Can rabbits have cucumbers?
Yes, rabbits can have cucumbers. Cucumbers are made of 96% water and they do not contain any harmful toxins. Although cucumbers are mostly water and not harmful to your rabbit, you still want to limit the amount of cucumber they eat. Rabbits require a high fiber diet and cucumbers contain no fiber which is another reason it should only be given in moderation.
If your rabbit eats too much cucumber it can cause diarrhea. When a rabbit has diarrhea then they cannot properly eat their poop. It is essential that your rabbit eats their poop as it contains a lot of beneficial nutrients such as vitamin B and potassium.
Related Post: The best Diet For Rabbits
How much cucumber can rabbits eat?
Although cucumber is not specifically harmful to your rabbit it is not specifically beneficial either as it mostly consists of water and can still cause digestion issues. Your rabbits’ main diet should truly only consist of pellets, hay, and leafy greens. Anything outside of that should be given in moderation, cucumber included. Our recommendation is no more than two to three slices per week.
If your rabbit is not consuming enough hay or pellets in a day, then you should not give him or her cucumber. It is important that your rabbit is getting all of their required nutrition in a day before providing them with anything that is not essential to their livelihood.
Baby Rabbits and Cucumbers
It is important to note that you should not be giving cucumber to a baby or young rabbit, cucumber should only be given to an adult rabbit who has reached one year of age and is eating a nutritional adult rabbit diet.
Benefits to my rabbit eating cucumber
As mentioned above cucumbers are not overly beneficial to your rabbit but that does not mean they have zero benefit. As stated, cucumbers are made up of about 96% water, but water is important to keeping their skin from becoming too dry.
Cucumbers also contain a high amount of silica which is surprising because this is not a common mineral found in food. Silica is beneficial in the way that it contributes to the growth and maintenance of connective tissue throughout your rabbits’ body.
These are the only health benefits to your rabbit consuming cucumbers.
Can rabbits have cucumber skin?
Yes, rabbits can have cucumber skin. They can have all parts of the cucumber, the skin, flesh, seeds, and if they are eating fresh from a garden, they can also eat cucumber leaves and flowers.
Although your rabbit can have all parts of the cucumber it is important to still slice it for them, mainly so that you can keep track of how much they consume. You should also ensure you always wash the cucumber thoroughly before giving it to you rabbit.
Organic Vs Non-Organic Cucumbers
Organic is always the best choice regarding the harmful pesticides and fertilizers that are used in inorganic cucumbers. Your rabbit can certainly have either kind, but both should be washed extensively.
About the Author
My name is Vanessa and I love my buns. My current house rabbit is Mr. Bunny, he is a black and white Dutch that just turned 9 years old.
I believe that rabbits are a magnificent animal that make great pets for SOME people. My mission is to share what I have learned about rabbits over the past 20 years to improve the relationship between our pets and us. Please contact me or comment if you have any questions or comments.