Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber, Cucumber Plant or Seeds

Cucumber has carbs, fiber, proteins, vitamin C, K, magnesium, potassium, manganese, among other nutrients. It is an excellent antioxidant, promotes hydration since it has a lot of water, may help in weight loss, may lower blood sugar among other benefits.

With all these nutrients and benefits, an obvious question would be whether you can give it to your bunnies including the plant, seeds, and leaves or not.

Do rabbits eat cucumber?

Yes. Rabbit can eat cucumber including its leaves and peels. Various sources including Saveafluff.co.uk, Bestfriends.org, and Rabbitexpert.com has listed it as one of the vegetables that bunnies can eat. Actually, they will enjoy eating it.

However, like other non-leafy vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, celery, bell pepper cabbage, zucchini, and some edible flowers, it should be given in small quantities as treats. Typically, a teaspoon per 2 lbs of their weight per day is enough, and it should be provided as an occasional treat. Also, do not replace your bunny’s healthy diet with this vegetable.

When you are giving it to your bunnies, begin with small amounts and see how its digestive system is going to react to it. Check its droppings after 24 hours. It is possible for your bunny to have diarrhea and stomach upsets as well as lead to poor appetite.

When feeding them, before giving them cucumber, you should wash it under clean running water, cut it into slices between an eight to a quarter an inch thick. Remember it should be fresh, and you don’t have to remove the seeds.

Note that your rabbit may like it or not eat it. If they love it, you can incorporate it into their training session as a reward treat such as when you want it litter train it. However, even if it likes it, you should not give them too much.

What about leaves or cucumber plants?

The cucumber leaves are part of the leafy greens which you can give to your bunnies. The leafy greens account for about 75% of the fresh foods which according to Rabbit.org you can give about  “1 packed cup per 2 lbs of body weight per day.“

As the University of Illinois states, crops such as “ corn, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes suffer little damage from rabbits.” This is an indication that bunnies can eat this plant but it is not what they will love the most.

However, you should remember that you need to mix at least three to six types of leafy greens and not just cucumber leaves alone. You can mix it with leafy greens such as mint, turnip greens, spring greens, kale, escarole, carrot tops, cilantro, watercress, wheatgrass, basil and so on.

Doing so will ensure your bunnies can enjoy the various greens you are giving it. They will enjoy the varying tastes and textures that the foods will have.

Conclusion

Rabbits are herbivores, and the bulk of their food should be hay such as Kaytee Timothy Hay over 80%. They can be given small amounts of high fiber pellets like Oxbow (5%), and some fresh foods (10-15%) (leafy greens mainly, with treats of non-leafy vegetables, and fruits. Do not forget the unlimited clean water supply.

Whereas cucumber may seem healthy, it should not replace the rabbit’s recommended diets we have mentioned. Also, it does not have nutrients that are valuable to bunnies.

Bunny enjoying cucumber slices video