Green beans are just irresistible, and I bet you love them along with other dishes. You must be wondering if your fur babies will love them and have them as well. Do you feel like you need to enter your rabbit’s brain and trigger the love of green beans as you do? No, you don’t have to. All you need is to read this article, and here is the big question.
Can rabbits eat green beans? Yes, rabbits can eat french beans; a good number of rabbits are adventurous eaters and will be excited to nibble anything green. However, green beans should be given as an occasional treat. Why? Because green beans are likely to cause indigestion, gas, and gastrointestinal stasis, which can be fatal.
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What are green beans?
Green beans are essentially young bean pods, immature or unripe beans sold as frozen, fresh, or canned. They can be eaten raw or boiled by baking, steaming, or stir-frying.
They go along with different cuisines and dishes like casseroles, stews, soups, and many more.
They belong to the legume family(Fabaceae/Leguminosae), and they come from different types of legumes.
The Rabbit Digestive System
Because it is a hindgut fermenter, the rabbit’s digestive system has good bacteria essential in fermenting hay fiber. The process yields healthy fats that are the primary energy source for rabbits. Additionally, high-quality proteins and vitamins are also part of the end products of digestion.
However, feeding your rabbits green beans can cause diarrhea and bloat due to fermentation by bad bacteria. The process may lead to a shift in the pH of the G.I system of your rabbit and can cause problems. You risk losing your bunnies through diarrhea when you feed them with too many vegetables.
If your rabbit has a very sensitive G.I system, extra precaution should be taken when offering it green beans. Alternatively, other vegetable treats like carrot tops, dandelion greens, and bok choy will be the best.
Health Benefits and Dangers of feeding rabbits with green beans.
Dietary fiber is very important because it ensures a smooth flow of food through the digestive system of rabbits, as recommended by the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of California. In every 100 grams of green beans, your rabbits get 3grams of fiber, making green beans suitable for your rabbit’s diet.
A balanced mineral profile and vitamin combined with fiber could make you feel it is a perfect choice for your daily rabbit diet. But, when we look at the risk factors of indigestion and gas complications, green beans are disqualified from being a perfect everyday snack for your bunnies.
Nutrition Facts for Green Beans
Green beans have been found to have a variety of essential nutrients according to Nutrition value.
- Low in sugar
- Moderate vitamins C, K and A
- A little magnesium, copper and Iron.
- A good amount of dietary fiber.
Green beans are 14% protein,80% carbohydrates, and 6% fat. When we go by qualities, it is evident that green beans are so healthy. If your rabbits can digest green beans well, then you have found yourself a very valuable supplement to the timothy hay diet.
The Golden Rule
If you decide to go the green beans way for your rabbits, then the golden rule must apply. Honor your rabbit’s diet by introducing slowing and in moderation anything that is not part of the healthy core diet.
As you can see, green beans are vegetables with valuable nutrients to your rabbits but don’t be carried away by them to be the substitute for your rabbit’s main diet.
They can make an occasional good treat, and that’s perfect.
Here is the perfect trick you can employ.
Start with one bean pod and allow your rabbit to feast on a very fibrous and healthy husk too. After that, keep watching your bunny for any alarming signs of G.I distress.
If your bunny shows signs like diarrhea, poop incontinence, or stops eating hay, stop feeding it the green beans and contact the vet immediately. If, by chance, your rabbit digests green beans well, there is no harm in providing them with green beans as an occasional treat.
You can comfortably treat them with a small handful of green beans at an interval of once or twice weekly.
Can rabbits eat green bean plants?
All legumes and bean plants have leaves that are safe and good for rabbits. Here are some legumes with nutritious leaves that your bunnies can enjoy; cowpea, forage peanut, soybean, jack bean, lablab, tropical kudzu plants, among others. The high amount of proteins found in plant leaves are essential, especially in growing baby bunnies.
Always apply the golden rule by adding the leaves sparingly to your rabbit’s diet to avoid the unnecessary weight gain that might lead to your bunnies being obese.
What about bean sprouts? Rabbits will eat bean sprouts like mung beans, but you should do this with caution to prevent gas build-up and diarrhea.
How do you stop rabbits from eating up your green bean plants?
If you thought you are the only one who finds pleasure in plump, freshly harvested green beans from your backyard, then you are wrong. If rabbits find a way to your garden, they can do massive destruction and eat everything to the ground. If you want to harvest your green beans safely, chemical and physical controls must be in play to protect your garden.
Physically you can deter rabbits from your garden by making the landscape unattractive to animals. You can achieve this by clearing all the tall grass stands or piles of debris and shrubs that can be a hiding place for rabbits. If you can keep clear the border of your garden 20 ft round, that will be great because rabbits fear crossing an open field.
Additionally, you can reinforce the barrier by setting up a fence around your garden to protect your green beans successfully. Chicken wire is preferable at 3 ft height. To keep the bunnies from digging through the bar, bury the wire 6ft deep and bend it at a 90-degree angle.
You can further enforce your garden protection by spraying your plants with rabbit deterrent spray.
P.S.: You must take caution when feeding furry friends, but please don’t forget to thoroughly wash your harvest to get rid of pests and remnant farm chemicals. Only provide your bunnies with fresh green beans.
Remember not to replace the usual healthy diet with green beans because they are not ideal for daily feeding. Take note when introducing these lovely legumes to your bunnies; always start with a small amount and observe for any reaction. If it works well with your furry critters, you can go ahead and incorporate them into your bunny’s diet gradually. They can be essential supplements but not for a daily diet.
As a parting shot, put it at the back of your mind that clean, fresh water is vital to your bunny’s diet, and they will be lovely pets.
Ensure you also work with the vet in case of any emergency to save your day from bad news and ensure that you follow the correct diet always for healthy bunnies.