Often, novice breeders and owners of decorative rabbits follow the stereotype about the nutrition of animals and feed them cabbage and carrots. But they need a more varied diet, and cabbage makes up a small percentage of it. Rabbits eat grass, grains and vegetables. They are given raw and cooked root vegetables. Different varieties of vegetables have different effects on rabbits' digestion. Whether they can eat cabbage and how much to give it is determined by the type of vegetable and the age of the animals.
Is it possible to feed cabbage to rabbits?
Cabbage contains folic acid and calcium - microelements necessary for the health of adult animals and rabbits. Adult males and females obtain moisture from the juicy vegetable. But, instead of being useful, cabbage heads can harm the intestines of animals. The raw product in large quantities causes gas formation. Fiber gets into the animals' bodies from fresh leaves. The substance is poorly absorbed if pets receive it regularly in large quantities.
Rabbits can be given a variety of cabbage as long as the portion size is carefully controlled.
Colored
Chemical composition of cauliflower:
- vitamin C;
- vegetable protein;
- potassium;
- glucoraphanin.
This is the variety that is most gentle on digestion. 100-200 grams of vegetables per day help strengthen the immune system, heart, circulatory system and normalize digestion. Adult rabbits and female rabbits are given whole inflorescences, and baby rabbits are given chopped ones.
Beijing
A moderate amount of the vegetable contains vitamin C, stimulates the immune system and prevents constipation. The Beijing variety is rich in vegetable protein. The top leaves from the head of cabbage are added to the main food, after removing the thick veins. The permissible norm per day is 2 leaves.
White cabbage
The variety contains glucoraphanin, an antibacterial substance that, in moderate doses, strengthens the gastric mucosa. 100 grams of fresh or boiled white cabbage satisfies the rabbit’s daily need for protein.
The cause of intestinal upset in animals is sulfur, which is also abundant in the vegetable. The safe amount of product is 200 grams per day.
The cabbage variety is sometimes classified as a prohibited vegetable for rabbits. The concentrated juice of the leaves causes diarrhea and bloating in animals.To balance the components and reduce the negative impact, the leaves are mixed with hay. If there is constant digestion problems, cabbage should be excluded from the rabbits’ diet.
Red cabbage
The variety is dangerous due to its high content of harmful substances. Red cabbage causes serious digestive disorders in rabbits. Constant overeating of the red variety causes poisoning and stagnation in the intestines.
Kohlrabi
The variety is superior to other fodder vegetables in terms of juiciness and calorie content, and provides the rabbits with fiber. But kohlrabi stems contain a lot of glucose. Sweet foods cause fermentation in the intestines. The vegetable has less impact on digestion if you add it to silage or mix it with other feed.
To make kohlrabi better digestible, select young stems 5-6 centimeters long and wilt them.
Pickled
In winter, fresh cabbage will be replaced by sauerkraut. It serves as a source of ascorbic acid. Give 100 grams of sauerkraut 2-3 times a week.
Homemade sauerkraut is made from natural ingredients, but may be salty for rabbits. To prevent pets from suffering from thirst after eating, you need to add water to the drinking bowls.
frozen
It is not recommended to give frozen cabbage to rabbits. A product stored in the cold does not retain nutrients. Vegetable fiber does not stimulate the production of digestive enzymes after defrosting. Frozen cabbage for rabbits is a useless burden on the intestines.
Cabbage leaves
Cabbage leaves are considered succulent food. Farmers mixed them with meadow grasses, and for the winter they prepared silage with the addition of carrots. Then the natural mixture was replaced by mixed feed. Cabbage leaves contain up to 4 grams of carotene - more than meadow grass. The share of carotene in cabbage and carrot silage is 5.1 grams.
Rabbits eat cabbage uncontrollably and then refuse other food. Hard, juicy leaves stimulate the production of digestive enzymes. As a result, animals suffer from flatulence. To avoid negative consequences, fresh leaves are dried a little and then offered to rabbits.
Leaves torn from the stalk should not be given to animals. They contain more substances that stimulate the production of gastric enzymes.
Marine
Laminaria can be found as an additive in ready-made feed for decorative rabbits. You can offer your pet crushed meal after soaking it in water.
Seaweed with a specific odor does not attract animals, so it is rarely used as a feed product.
Decorative
Flower-shaped cabbage is grown to decorate the garden. It is beneficial due to its high selenium content. For the French, it is a delicacy that is pickled and added to salads. But the product is also not suitable for rabbits, since even young leaves are too hard. It will be difficult for animals to digest them.
Decorative leaf and cabbage varieties are frozen before cooking. Without freezing, they become bitter, and after defrosting they stimulate the production of carbohydrates. The delicacy will cause metabolic disorders in animals.
Feeding rules
To ensure that rabbits absorb healthy cabbage well, the permissible portion is selected according to age. Animals of fur-bearing, meat and ornamental breeds have delicate digestion. Therefore, cabbage and leaf vegetables should be added to their diet gradually.
At what age can you
Fresh leaves are fed to young animals from 3.5-4 months. Younger rabbits cannot yet digest tough fibers.The basis of nutrition for cubs is mother's milk. Rabbits get all the necessary nutrients from it. Complementary feeding begins at 1 month with grass, cereals and boiled root vegetables. It is better to save specific varieties of cabbage for adulthood.
How much can you give?
Young rabbits are given leaves of various varieties in small quantities - 30-50 grams or 1-2 leaves per individual per day. The condition of the pets is monitored for 7 days. As meat breeds gain weight, the daily portion is increased to 100 grams. For rabbits with a large weight that absorb the product well, you can increase the norm to 200 grams.
Safe daily portion of the product for adult animals:
- giving meat and skin, pregnant females - 400 grams;
- nursing rabbits - 500 grams;
- breeding males - 400 grams.
If there is a slight disorder, but the animals are active, the amount of vegetable is reduced and the portion of other components is increased. If the rabbits are lethargic and often swear, then the product is not suitable for them. Cabbage leaves are not included in the diet of rabbits. More often they are added to food in the fall as an additional vitamin component.
How to feed
Fresh cabbage should be inspected before serving to rabbits. Whole heads of cabbage are suitable for animal consumption, without mold or traces of insect activity. Only first-class products are suitable for feeding rabbits. The health of the livestock and the profit it will bring depend on the quality of food.
Farm breeds have stronger digestion. If you have an upset stomach, the proportion of cabbage in your diet can be adjusted by increasing the portion of dry food.
Brussels sprouts are beneficial for decorative rabbits. It’s better to grow it yourself so that the animals eat a product that is not treated with chemicals.The Brussels variety is given in small quantities, as it causes kidney failure. Savoy cabbage is also suitable for ornamental rabbits. The fibers of this variety are softer compared to white cabbage and contain more nutrients. Overeating Savoy cabbage can also lead to bloating in pets. Therefore, it needs to be added to the diet in small portions.
To diversify your diet and reduce the load on the intestines, it is good to alternate types of vegetables. It is better to give miniature breeds softer varieties - cauliflower and kohlrabi.
Why you shouldn’t give the cabbage stalk
Active substances and waste products of the plant accumulate in the solid base of the cabbage head. Their high concentration negatively affects the health of rabbits. The fibers of the stem are too hard and contain more sulfur than the outer leaves. Even a small amount of crushed stalks can lead to poisoning of a pet, especially a miniature breed.
