The quantity of vegetables offered daily should be limited to assure the rabbit eats plenty of hay. The quantity should be twice the size of the rabbit’s head, if you were to chop the vegetables coarsely and gather them snuggly (but not squeezed tightly) into your hands.
Don’t chop the vegetables though. Rabbits prefer whole pieces they can “chop” themselves. The following table may also help you judge the quantity of vegetables to give your rabbit
| Weight | Sample Breed | Chopped Veggies Loosely Packed |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 4 lbs | Netherland Dwarf | ¾ cup |
| 4 to 5 lbs | Holland Lop | 1 cup |
| 5 to 6 lbs | Mini Lop | 1¼ cups |
| 6 to 8 lbs | Rex | 1¾ cups |
| 8 to 11 lbs | New Zealand | 2 cups |
| 11 to 14 lbs | Flemish Giant | 2¼ cups |
Although bladders stones are believed to be primarily a metabolic problem, as opposed to a dietary one, a wide variety of vegetables can help minimize the probability of rabbits developing them.
Drench the vegetables with water and serve them very wet to increase your rabbits’ fluid intake, which also reduces their chances of developing bladder stones. Include a vegetable high in vitamin A every day.
| Vegetable | Comment | Vegetable | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfalfa | *Kale | ||
| Arugula | Mint | ||
| Basil | Mustard Greens | ||
| *Beet Greens | *Parsley | ||
| Bok Choy | *Snow Peas | If peas aren’t completely flat, don’t give to rabbits. | |
| *Carrots | Pea Plant Leaves | NOT the peas! | |
| *Carrot Tops | Peppermint Leaves | ||
| Celery | Cut into 1” pieces. Long strings swallowed whole can cause serious problems. | Raddichio | |
| Cilantro | Radish Tops | ||
| Clover | Raspberry Leaves | ||
| Collard Greens | *Romaine | Or any red or dark green leafy lettuce, but NEVER iceberg (head) lettuce. | |
| *Dandelions (greens & flowers) |
*Spinach | ||
| Escarole | Swiss Chard | ||
| *Bell Peppers | Turnips and Tops | ||
| * Denotes vegetables high in Vitamin A | |||
- TOXIC
- Dried Beans
- Onions
- Raw Beans such as Lima, Kidney, and Soy
- Rhubarb Leaves
- Rich in compounds which destroy nutrients
- Bamboo Shoots
- Bracken Fern
- Cassava
- Coffee Plants
- Lima Beans
- Maize
- Millet
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tea Leaves
- High in starches which can cause severe digestive upsets, gas, and bloating, which can be deadly
- Cooked protein-rich beans of any kind
- Dried Corn
- Dried Peas
- Grains other than as described above
- Jicama
- Nuts
- Potatoes (even the peel)
- Raw protein-rich beans of any kind
- Sweet Peas
- Whole Kernel Corn of any kind (fresh, frozen, or canned - even the husks around the kernels can cause impaction)
- Whole Seeds
- Has no nutritional value
- Iceberg Lettuce