Kale is an edible vegetable that many people have referred to as
a superfood. It is also known as leaf cabbage that belongs to the Brassica
Oleracea Acephala group cultivars. Other kinds of vegetables in this group
include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, broccolini, kohlrabi, and Brussels
sprouts, and many others.
All over the world, kale is a popular choice for
health-conscious people who try to incorporate it into their diets in different
ways. The vegetable is rich in vitamins and minerals, including fiber, copper,
calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, K, and B6.
With kale being an excellent food choice, many people ask "Can bunnies eat
kale?"
Can A Rabbit Eat Kale?
Can rabbits eat kale? A quick answer to that question is YES.
Rabbits can eat all types of kale, while it may be good for them, they
shouldn't eat it all the time.
Before rabbits were domesticated, they had survived roaming free
all-around Africa, Europe, Sumatra, North America, South America, and Southeast
Asia. During that period, they ate almost the same kinds of foods they get to
eat now, and their digestive system also evolved in the process. So, your rabbit's diet must match a wild rabbit's own as closely as possible.
Rabbits are herbivores, meaning their diet is solely plants and
plant matter. For all the essential nutrients, they depend on a small variety
of plants. Rabbits spend most of their time eating. More than 80% of a rabbit's
diet is made up of grass, leafy weeds, forbs, and they get much of their
essential nutrients through their grazing.
Even though rabbits are well evolved for their food choices, it is still usual for owners to worry about how
much kale should be served, and the best way to serve
How Much Kale Can Rabbits Eat?
While it may be evident that vegetables like kale are good for
rabbits and they enjoy them, there is such a thing as too much kale being bad
for bunnies.
There are so many different vitamins and minerals that rabbits
need to stay healthy and happy. Calcium is one of such necessary minerals. Just
like humans, rabbits also need the proper amount of daily calcium intake to
function properly. A healthy medium-sized rabbit needs about 510mg of calcium.
Rabbits can easily get the amount of kale needed from servings
of quality rabbit pellets and hay. There's about 101mg of calcium in a single
cup of kale. It would be easy for a rabbit to eat more calcium than is
required.
Several health issues could arise from a high consumption of
calcium. Urinary issues like bladder stones, kidney stones, and bladder sludge,
can affect rabbits that overeat kale. These problems may not kill your rabbit,
but it would be very well led to more severe issues, or cause discomfort.
Rabbits metabolize calcium in a simple manner, so it is
relatively easy to keep an eye on the amount of calcium they consume and to
regulate how much calcium is in their diet if you feel it's too much.
Despite the issue of overconsumption of kale, the taste,
texture, and nutritional value make it a great choice to diversify their diet. Rabbits also love the taste and texture of kale,
so they will be eating a nice healthy meal.
How to properly feed kale to your
rabbit?
With the possible downside of feeding your rabbit kale, many
people may choose not to feed them kale. Rabbit owners that still feed kale to
their rabbits without any issues do so while being very cautious about how they
do it.
In terms of serving, you can feed your rabbit a piece almost the
size of its head 2-3 times a week without complications. Depending on how much
calcium and other nutrients get from various foods, your rabbit may eat more or
less kale. So, the owner has to monitor the level of calcium intake to avoid
too much or too little intake.
Before feeding kale to your rabbits, you should make sure that
nothing is lacking in their diet. They can't depend solely on kale because it
doesn't have all the vital nutrients rabbits need to grow healthy. That means,
after being sure that your rabbit is eating all the nutrients required, you can
introduce kale to the diet plan as a supplement.
Rabbits need plenty of hay in their diet to stay healthy. Hay
makes up for over 80% of their diet, so they need a constant supply of it. Many
rabbit owners choose to supplement the hay by feeding their rabbits kale. It is
also advisable that the kale you feed them with is uncooked. The cooking
process takes away the nutrients in the plant, and again, rabbits are already
well evolved to handle uncooked food.
Other Food Options for Rabbit
Rabbits enjoy a variety of vegetables in their diet to ensure
that they get all the necessary nutrients. Some rabbits enjoy it so much that
they can eat it in the garden if it's planted. Rabbits can eat kale in its
different forms like kale stems, baby kale, red kale, and curly kale. Kale may
be good for your rabbit, but there are other healthier kinds of food your rabbit may enjoy such as cauliflower, squash, peppers, springs
greens, celery leaves, and so many others.
FAQ
Can rabbits eat kale, stems?
Yes, bunnies can eat kale stems, it wouldn't pose a problem
to them. Although, we would advise that you cut it into bits to avoid your
bunny choking.
Can rabbits eat baby kale?
Your rabbit can surely eat baby kale. It’s tender and
thinner in texture compared to other forms of kale, even we humans can eat baby
kale raw.
Can rabbits eat curly kale?
Curly kale is healthy and good for your bunny; it contains
more fiber content than other forms of kale. Your bunny will surely enjoy
nibbling on it.
Can rabbits eat red kale?
Your rabbit will enjoy eating red kale, and we can tell you
that it is safe. Make sure you only give a reasonable amount; excess can pose a
problem.
Conclusion
If you have been wondering, can rabbits eat kale? Yes, they
can. It may not be the best food choice for bunnies, but it is a great source
of calcium. However, high levels of consumption could cause health issues like
kidney stones. If you feel like kale would be good for your rabbit, you can
follow the guidelines we mentioned about feeding them to avoid problems.
Simply put, bunnies can eat kale, but there must be cautious
measures to avoid risks. If you have questions or a contribution, please let us
know. We look forward to hearing from you.
