The first year we had rabbits at our hobby farm was 2006. My daughter Olivia, then nine years old, was the primary caretaker for our rabbits. She and I spent many hours caring for our meat rabbits and I answered many of her questions about what to feed and what not to feed bunnies.
One day she asked ‘Can bunnies eat corn?’
I told her that No, neither adult rabbits nor baby bunnies should eat corn. As a staple food for rabbits, corn is too sweet and too starchy for rabbits’ sensitive digestive systems. Further, rabbits are not able to digest all parts of the corn kernel. Eating corn is very risky for rabbits.
To be clear, your rabbit will eat corn. It is generally sweet tasting. But, that does not mean that corn is good for your rabbit. Rabbits do not manage their eating very well and they will overeat and eat items that are not necessarily healthy (just like me when I eat too many chocolate chip cookies!).
Now what about corn in the forms of: sweet corn, dried corn, cracked corn, canned corn, popcorn, corn on the cob, corn plants, corn husks, corn leaves, corn stalks, corn silk, corn kernels, sweet feed, and even corn chips? No worries, we address these forms of corn below.
I admit, learning that corn is not healthy for rabbits was a bit surprising!
Now that you know that rabbits generally should not eat corn, here are some important related points of interest about rabbits eating corn.
This Healthline article illustrates corns nutritional value. Corn is high in carbs and packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals but it is also relatively low in protein and fat.
One cup (164 grams) of sweet yellow corn contains (5):
- Calories: 177 calories
- Carbs: 41 grams
- Protein: 5.4 grams
- Fat: 2.1 grams
- Fiber: 4.6 grams
- Vitamin C: 17% of the daily value (DV)
- Thiamine (vitamin B1): 24% of the DV
- Folate (vitamin B9): 19% of the DV
- Magnesium: 11% of the DV
- Potassium: 10% of the DV
Further, the same Healthline article noted that corn is very high in lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and Zeaxanthin are carotenoids that may help prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
These many vitamins and nutrients make corn a good option for humans, but the starch and sugar content, as well as undigestable parts of this food make it a no-go for your bunnies.
What About Pesticides and Herbicides in Corn?
This Harvard University article discusses the presence of pesticides in foods such as corn. It notes that pesticides are used throughout large farms in the United States and most of the world to increase crop yields.
However, because of their widespread use, a low level of pesticides is found in many of our foods. Even at low levels, the long-term exposure to pesticides is not good. Studies have linked pesticides to a number of chronic health conditions such as cancer and various neurological illnesses including increases infertility in women and developmental problems in children.
Further, this WebMD article notes that herbicides, such as glyphosate found in Roundup, are widely used in the United States and many countries. More and more studies are finding that glyphosate and other herbicides are in our food. Low dose, long term exposure to glyphosate may lead to increased risk for cancer, as well as liver and kidney damage.
Should I Wash Food For My Rabbits?
Yes, always wash foods to remove as much pesticide and herbicide as possible before offering it to your rabbit.
Herbicides, pesticides and grime are not healthy for rabbits. Similarly, over-ripe or rotting foods may irritate your rabbit’s digestive system and cause serious health problems. Also, always inspect the raw food for parasites such as worms, beetles, or maggots. If a rabbit eats or ingests parasites, then those parasites may also infect and begin to live in your rabbit.
How Sensitive is the Rabbit Digestive System?
A rabbit’s digestive system is very sensitive, much more sensitive than the typical human digestive system. This means that the kinds of foods that a rabbit can process and digest are fairly limited compared to the broad range of foods that humans can process and digest.
A Rabbit’s digestive system is not designed to process meat, or an abundance of sugar, salt, milk, grains, nuts, spices, or oils or processed foods.
Through evolution the rabbit is designed to digest a narrow range of raw foods that is best limited to grass or hay, leafy green vegetables, and water. A rabbit receives its vitamins, trace minerals and other required nutrients from the high fiber, low-fat and low-calorie foods it eats and the water it drinks. Some pellets that are manufactured and designed for rabbits may be used to augment a rabbit’s primary grass and hay-based diet.
Trying to digest foods that are high in fats and carbohydrates stresses the rabbit’s system. A rabbit’s digestive system has a unique gut flora or microbiota. Disrupting the rabbit’s gut flora, by feeding inappropriate foods, may lead to Cecal Dysbiosis.
Can Rabbits Eat Cooked Corn?
No, rabbits and bunnies should not eat cooked corn. The rabbit’s digestive system is designed to receive and process raw foods. Eating cooked corn may aggravate the rabbit’s digestive system. In addition, cooked corn is still too sweet and starchy to be nutritious for rabbits.
Can Rabbits Eat Corn Husks?
Yes, adult rabbits may eat corn husks in moderation. Again, the primary ingredients of a rabbit’s diet should be grass and hay and corn husks should never replace hay.
To be clear, the corn husks are the green leaves that surround the corn on the cob when the ear of corn is harvested from the stalk. Feeding too much corn husk to your rabbit will mean that your rabbit does not eat as much of its primary healthy diet of grass and hay.
Can Rabbits Eat Corn Silk?
No, rabbits should not eat corn silk. The fibers in the silk are long and may get tangled up in the rabbit’s throat or digestive tract. Additionally, the silky fibers are hard for the rabbit to digest.
To be clear, corn silk is the silky fibers that protrude from the top of the ear of corn. Typically there is a layer of corn silk between the corn kernels and the corn leaves or husks.
Can Rabbits Eat Corn Stalks?
Yes, adult rabbits may eat corn stalks in moderation. If a rabbit is fed too many corn stalks, then it may not eat enough grass and hay and it may become less healthy and more prone to disease.
To be clear, the corn stalk is the long stalk between the roots and the top of the corn plant. The ear of corn grows from the stalk. When the ear of corn is harvested, it is picked off the stalk. Offer corn stalk to your rabbits in strict moderation.
Can Baby Rabbits or Bunnies Eat Corn?
No, Baby rabbits or bunnies should never eat corn, corn husks, corn stalks, or corn cobs.
Baby rabbits are designed to feed on their mother’s milk and should not eat any kind of fruits or vegetables until their digestive system grows and matures. Usually by 12 weeks of age a rabbit has matured enough to begin to eat fruits and leafy green vegetables in moderation.
Can Rabbits Eat Dried Corn?
No, do not feed dried corn to your rabbits. Although dried corn has less of a chance of blocking or irritating the rabbit’s digestive system, it is still best to not feed dried corn to rabbits.
Can Rabbits Eat Dried Corn on the Cob?
No, rabbits should not eat dried corn on the cob. You may see packaged dry corn on the cob being marketed to rabbit owners at local pet stores. This corn is not good for rabbits and the cob is even worse. Rabbits have a very hard time digesting the cob. Feeding cob to rabbits increases the the risk of digestive system blockage, or impaction.
Can Rabbits Eat PopCorn?
No, do not feed popcorn to your rabbits. The rabbit’s digestive system is not accustomed to popcorn. Popcorn may block or irritate the rabbit’s digestive tract which would lead to further health complications for the rabbit.
Can Rabbits Eat Corn Chips?
I included this because I saw several people searching this question. No, rabbits and baby bunnies should not eat corn chips. Corn chips are a processed food and are high in oils that the rabbit does not need and cannot digest very well.
Additionally, corn chips are very salty due to added salts. This abundance of salt found on corn chips is not healthy for rabbits.
Final Thoughts
This Can Rabbits Eat Corn post is part of our larger post about What Can Rabbits Eat? Please click and give it a read! It is full of great information and I guarantee you will learn something valuable.
As we discussed throughout this post, corn in all forms – dried, cracked, roasted, canned, cooked, popcorn, on the cob, as kernels, in sweet feed, etc. is not good for your rabbit’s digestive tract.
Further, most of the corn grown today is sprayed with a pesticide or a herbicide that is not healthy for your rabbits. So although unprocessed corn is very nutritious for humans it is too sweet and not very healthy for rabbits.
But there is no need to fret or stress, as there are many healthy alternatives to corn that you may feed your rabbit! To learn more about what vegetables rabbits can eat, you can click on this post: Vegetables for Rabbits Additionally, you may be interested in these Rabbit-Safe Herbs and Rabbit-Safe Fruits.
Finally, always remember to observe your rabbits and be sure to talk with your veterinarian about what and how much you are feeding your rabbits.