# Do rabbits eat cabbage?



## misslinda (Apr 6, 2005)

I know they eat lettuce and carrots and some bananas, etc. But...do they like cabbage at all? Thought I'd ask somebody on here and get the truth! Thanks so much!!


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

From everything I've ever read, you should never feed cabbage to rabbits. Apparently it makes them gassy and can cause bad scours.

That being said, I've never done it, but I'll bet other people have with no problems.


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Geez, the grocery had nappa cabbage on sale so we've been sharing a large head with our 2 Angora boys. I give them a leaf every other day along with carrot and apple - haven't seen any change in their pellets. Now my guys are penned so get a little more running room, maybe that helps move things along?


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

I don't feed cabbage to mine, for the reasons already mentioned. It just doesn't seem worth the risk. If you do decide to try it, please go very slowly - a couple of shreds rather than a whole leaf. Many rabbits can adjust to foods that may otherwise cause problems, if you introduce it slowly, in very small quantities and then work from there. Their digestive systems need time to adjust and develop the necessary flora to process certain foods.


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## Beaniemom (May 25, 2007)

I don't believe I've fed cabbage, although I did have some Collard greens that didn't look like the others, I suspected it may have been some other green, but it didn't form a head like cabbage. 

If I fed anything "gassy" like broccoli, I made sure they only got a little bit with their other greens. (Mine didn't really like the broccoli until it had gone to flower though, then they loved it!)


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## ozarkcat (Sep 8, 2004)

Ask the wild rabbits who always eat the cabbage out of my garden :flame:


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## maidservant (Dec 10, 2007)

I only feed cabbage during the summer, when its hot outdoors. It seems to cool them off and give them water without them having to drink it. I've never had problems with any of mine. I do agree not to give them much until you see how they do with it, every rabbit is different.

Emily in NC


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

I've also fed mine Nappa cabbage, but not the 'regular' kind. No pellet changes, no other issues, and all but one loved it.

Meg


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## sewtlm (Mar 22, 2006)

I feed califlower, broccoli, and cabbage and other leafy veggies on occasion with no visible problems. Mine eat as much as they want and ignore the rest which I remove a the next feeding time and give to the chickens. I don't use these as a full feed just a treat with their pellets.


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## white eagle (Feb 8, 2007)

I would not give rabbits cabbage at all for the to eat. Yes wild rabbits do eat cabbage but the tame rabbits are a different story. 

Rabbit can eat cabbage but it is not good for them at all. If you want to feed your rabbit cabbage do this be sure that you mix it with lots of other food but if you are worried then just dont give it any cabbage. Giving rabbits cabbage can cause stomach aches or may kill them.


Good Luck on what you decide..


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

are Collard greens good then? i planted some recently to have some good greens for what ever i get in the near future, just wondering what else i could plant


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## Kittikity (Oct 21, 2004)

I'd also like to make a rabbit section in my future veggie garden.. What can they have?


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Rabbits enjoy basil, lemon balm, sunflower leaves, Swiss chard, spinach, leaf lettuce, carrot and beet tops and many other garden veggies too. Nice thing about rabbits is that they will just as happily eat many common weeds: dandelions, plantain, purslane, clover, chicory and lots of others. A variety is always better than a large amount of one thing.


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

Apple leaves, too!


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## Kittikity (Oct 21, 2004)

Thanks for the info.. I have a little over an acre and a half.. I'm going to dedicate about half an acre to a nice big veggie garden.. And since I'm in Florida I can grow veggies almost the whole year.. Especially with cold frames.. Cut down greatly on the feed bill for the rabbits and chickens.. And lots of nice veggies for the people.. = )


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## Beaniemom (May 25, 2007)

I really liked the Collard greens (and the rabbits did too) they grew fairly quickly, were heat hardy and hard to kill, plus they kept on growing after you picked some. (And the deer left them alone, probably because they preferred some of the other greens we were growing instead, who knew they were picky?


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## Kittikity (Oct 21, 2004)

I looked through pictures of most of the list of safe plants.. Apparently I only have willow, dandelions, and clover in my yard.. I do have a lot of lantana in my yard but that's poisonous and a type of tree that I looked up that says it can cause hair loss in horses and cattle! Glad I looked those two up before I tried to feed them to any rabbits.. Looks like I'll be mostly sticking to whatever greens I can grow myself.. If anybody has some seeds of that mallow or other useful weeds, let me know.. I'll send an envelope with postage..


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## Beaniemom (May 25, 2007)

You probably have Mallow and plantain, you just don;t know it yet! (I didn't took me forever to identify it!)


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

Someone once told me that ALL cabbage family plants have SOME toxicity-even for people (its got to be very minimal 'cause I LOVE coleslaw and eat lots all summer long), but cooking it decreases it. I think that the mustard family is also in the brassicas. False tansy, or flixweed, has an horrific amount of toxicity which effects the thyroid. 

On another note, cabbage should never be fed to husbands, either. It has a very toxic effect on my husband


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