Can rabbits eat microgreens? Yes, in fact, feeding rabbits microgreens helps maintain good health. But knowing how to choose microgreens with the best nutrition offer the best health benefits And knowing which to avoid feeding is critical, too.

Best Microgreens for Rabbits: Keeping Your Pet Healthy

Providing microgreens for rabbits can keep your pet healthy. However, not all microgreens are beneficial to your bunny. Some of them can be dangerous. This blog post will teach you the best microgreens for your furry friend. You will also discover the benefits of sprouts for rabbits. Keep reading to learn more!

Rabbit’s Recap: Key Insights

• Microgreens: Nutrient-rich rabbit supplement, but choose wisely and moderate intake.
• Select: Cilantro and radicchio for antioxidants; avoid iceberg lettuce and rhubarb due to toxicity.
• Sprouts: Beneficial for variety and essential nutrients like protein and calcium.

Introducing Microgreens

When you first start feeding rabbits microgreens, offer just a few as a supplement to the rabbit’s main diet. This helps ensure proper digestion and avoid serious digestive problems such as diarrhea.

You should also begin with the milder microgreens such as romaine lettuce and broccoli sprouts. Dandelion greens and mustard greens are also good for first additions to your rabbit’s diet.

Keep in mind when feeding microgreens for rabbits that these contain more concentrated nutrients than most mature vegetables. A little amount of microgreens goes a long way in raising healthy rabbits.

We usually make a blend of leafy greens, radish, and basil or other mild herb. Since we grow our own microgreens, we can choose the blend that we feed. This allows us to target the nutritional benefits that we believe our rabbits need.

Cilantro

Fresh Cilantro is one of the suitable microgreens for rabbits. Rabbits eat cilantro as it contains potassium, iron, and vitamins. Aside from that, it also has antioxidant properties that can protect the tissues of your pet. If your bunny has high blood sugar levels, feeding it with cilantro can help lower its blood sugar. Moreover, this microgreen can reduce inflammation in a bunny after an injury.

Although cilantro is nutritious, you have to give it in moderation. For a small bunny, you can give only half a handful. But for larger bunnies, provide them with at least a handful of microgreens. You don’t have to provide your pet with cilantro every day. Stimulate your pet’s appetite by adding variation to its diet. 

Before giving the cilantro to your pet, wash it first to remove the dirt and pesticides. Don’t forget to remove wilted leaves since they can harm your pet. Feeding the stems and leaves to your bunny is fine, but you should never give the roots. Don’t worry if your pet doesn’t like to eat cilantro. Some rabbits may love its strong taste. However, a few may not like it.

Radicchio

Other suitable microgreens for rabbits are radicchios. Antioxidants called anthocyanins give their red color. The antioxidants improve intestinal health and repair cell damage. In addition, this microgreen consists of compounds that can fight infections.

However, you should give radicchio to your bunny in moderation since it is high in oxalates. They are compounds found in plants responsible for binding calcium and other minerals. Excessive oxalates can result in kidney stones. Thus, you must take precautions when feeding this microgreen to your pet.

If you want to add radicchio to your pet’s diet, give it in small amounts. Once your bunny suffers from watery stools, stop giving the microgreen to your pet. Increase the radicchio gradually if it doesn’t show any digestive problems. Surprisingly, most bunnies love this veggie despite its bitter taste.

Celery

Because of its sweet taste and crunchy textures, rabbits love to eat celery. Fortunately, it is one of the best microgreens for rabbits. This microgreen is rich in potassium and vitamins. Since it has an indigestible fiber, it can improve your pet’s digestion. The water content of the veggie is also enough to keep your pet hydrated.

But like with other microgreens, celery must be given in moderation. It is because excessive celery in your bunny’s diet may result in diarrhea and an upset stomach. Since celery is fibrous, it may get stuck in your pet’s teeth. You must watch out that the long strands from the veggie won’t get caught in your rabbit’s throat.

Most importantly, cut the celery into small pieces to prevent your pet from getting choked. Each piece must be at least half to one inch, depending on the bunny’s size. You can limit your pet’s intake to half a stick per day. Despite its sweet taste, a few rabbits may not want it. If your pet doesn’t like celery, choose other microgreens or sprouts for rabbits.

Arugula

Is it safe for your bunny to consume arugula? Absolutely! It is a microgreen that contains vitamins. It also consists of other minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium. Thus, the microgreen can arugula can develop your pet’s teeth and bones. It also regulates the processes in the bunny’s digestive system.

As a warning, feeding your pet too much arugula can lead to bloating and diarrhea. Unfortunately, your bunny can suffer from kidney stones and kidney failure. It is because arugula has a high oxalic content. You must prevent combining it with other vegetables like bok choy, kale, and lettuce.

Fortunately, any part of the arugula plant is safe for your pet. However, don’t forget to wash it to get rid of dirt. The ideal portion that you can give to your bunny is 100 grams to 200 grams a week. Moreover, ensure that your furry pet is more than seven months old. Adult bunnies have less sensitive digestion than younger ones.

Basil

Do you have a basil plant in your garden? The good news is that you can give it as a treat for your pet. A basil plant consists of vitamins C, A, and K. Calcium, folate, magnesium, and potassium are also present. This microgreen benefits bunnies since it prevents cell damage and reduces cancer risk. Plus, it has anti-inflammatory properties that can help your bunny fight diseases.

Unless you don’t give too much basil to your pet, it won’t experience any problems. The recommended quantity of the herb for an adult rabbit is two stems or ¼ cup of basil leaves. You must feed it to your bunny at least once or twice a week. Because of their sensitive digestion, you should never give young bunnies basil.

Radish Microgreens

Our pet rabbits eat microgreens of many types and radish microgreens are a favorite. Like the other types, they contain important nutrients including vitamin B6 and folate. Rabbits seem to enjoy the milder flavor of microgreen radish.

Mint

Besides its tastiness, mint is also one of the best microgreens for rabbits. Mint leaves can provide calcium, potassium, folate, and vitamins. Once you feed your bunny with this herb, you can expect it to have healthy bones and teeth. Aside from that, it will have good eyesight, muscles and nerves functioning properly. 

Since mints have different varieties, ensure that you feed your bunny with edible ones. Pennyroyals, a member of the mint family, must not be provided to rabbits. They have a chemical compound called pulegone that can damage your pet’s liver. You must also avoid giving spearmint since it can inhibit testosterone production. 

Despite mint’s nutrients, you must give it in moderation. Feeding your pet excessive mint leaves can upset its stomach. Aside from that, your rabbit may also suffer from dental problems. Except for its roots, you can give your bunny all parts of the mint plant.

Other Microgreens for Rabbits

Microgreens are beneficial to rabbits because of their nutrients. However, they must be given in moderation since they may upset the bunny’s stomach. Microgreens that have oxalic content must be provided with precaution. Besides the microgreens mentioned above, here are the other microgreens for rabbits:

Microgreens for Rabbits You Should Avoid

All microgreens are packed with nutrients. But not all of them are beneficial to rabbits. In fact, some microgreens can be deadly if consumed by your pet. As much as possible, only feed veggies recommended by the vet. To give you an idea, below are some of the microgreens for rabbits you should avoid:

Iceberg Lettuce

Iceberg lettuce is one of the microgreens that you should never give to your pet. This variety of lettuce contains a chemical that can harm your pet’s health. Plus, iceberg lettuce consists primarily of water and with little nutritional value. Compared to other varieties, it is light-colored.

Rhubarb

Due to its tartiness, rhubarb is usually seen in pies and desserts. Hence, it may seem like a harmless microgreen. However, this plant can be toxic to your pet. Bunnies cannot consume rhubarb because it is high in oxalic acid.  It can cause kidney stones and bladder problems. A rabbit can also be allergic to the herb. Thus, it may lose consciousness, vomit, or have trouble breathing.

Onion

As we know, onions are fast and easy to grow. But they are unsuitable microgreens for rabbits. Any member of the onion family is toxic to your bunny. Aside from causing hemolytic anemia, they can also result in shock. Your bunny may also get dizzy since onions suppress the immune system. Therefore, don’t give treats that have onions.

Sprouts for Rabbits

Besides microgreens, you can also provide sprouts for rabbits. Microgreens differ from sprouts because they grow in soil. In contrast, sprouts germinate in water. It also takes one to three weeks for microgreens to grow. However, sprouts can only take days. You can also feed the leaves of the microgreens to your pet. Meanwhile, bunnies feed on the stems and seeds of the sprouts.

As herbivores, bunnies love to munch some sprouts. They don’t only add variety to a bunny’s diet, but they are also highly nutritious. Most sprouts are rich in protein, boosting the metabolic processes of the bunny. Moreover, they are a great source of energy and calcium. They can also develop the bunny’s digestion. 

Safe sprouts for rabbits are flaxseeds, chia seeds, sunflower, squash, and melon seeds. Flaxseeds help the bunny’s growth, while chia seeds improve digestion. On the other hand, sunflower seeds are good energy sources during cold weather. Melon and squash seeds are also safe sprouts for your pet. 

Flax microgreens are a good choice for rabbits if you want to provide them with polyunsaturated fatty acids. Flax seeds are known for their high content of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is a type of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid. When these seeds are sprouted into microgreens, they can be a nutritious addition to a rabbit’s diet, offering them essential fatty acids and other essential nutrients. However, always consult with a veterinarian or a knowledgeable expert to ensure you’re providing a well-balanced diet for your rabbits. Check the video below to learn how to give your bunny sprouts.

CAUTIONS REGARDING MICROGREENS

Whether you purchase your microgreens at a farm or grocery, or grow them yourself, keeping your rabbits safe should be a priority. Sprouts and microgreens are very nutritious, thus benefiting your rabbit’s diet.

However, those concentrated nutritious microgreens and sprouts can also grow harmful bacteria and fungus quite quickly. Make sure everything you use to grow and store your microgreens is very clean. We disinfect everything between the sprouting process. If our equipment has been idle for more than a couple of days, I’ll disinfect again, just to be certain. Our rabbit’s health is important!

Growing to microgreens after the sprouting process reduces the chance of harmful bacteria, fungus, and mold, but it does not eliminate it. If you intend to incorporate microgreens or sprouts into your rabbit’s diet, please make sure that your rabbit eats only the best and healthiest microgreens.

Bunny’s Buffet: Wrapping Up Our Microgreens Guide

We’ve covered the various microgreens that are suitable for our furry friends, highlighting their nutritional benefits and potential side effects if overindulged. By introducing microgreens to our rabbits’ diets, we’ve aimed to promote their overall health and well-being.

Remember, moderation is key, and it’s essential to ensure that our rabbits eat only the freshest and healthiest microgreens. So why not treat your pet rabbit to some delicious microgreens today? Your bunny will thank you for it with a hop and a nibble!

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