Being the owner, you might have lots of doubts regarding which food to feed the rabbit. Here comes one common question – can my rabbit eat cilantro?
Can Rabbits Eat Cilantro? Yes, pet rabbits can eat cilantro. Even wild rabbits would eat and chew on the cilantro and its stem when they find it. Many rabbits like to eat cilantro, and it has incredible amounts of nutrients. Cilantro has essential health benefits for rabbits and helps in keeping them active and healthy. Remember, it is harmful to feed cilantro to the young and baby rabbits.
Cilantro has crucial nutrients, a good texture, and it is a nice treat for rabbits. But there are a few potential risks and medical concerns regarding the rabbits eating cilantro. In this post, you can find in-depth information about whether cilantro is safe for rabbits or not. Besides that, there are other details about the benefits, possible health dangers, alternative foods, and more.
Contents
Can The Rabbit Get Nutrients And Vitamins By Eating Cilantro?
Cilantro is one of the healthiest foods you can feed your rabbit. It is a nutrient-rich diet and has a strong taste. Remember, cilantro does not have high-calorie levels, but it is the perfect food for antioxidants. Plus, cilantro tends to clean away the toxins from the rabbit’s body and digestive system.
Here is a brief list of the nutrients your rabbit will get by eating cilantro:
One-quarter cup of cilantro gives around:
- Zero fat
- One calorie
- One gram of fiber
- One gram of carbohydrates
One-fourth cup of cilantro has:
- Vitamin A – 270 iu
- Vitamin C – 1 mg
- Vitamin E – 1 mg
- Vitamin K – 4 mcg
- Folate – 4 mcg
- Iron – 4 mg
- Potassium – 8 mg
It also has other nutritional content such as Calcium, Copper, Magnesium, and Manganese. You can find small amounts of Zinc, Phosphorus, Selenium, and Potassium as well. Remember, the fresh cilantro has a total of 92.2% of water content. Because of this, cilantro has a small number of minerals and a high amount of vitamins. The water levels in cilantro neither have plenty of calories nor minerals.
Benefits Of Cilantro
As you know, cilantro has some necessary nutrients which keep the rabbits healthy and happy. Besides that, it has many health benefits as well:
- Blood sugar. Cilantro helps in lowering the blood glucose levels in the bloodstream of the rabbit.
- Antioxidants or Inflammation. Cilantro has antioxidants and helps in decreasing inflammation inside the rabbit. It connects and reduces the inflammation-promoting molecules, which are free radicals.
- Vitamins. Cilantro has many vitamins, such as A, C, E, and K. The vitamin C keeps the rabbits safe, protects them from illnesses, and boosts their immunity power.
- Toxins. Cilantro is one of the healthiest foods which can remove the toxins inside the body.
Risks of Cilantro To Rabbits
You might have a question about whether cilantro has the potential to become dangerous for rabbits or not. In general, cilantro is a safe and healthy food for rabbits. It does not have chemicals or other elements which can harm the rabbits. But, there are some possible cases where your pet might suffer from a few health problems by eating cilantro.
Feeding too much cilantro will make the rabbit suffer from some digestive problems. It is a typical consequence your rabbit will face if it eats more veggies than it should.
You should feed them only the required quantity to prevent the rabbits from diseases. By giving a precise amount of cilantro to the rabbit, you will see incredible results. One best benefit is it reduces excess gas from the rabbit’s stomach.
“Like humans, rabbits have different responses to food and enjoy different kinds of tastes.”
If you feed low-quality cilantro to the rabbits, they will become ill. You have to consider buying fresh cilantro to prevent adverse effects on your pet. Remember, you should only give the raw and washed leaves to the rabbit. When you remove the cilantro leaves from its stem, it tends to degrade over time. As the rabbits have a sensitive stomach, they might suffer from pain if they eat rotten food.
Before feeding rabbits, it is better to smell the cilantro leaves and stem. If the stale is emitting a bad smell, do not give it to the rabbit. If you feed them stinky cilantro, rabbits might suffer from constipation. Other than that, spoilt food tends to carry harmful organisms to the rabbit’s digestive system.
You might think that serving dry leaves is a better idea, but the rabbits might not find it impressive to eat. Besides that, in some cases, dehydrated cilantro might result in stomach problems.
Another common problem with cilantro is pesticides and parasites. Make sure to wash the cilantro properly to clean out the harmful pesticides. After washing them, check the cilantro for any dangerous parasites or other bugs.
Food inspection is a fantastic idea to avoid the above kinds of situations. Try to spend some time checking the veggies before giving them to your rabbit. This way, you can be sure that you are feeding healthy and safe food for the furry pet.
Symptoms Of Poisoning
Sometimes accidents happen, and if the rabbit eats spoiled cilantro or other food, it is better to go to the veterinarian. Before that, you have to understand the signs of the rabbit’s discomfort.
Here is a list of symptoms your rabbit will show if it is suffering from pain after eating unsafe herbs:
- Inflammation
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Seizures
- Weakness
- Anorexia
- Fever or low body temperature
- Depression
- Lethargy
- Excessive licking and scratching of fur or foot.
Feeding Cilantro To the Rabbits
Here is a beneficial section which talks about how much cilantro can rabbit eat, the ideal quantity, and more.
Can The Rabbit Eat Cilantro Daily?
Rabbits enjoy eating veggies and green leafy vegetables. You can add a few leaves to the rabbit’s daily diet. But, it is better not to give an entire serving of cilantro every day to the rabbit. In some cases, consuming a full serving of cilantro daily might cause stomach complications.
In short, the answer is yes, and the rabbits can eat cilantro daily but in lesser quantities. A few rabbits might not show interest in eating cilantro. This situation does not imply that rabbits are sensing danger or feeling sacred, but they may want to chew on other food.
Can I Feed Cilantro To The Baby Rabbits?
It is the best thing to avoid feeding cilantro to the young and baby rabbits. Baby rabbits (kits) have more sensitive gastrointestinal systems than adult pets.
If possible, do not give any variety of veggies and fruits until the baby rabbits are 12 weeks old. After this time, they will develop a mature stomach and digestive system and can cilantro.
How Much Cilantro Can I Feed My Rabbit?
Many rabbits enjoy eating cilantro because it has a desirable and strong taste. Sometimes, they would like to chew on the stem when you mix cilantro in the bowl of veggies.
For adult rabbits, one handful of cilantro is enough and healthy. But, depending on the size and breed of the rabbit, you can give them around half to one handful of cilantro. Remember, offer them only the washed and fresh food. Though cilantro is a safe food for rabbits, it would be dangerous to feed them too much.
Rather than giving them plenty of cilantro at once, it is better to take it slow! You can get a head start by feeding half a handful of cilantro. After that, look out for any symptoms of diarrhea in your pet over the next day. If your rabbit is feeling well without suffering from any pain, you can give one entire serving of cilantro the next day.
Related Questions
Can I Give Cooked Cilantro To The Rabbits?
No, you should never feed cooked cilantro to your rabbit. As the rabbits are herbivores, their diet is full of raw food, and they get the needed nutrients from them. Experts recommend not to give processed and cooked food to the rabbit. Rabbit’s stomach can not handle cooked cilantro.
Do The Rabbits Like To Eat Cilantro Stems?
Rabbits would love to chew on the cilantro stems. It is a natural behavior of rabbits to nibble on almost everything because it keeps them busy and happy. The texture of the cilantro stem is not too hard but soft, and it is safe for rabbits as well. After chopping them into medium-sized sticks, you can give them to your furry animal.
Remember, if your rabbit does not like to eat cilantro, then it might not show interest to nibble on the stems.
Can I Feed Dried Cilantro To The Rabbit?
Dehydrated cilantro is also a better food you can add to the rabbit’s diet. You can pour it on other vegetables, like bell pepper and cucumber. The dried cilantro will get the moisture from the veggies to remain fresh, and rabbits like eating this flavor!
Other Healthy And Safe Alternatives To The Cilantro
Rabbits are herbivores and like to eat many plant-based foods! Cilantro is a crucial and safe food for rabbits, but not all plant-based diet is the same. Below is the extensive list of veggies and green leafy vegetables which your rabbit enjoys eating.
- Kale
- Basil
- Watercress
- Carrot Tops
- Carrot
- Beets
- Beet Tops
- Buttercrunch Lettuce
- Butter Lettuce
- Bibb Lettuce
- Romaine Lettuce
- Arugula
- Rocket
- Celery
- Spinach
- Endive
- Pumpkin
- Escarole
- Green Beans
- Swiss Chard
- Summer Squash
- Winter Squash
- Bell Pepper
- Tomato
- Zucchini
- Cucumber
- Parsnip
- Broccoli
Bottom Line
The answer is yes to the primary question – can rabbits eat cilantro. You have to give them only washed, fresh, and ripe cilantro in small quantities. It is also better to feed cilantro as an occasional treat.
Feeding excessive amounts of cilantro is dangerous and causes many health risks in rabbits. Remember, you should not give cilantro to the young and baby rabbits until they reach 12 weeks.
If you are still worried about the rabbit eating cilantro, you can talk to the rabbit experts. If your pet shows any poisoning symptoms, go to the veterinarian as soon as possible.