Yes, it is safe for rabbits to eat cucumber! Most rabbits will love the fresh taste. Rabbits can also eat cucumber leaves. Before feeding cucumber to your rabbit, wash it in cold water to remove pesticides.
Aim to give your rabbit one serving of cucumber 2-3 times per week. One small slice, a few millimeters thick, is enough for one serving. Any more than that and you may start to see health impacts, such as diarrhea. No matter what new food you're introducing into your rabbit's diet, it must be done slowly.
Even though you may consider them a salad vegetable, you should treat cucumbers as fruit when it comes to planning your rabbit's meals. Cucumbers should only be included as an occasional snack for your rabbit. The general guideline is that fruit should make up no more than 5% of what your bunny eats every week.
What can rabbits not eat? These foods are poisonous for your rabbit and could make her ill: Potatoes, daffodils, tulips, rhubarb, lillies, mushrooms, avocado, broad beans, sweet peas, buttercup, kidney beans, jasmine, foxglove and iceberg lettuce.
Cucumber is also naturally fat-free and low-calorie, making it a great option for your bunny's healthy diet. Half a cup of sliced cucumber boasts just 10 calories. Since pet rabbits are generally prone to obesity, feeding fresh vegetables and leafy greens as the bulk of your bunny's diet is recommended.
Particularly good vegetables include the dark leafy greens like romaine lettuce, bok choy, mustard greens, carrot tops, cilantro, watercress, basil, kohlrabi, beet greens, broccoli greens, and cilantro.
Do NOT feed the following: cereals, grains, nuts, seeds, corn, beans, peas, breads, biscuits, sweets, sugar, breakfast cereals, chocolate or any garden plants that are toxic to rabbits (see links below).
Can rabbits eat tomatoes as an occasional treat? Yes, but there are a couple things you should know first. Tomatoes do have some health benefits (they're a great source of vitamins A and C) — but they're also high in sugar. As a result, as with all fruits and vegetables, a small amount is key.
Likewise buttercups, foxgloves, primrose, delphiniums/larkspur, columbine (aquilegia) hellebore, comfrey, poppy, periwinkle, monkshood, nightshade, ivy, privet, holly and yew are all reasonably common garden plants and all are toxic.
Rabbits eating a diet that is too high in carbohydrates (typically pellets) are prone to developing intestinal problems because they are not consuming adequate fiber (grass hay).
Apples and pears are the most notorious examples, but the pits from apricots, peaches, plums, and mangos also contain cyanide, as do cherry pits. While the amount of cyanide contained in fruit seeds and pits is generally scant, it is best to avoid feeding them to rabbits altogether.
Do not give broccoli to rabbits. It will give them painful gas. Never give your rabbit kale or spinach. Kale and spinach can cause health problems over time, due to the high amount of oxalates and goitrogens.
Rabbits should not be given more than 2 tablespoons of banana per 5 pounds of their body weight, 2-3 times a week. As a general rule, you should never feed a rabbit a piece of banana that's larger than the size of your thumb.
Carrots and fruit are high in sugar and should only be fed in small amounts as occasional treats. Rabbits need mainly hay and/or grass, some leafy greens and a small, measured amount of pellets. See our rabbit meal planner.
Celery is very healthy for your rabbit. It is a good source of various vitamins and minerals including vitamins B, C and potassium. The indigestible fibre in celery will help keep your rabbit's digestion healthy and regular. Eating celery can also keep your rabbit hydrated.
Grapes aren't toxic to rabbits, and you can feed them to your rabbit occasionally. “Grapes contain a small amount of fiber, B vitamins and vitamin K, which may be beneficial to rabbits,” Dr. Burch told The Dodo. The fiber and water content of grapes can help your rabbit's digestion.
Fruit For Rabbits
As long as the you remove the peel, feeding oranges to your rabbits are healthy for them in moderation so you can give this to them as an occasional treat. Orange colored fruits have a lot of healthy benefits. Oranges contain the fiber pectin, which helps to eliminate any toxins in the colon.
Cereals that are acceptable for rabbit use do not contain any added sugar and are higher in fiber. These include Rolled Oats, Bran Flakes, Cornflakes, Rice Krispies, Shredded Wheat, and Weetabix. However, just because these cereals are safe for rabbit consumption, they're not necessarily good for them.
Feed your rabbits a small amount of good quality pellets or nuggets daily. Give them the right amount - measure 25g (an eggcup-full) of pellets per kg of your rabbit's body weight.
While it is largely assumed that rabbits need only carrots and lettuce to survive, this simply isn't true. As with any other animal, rabbits need a whole rounded diet that includes various nutrients, such as lettuce and carrots.
Rabbits enjoy all kinds of cabbage, including cavolo nero and savoy cabbage. Spring greens, Bok Choy, and even red cabbages are all fine for your bunny. However, you should bear in mind that all the vegetables that come from the brassica family can cause gas and bloating.
Apple skin is the most nutritious part of an apple for rabbits. Most of the fiber and antioxidants in apples are found in their skin. Just be sure to wash your apples thoroughly to remove any pesticides and chemicals before feeding them to your rabbits.