Can Rabbits Eat Celery? This is a common question every new rabbit owner asks, especially when planning which leafy greens to include in their pet rabbit’s diet for the first time. Celery is a healthy and tasty vegetable for humans, but that's not enough to conclude it's healthy for pet rabbits.
You can feed rabbits celery! Celery is a healthy, low-calorie treat that can be a part of your rabbit's diet in moderation. It's rich in fiber and nutrients like vitamin K, making it a great addition to their diet. However, always wash celery thoroughly to remove any pesticides, and cut it into small, manageable pieces to prevent a choking risk.
This blog serves as a complete guide to celery treats for rabbits. Keep reading to learn more about including celery in your rabbit's diet.
Don't forget to read our Master Bunny Care guide if you're new to owning and caring for a house rabbit.
Absolutely, but only in moderate amounts. This means you should serve them celery as part of a balanced diet and only a few days a week. Most rabbits love this crispy and crunchy vegetable!
Celery plants have many health benefits for your rabbit. It's a low-sugar vegetable loaded with fiber, vitamins A, B6, B9, K, and many other essential nutrients. There are some risks you should be aware of when feeding celery.
This leafy green contains a lot of calcium that can be detrimental to your bunny in large quantities. Although calcium is vital for bone and teeth development, it can harm your rabbit when they consume too much of it. This is the main reason why you must feed your rabbit celery as part of a vegetable portion instead of the main meal.
The ribs or strings on the stalks are also a risk. They are very tough, which makes them a choking hazard if not properly prepared. Also, remember that rabbits don't need vitamin C in their diets.
Now that you know that rabbits can eat celery, you need to know how to prepare and add it to your rabbit's diet properly.
You need to remember a few things when preparing to add celery to your rabbit's diet. This fibrous plant should not be the main thing your bunny eats at any point. Your rabbit's diet should consist mainly of fresh grass hay, a variety of leafy green and root vegetables, hay-based pellets, and a few pieces of fruit as a treat once in a while.
When including celery as part of your rabbit's vegetable portion, you need to make sure you feed the right amount and pay attention to the presentation. A few precautions and the right preparation will keep your bunny safe. If this is your first time feeding celery to your bunny, you can follow the steps below:
Start by selecting fresh, organic celery for your rabbit. Stick to the bright green stalks if you can, but rabbits will eat the place stalks as well. You can get them from grocery shops or organic stores.
Another option is to get organic produce from vegetable farmers in your area. If you have the space in your yard to be a vegetable farmer for our bunnies, I'd recommend that you grow celery yourself. This way, you'll be 100% sure the celery is pesticide-free.
Make sure you buy celery with the leaves still intact. Celery leaves are healthy for rabbits, so it’s safe to include them.
Avoid any wilting celery or leftovers that have been seasoned for your own meals.
After picking up some fresh produce for your pet rabbit, the next thing to do is wash the celery. You should do this preferably under running, lukewarm water.
Washing celery or any other veggie is vital. Doing so helps to get rid of dust and chemicals like pesticides. Chemical-free food in a rabbit's diet is very important for their health.
As insignificant as celery strings are, you need to either peel them off or make sure that you cut them into small enough pieces not to matter. Celery strings are a choking hazard to your rabbit if left intact.
After washing, take your time to remove every celery string on the celery sticks if you want to feed them whole. Alternatively, cut the stalk into 0.5-inch (1.27cm) pieces. Once you’re done, feed only about two inches (5 cm) of the celery stalk (less than half a stick, depending on size).
If you plan to mix celery with other plant-based foods (i.e., a veggie salad), use vegetables that are low in calcium.
If this is the first time you're including celery in your rabbits' diet, feed only one or two small pieces and watch for gastrointestinal problems.
By Didriks
This step is one you should never overlook. Feeding your rabbit celery is one thing. Making sure they are okay with it is another.
A rabbit's digestive tract can react to a new food it's not used to processing. You need to watch your rabbit closely after feeding it celery.
A period of about 24 hours is enough to spot any changes. If there are any signs of discomfort or digestive issues in your rabbit, you should not feed them celery again until they get better.
If you try serving celery to your rabbit again after some time has passed and they still react badly to it, don’t feed them celery again. Normally, these symptoms resolve on their own, but if it persists, you should take your rabbit to a vet.
However, if nothing happens when your bunny first tries out celery, you can confidently add celery to its diet again. But remember to feed in moderation.
Take Note:
When you’re sure your rabbit is done eating the celery, you should remove any remaining celery. If it stays too long, bacteria will form on them. And you surely do not want this celery remnant getting in your bunny’s mouth.
READ ALSO: HOW TO FEED BUNNIES EVERY DAY?
Can rabbits eat the whole celery plant? Keep reading below to find out!
The parts of celery:
Celery is loaded with a lot of healthy nutrients—both vitamins and minerals. As a result, your rabbits can benefit from celery in different ways. See them below:
By Greg Hewgill - Flickr
The answer to this question, ‘Can rabbits eat celery?’, is never answered in its entirety without knowing the proper serving size. Rabbits should have less than half a celery stalk (2 inches (5cm) of celery). This is the moderate amount they should eat to remain safe.
Furthermore, introducing celery slowly into their diet is important, especially if it is their first time having it. You don’t want this new food to upset your rabbits' digestive systems.
It’s better to start with smaller chunks of celery (smaller than the recommended serving size). Monitor any changes in your rabbit, especially in their behavior and stool, for 24 hours.
If no issue arises, feel free to feed your rabbit the normal serving size. However, if you spot any negative reactions, stop feeding them celery completely after the second try. Make sure to let them recover before you feed celery again.
No, you should not offer celery treats to rabbits every day. Celery should not be a major food source in a rabbit's diet, so only offer it to them occasionally, about 2-3 times a week.
This kind of schedule helps to reduce the chances of calcium in celery hurting your rabbit. Moreover, in those few days you skip, you can feed your rabbit some other vegetable, preferably one low in calcium.
Despite the benefits of celery being many, overfeeding it to your bunnies can create many health issues.
You should know that rabbits, like humans, have preferences. If your rabbit doesn’t like celery, it’s totally fine! Feed them some other vegetables as treats.
Additionally, it is not proper to feed your rabbit a particular veggie all the time. Add some variety to their diet!
There are many healthy options for a veggie swap. See them below;
Take Note:
Just like celery, rabbits can only eat these vegetables in moderation too. Some might be high in sugar or calcium which is bad for rabbits. Hence, make sure you feed the proper serving sizes for these veggies.
Of course, feel free to serve celery leaves to your rabbits. The leaves are just like any other leafy vegetables that rabbits munch with delight.
Interestingly, celery leaves do not have strings on them, unlike the stalks. Moreover, it's the softest part of the celery plant to chew.
However, you should not be ignorant of the calcium and oxalate content in celery leaves. These can cause health problems for your rabbit like bladder stones and other urinary problems.
Hence, you should only serve rabbits celery leaves in moderate-sized servings and on rare occasions. Do not forget to always wash celery leaves thoroughly before serving to your rabbit.
Rabbits can eat celery roots, also called celeriac. These roots are filled with fiber and many other healthy nutrients for bunnies. However, their lump-like appearance and brown color make them seem unattractive and inedible.
Many rabbit owners avoid serving their pet rabbits roots, thinking it might be toxic. However, that is not the case. Roots are actually healthy for rabbits in small quantities.
Keep in mind that they are v
Cooked celery is not safe for rabbits. You should completely avoid feeding your rabbit celery that is cooked or processed.
Generally, a rabbit's digestive system is designed to process only raw plant foods. This means their tummies don’t break down cooked or processed foods pretty well.
In the process, your rabbit might end up suffering from serious digestive problems, which in worse cases can be fatal. Hence, stick to feeding your rabbit raw celery only when it's fresh.
No, you should avoid feeding baby rabbits celery. They have a more sensitive digestive system than mature rabbits.
This means that baby rabbits can't digest certain foods. And this includes fruits and vegetables.
In addition, they can get the vitamins and minerals they need from their mother's milk. This is what they need at the very early stages of their lives.
Even before they start eating vegetables and fruits, hay and pellets must first come into their diet. When they're about three months old, you can start to introduce other foods like celery.
Though celery isn't toxic, baby bunnies can suffer digestive issues if you introduce celery before they're three months old.
Wild rabbits do not normally eat celery. The areas where wild celery grows aren't places where you can find a wild bunny.
Bunnies living in the wild eat mostly grass or hay. This is similar to how your pet rabbit needs hay in their diet the most.
The diet of wild rabbits also includes leafy weeds, plant shoots, flowers, and shrubs. Moreover, a wild bunny also feeds on twigs and tree bark, especially during winter.
However, a wild bunny can eat celery if you offer it to them to if they have access to the plant in your garden. Excess celery can create health issues for wild rabbits too, so make sure to fence off your celery garden.
So can rabbits eat celery? Definitely. They are crunchy, healthy, and make great veggie treats for rabbits.
Don't forget your rabbit’s diet should mostly consist of quality hay, grass, and clean water. Bunnies eat fruits and vegetables only as occasional treats and celery isn't an exception.
Rabbits can eat celery stalks, leaves, and even roots. However, you should always peel off the strings on the celery stalk or cut them into small pieces during preparation. This part can choke your bunny or get stuck in your rabbit's teeth.
Remember to gradually introduce celery to your rabbit. Follow the steps in this article to make sure you’re doing it right.
Click here to learn more about a rabbit's diet, especially the different foods they can eat.
