg lettuces are dangerous to rabbits when consumed in large quantities. It consists of a compound named lactucarium.
Which is a milky liquid secreted from the stems of lettuce. Some people argue that lactucarium can have an effect like a sedative on your rabbit and can cause other health problems.
Dark and leafy greens can be fed to your pet rabbit. These include cos romaine, loose-leaf, and butterhead lettuce. These have high nutritional value including vitamins A, C, K, and fiber.
They can enjoy eating dark, leafy salad greens like rocket or lettuce as well.
The Secret To Feeding Rabbits – Keep Your Pet Bunny Healthy With These!
Rabbits like to eat leafy greens, and there are many foods that will give your pet rabbit more nutrition than lettuce.
The diet of a rabbit should be mostly based on grass. Provide your pet rabbit with an unlimited supply of fresh hay (including Timothy hay). This will help your rabbit’s digestive health and wear down its teeth.
Feed your pet rabbits one cup of vegetables each day, depending on the size and bodyweight of the rabbit.
It is better to add an assortment of vegetables (including lettuce). This will provide your bunny with a variety of nutrients and assorted flavors to enjoy.
Best Veggies For Rabbits:
The best veggies for your long-eared friend are:
- Bok choy
- Basil
- Celery
- Capsicum
- Carrot tops
- Brussels sprouts
- Broccoli
- Parsley
Always feed him raw, uncooked vegetables to your rabbit and not the ones that are cooked.
Whether or not to feed your rabbit kale is widely discussed (and not determined by many). Some believe that kale is high in oxalic acid. It is naturally produced by plants as a poison.
Regularly eating small amounts of high-quality and fibrous pellets is also healthy for your pet rabbit.
You can occasionally give fruit to your pet rabbit as a treat. Keep in mind that fruit should not be given on a daily basis as it has high sugar content. Rabbits prefer strawberries, bananas, and apples (be careful to remove seeds!).
Always provide a source of clean water for your pet rabbit.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) When To Stop Feeding Celery To Your Rabbit?
If your rabbit suffers from diarrhea, you should stop feeding him vegetables or fruits that deviate from its traditional hay diet.
Vegetables that are served differently to your rabbits are always good for it, but you should measure what feels good or bad to your rabbit depending on how it looks.
2) What Part Of The Celery Can Rabbits Eat?
Can rabbits eat celery? Sure. They can. But what part do they like the most?
Technically, rabbits can eat all parts of celery, but the best parts they love are the leaves.
These do not cause choking and do not have long strands as contained by celery sticks.
If you want to feed your rabbit a celery stick, make sure it does not eat more than half a stick a day.
Additionally, you can cut the celery into half-inch pieces to avoid any choking.
3) What Not To Feed Your Rabbits?
Never feed your pet rabbit chili, potatoes, onions, coconut, or cabbage.
If in doubt as to whether or not you can feed your pet rabbit something, do not.
Rabbits will eat anything offered to them, so you have to decide what is and what is not good for your bunny.
Conclusion:
So far, we have seen that celery is a healthy and interesting treat for rabbits. Celery contains antioxidants, anti-inflammatory substances, and vitamins. This makes it a wonderful addition to a well-balanced diet.
Your rabbit can get a well-balanced diet from special mixes prepared for them. Make sure there is no dried fruit in the mixture as it can lead to too much sugar and obesity.
Most rabbits prefer celery. They like to scrape off the crushed vegetable. It is a tasty treat that naturally helps to file your rabbit teeth, while also providing a mix of essential vitamins.
Be sure to stick with the recommended serving amount of one and a half celery sticks per day.
