Rabbits Are Strict Herbivores
Bunnies aren’t herbivores by choice, they are herbivores by necessity!
That’s right, a rabbit’s digestive system has evolved alongside an herbaceous diet for so long that any non-plant derived proteins or nutrients can seriously disrupt their system.
The most common result of eating indigestible foods is GI stasis, which is deadly in many cases, especially for young rabbits.
Rabbits Require High Fiber Foods
Rabbits have one of the most unique dietary requirements of any small mammal. They require high amounts of high fiber foodstuff, so much so that offering your rabbits unlimited amounts of high quality hay is one of the best ways to tend to their dietary needs; rabbits require up to 80% of their daily diet to be fibrous hay!
That said, bunnies do benefit from certain dietary supplements such as rabbit pellets, and rabbit-safe fruits, veggies, and herbs.
But never feed your bunny more than 1 teaspoon of treats per 2lbs of their weight per day, as this would result in an upset digestive system due to the higher amounts of natural sugars (and usually low fibers) present in many fresh veggies, fruits, and herbs.
Rabbits’ Digestive Systems Are Sensitive
Rabbits are known for their digestive sensitivity, especially when it comes to sugary foods, low fiber foods, or toxic foods.
You will know your rabbit is suffering from an upset or backed up digestive system if they exhibit:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Lack of appetite
- Bloating
Worse yet is that rabbits cannot throw up or burp! Which makes it incredibly hard to purge themselves from an ingested toxin or release excess gas, and even worse, is why any indigestion or digestional issues for rabbits can lead to death!
What Can Rabbits Eat Daily
Okay, so knowing that rabbits are strict herbivores, require lots of high fiber foods, and have extremely sensitive digestive systems doesn’t leave much room for creativity when it comes to feeding your rabbits, does it?
Not at all! You can still offer your rabbit a diverse and exciting diet while keeping them happy and healthy. For example, a large number of garden fresh veggies, herbs and fruits are a-okay for rabbits to nibble on.
The key here is how much and how often you offer these foods to your bunnies. Read more about this on our post What Can Rabbits Eat.
Food Rabbits Can Eat Everyday
The following foodstuffs are completely safe for your rabbits to enjoy daily:
- Hay
- Rabbit Pellets
- Garden fresh herbs in small amounts
- Garden fresh vegetables in small amounts
Food Rabbits Can Eat Weekly
Any sweet treat or complex herb (strong aromatics or strong antimicrobials) should only be offered on a weekly basis to your bunnies.
Offering fruits and strong, aromatic herbs everyday to your rabbits may result in a negative reaction, as their bodily system will naturally become disrupted and out of balance due to excess ingestion of these foods.
What Food Should Rabbits Not Eat
Any food that us humans enjoy that is cooked in any way, pickled, canned, dried, heavy in grains or cereals, or processed in any way should NEVER be offered to your rabbits.
- Rabbit cannot properly break down cooked or heat altered foods because of the naturally chemical changes that occur in the foodstuff due to heat. Your bunny will suffer serious indigestion from cooked foods.
- Pickled and canned foods either contain too much vinegar or too much sugar for your rabbits, plus canned foods are also heat altered!
- Dried foods contain 0% water and can be harder for your rabbit to digest. While some dried fruit can be enjoyed (such as raisins), we don’t suggest making a habit of it.
- Rabbits cannot properly metabolize many grains. As such, grain or gluten products are not ideal for your rabbits and can pose a serious threat to their sensitive digestive systems. Keep crackers, breads, and other grain-heavy human foods away from your bunnies!
- Many human foods nowadays are processed, meaning they have added ingredients that enhance flavor and shelf-life. Do not feed processed foods to your rabbits! Their bodily systems will not be able to break this food down and they can die from the internal stress it causes.
What Food Kills Rabbits
There are some food items that we humans can eat without issues, but that if ingested by a rabbit, would surely cause death. The three most notable are:
- Avocados – contain the chemical persin, which doesn’t harm humans but it toxic to rabbits.
- Meat – rabbits cannot properly digest animal proteins.
- Cheese – rabbits cannot properly digest dairy protiens.
- Mushrooms – the fungal and potentially toxic nature of mushroom makes them dangerous for bunnies to ingest.
Learn more about persin poisoning from avocados, just why meat and cheese can cause serious stomach issues, and why mushrooms must never be offered to rabbits in the links provided.
What Foods Are Poisonous To Rabbits
When it comes to listing foods that are poisonous to rabbits, you must think about those which are naturally indigestible as well as those which contain toxic compounds.
The following list includes both types of food; feel free to search any of these in our site search box to learn more about these poisonous foods for rabbits:
- Lilies
- Marigolds
- Onions
- Apple Seeds
- Peach pits
- Dog food
- Parsnip tops
- Many types of beans
- Chives
- Garlic
- Corn
- Cat food
- Rhubarb
- Unripe pineapple
- Potato vine
- Chicken feed
Frequently Asked Question Related To What Human Food Can Rabbits Not Eat
What Is The Most Common Cause Of Death For Rabbits?
A study done on the most common causes of pet rabbit death listed neoplasia (abnormal tissue growth) and gastrointestinal disease as the top two rabbit killers, with gastrointestinal disease being the leading cause in rabbits 4 years or younger.
This video covers some basic foods that are toxic to bunnies, give it a quick look if you will!
Final Thoughts On What Human Foods Rabbits Can’t Eat
The big takeaway from this is that even though you may find some food item to be delicious and/or nutritious for your human body, it is not always so for a rabbit’s body.
So always do your research before offering your bunny new foods, and don’t ever be too shy to call and chat with your local vet either!