Rabbits are natural herbivores that love greens, including many types of veggies!
But finding rabbit-safe vegetables can be tricky at times, especially given that rabbits’ digestive systems are extremely sensitive and their dietary requirements quite specific.
And when it comes to green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), the answer isn’t as straightforward as you may think: Yes, mature bunnies can eat green beans. In fact, your bunny is likely to love crunchy, juicy green beans.
However, green beans do contain a potentially dangerous component and can pose risks to rabbits if eaten in excess.
So before you feed your rabbit this veggie, read on to learn all the risks and benefits of this green veggie.
Green Beans For Bunnies: Nutritional Information
According to the USDA FoodData Central, green beans contain over nine minerals, some of which are:
- Calcium
- Potassium
- Phosphorus
- Iron
- Magnesium
All these dietary minerals, besides calcium (which rabbits don’t need from their diet), play an important role in the growth, development, and daily function of a rabbit’s body.
Moreover, green beans contain the following nutrients:
| Nutrient | Quantity Per 100g |
| Water | 89.7g |
| Protein | 1.97g |
| Fat | 0.28g |
| Fiber | 3g |
| Sugar | 2.33g |
And green beans also naturally contain a protein called lectin. In fact, green beans can be quite high in lectins, which are carbohydrate binding proteins that are resistant to digestion.
So if a rabbit eats a lot of green beans, not only will they be ingesting almost as much sugars as fibers (which is not a great dietary option for rabbits as they require low sugar, high fiber foods) but they may also experience serious issues in breaking down and passing these veggies.
Now the entire gastrointestinal physiology of rabbits is very unique and sensitive.
Rabbits have evolved to have a unique pH balance and gut flora that is specialized in metabolizing coarse, high fiber plant materials.
Learn more about the gastrointestinal physiology of rabbits: Rabbit Gastrointestinal Physiology.
So due to its high lectin component, green beans should never be a main part of your bunnies’ diet.
Rabbits’ Dietary Needs
The nature of rabbits’ unique digestive system is why high quality hay, such as oat hay or meadow hay, is the best primary food to offer your bunny.
In fact, high quality hay should make up 75-80% of your bunny’s daily diet.
Another 10-15% of your rabbit’s diet can be premium rabbit pellets, which offer unique nutrients and proteins.
Finally, we recommend all veggie, fruit, and leafy green treats and supplements as only 5-10% of your rabbit’s diet.
Be aware that if your rabbit ingests too many lectin rich veggies or sugary foods in place of nutritious hay, they will suffer from:
- Bloating
- Teeth Decay
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Bad Eating Habits
And at the worst, deadly GI Stasis. Yes, it can get quite serious!
But all of this doesn’t mean bunnies can’t eat green beans, because the amount of essential minerals and nutrients available in these beans can greatly benefit adult rabbits.
It simply means rabbits must only be offered small amounts of green beans on infrequent occasions.
Can Rabbits Have Green Beans
Yes, mature rabbits can enjoy small quantities of these crunchy veggies as a treat or a dietary supplement.
Treat foods and dietary supplements are rabbit-safe foods that fall outside the range of providing bunnies with the high fiber and low sugar diet and/or those that are only healthy for rabbits in small amounts.
How Many Green Beans Can A Rabbit Eat
With our rabbits on our hobby farm, we’ve found the practice of offering no more than 4-5 green beans once a week is just fine for our adult bunnies. They have never had any issues digesting this veggie treat!
Another general guideline to follow is no more than 1 teaspoon of veggies per 2lbs of your mature rabbit’s weight per day.
Can Baby Rabbits Eat Green Beans
Only offer mature, adult rabbits green beans.
Baby rabbits younger than 12 weeks have incredibly sensitive digestive systems and should NOT eat green beans or any part of the bean plant.
Instead, wait until your baby rabbit matures (reaches 12 weeks of age) and then slowly introduce this green vegetable to them.
Even then, begin by offering just 1-2 pieces of green bean with lots of observations to see what their reaction is to this new food.
If they seem to like it and don’t exhibit negative effects within 24hrs, you can slowly add green beans as part of their diet’s veggie component.
And as always, slow food introduction is the best way to diversify your rabbit’s diet safely!
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Can Bunnies Have Green Beans
Can Rabbits Eat Cooked Green Beans?
No, any cooked or canned food is dangerous for rabbits as they cannot digest it.
Never offer your rabbit cooked green beans (even though cooking the bean minimizes the effect of the lectin protein) or any other cooked or canned vegetable.
Can Rabbits Eat Frozen Green Beans?
Technically, mature bunnies can eat frozen green beans as long as they have been thawed so as not to damage the rabbit’s teeth.
But we always prefer to offer our bunnies garden fresh, raw green beans as frozen beans contain more water content that can upset a rabbit’s stomach.
Can Rabbits Eat Green Bean Leaves?
As lectin is often found in the plant as well as the seeds, we recommend that you steer your bunnies clear of green bean plants.
Opt instead for fresh herbs such as lemon balm or dill.
Can Rabbits Eat Runner Beans?
Just like green beans, runner beans also contain lectin.
So while your rabbit can enjoy a few of them, do not offer runner beans in excess to avoid painful digestional issues.
Can Rabbits Eat Bean Sprouts?
Yes, rabbits can eat bean sprouts.
Sprouts are packed with nutritional value but can cause your bunny gas, bloating, and diarrhea if eaten too often.
As always, offer your rabbit’s bean sprouts in strict moderation and err on the side of caution!
For a better understanding of Lectin Protiens check out this video!
Final Thoughts On Can Bunnies Eat Green Beans
Green beans are a crunchy veggie treat that your rabbits are likely to love, but be aware of the potential risks of these lectin rich vegetables!
Remember, there are a whole bunch of rabbit-safe veggies out there, so if you’d like to diversify and enrich your rabbit’s diet, take a look at our post on Vegetables Rabbits Can Have Daily and get inspiration on some of the best rabbit-safe veggies out there.