Can Rabbits Eat Zucchini? (Leaves, Plants, Flowers, Seeds, + Stems)

Rabbits enjoy eating a range of herbs and vegetables. So, you may have wondered if your rabbit can eat zucchini. This food is packed with nutrients and found in many dishes around the world. However, zucchini is technically a fruit. Rabbits very rarely consume fruits in the wild, as they’re harmful to their unique gut health.

It’s safe to feed zucchini to rabbits. This is because zucchini is low in calories and sugar. That circumvents most of the issues that fruit poses to a rabbit. Instead, zucchini is full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water. It can aid in your rabbit’s digestion and improve heart health.

However, you should only feed your rabbit raw zucchini, and allow it to grow accustomed to the taste. Likewise, zucchini should be fed in moderation, as large amounts can disrupt your rabbit’s balanced diet. All parts of the zucchini are safe to eat. Just be sure it’s prepared correctly, thinly sliced, and thoroughly washed.

Can You Feed Rabbits Zucchini?

If handled correctly, zucchini can provide a significant health boost for your rabbit, and it’s an easy treat to prepare.

The zucchini, also known as a courgette, is a type of squash. It’s long in shape, and commonly comes in a dark green color. These dark green zucchinis can brandish further markings, such as light green stripes, depending on the type. Golden varieties are also available in some regions.

While zucchinis are commonly considered a vegetable, this is only because of the way they are prepared in the kitchen. Technically speaking, zucchinis are a type of fruit, as they come from a flower.

Is Zucchini Safe for Rabbits?

Zucchinis are safe to feed for your rabbit. They do not contain any harmful toxins or chemicals. Likewise, because they’re low in calories and sugar, you won’t find them disrupting your bunny’s gut flora. This is unlike most fruits, which your rabbit should generally avoid. However, you may be curious if some parts of the zucchini are unsafe.

Skin

Can you include the skin when feeding zucchini to your rabbit? You don’t have to go through the effort of peeling this fruit as it’s safe.

In fact, it’s much better to leave the skin on a zucchini. Like with most fruits and vegetables, the skin contains many nutrients that are good for your rabbit’s health.

Leaves

All parts of the zucchini are safe for rabbits, including the leaves. A zucchini’s leaves are large, with serrated edges. It may help to shred or cut the leaves into smaller, more manageable sizes.

If your rabbit likes eating zucchini, the leaves may be a good addition to its diet. Just be sure to wash the leaves before serving them to your bun.

Flowers

Zucchini flowers are safe to feed to your rabbit. These flowers are golden, with a bell shape and petals that resemble a star.

You may notice that there are two types of flowers on a zucchini. One is bigger and will be found at the end of the plant. The other one will be smaller and grow directly on the stem. These are female and male flowers, respectively. Both types are non-toxic for your rabbit.

Zucchini flowers are an excellent treat for your rabbit. However, when bought commercially, they may be pricey. That’s because these flowers are delicate, making them hard to store and transport. However, if you have a zucchini plant you can harvest flowers from, feel free to feed it to your rabbit. Like with the leaves, just be sure the flowers are fresh and clean.

Dietary Benefits of Zucchini for Rabbits

Zucchini is a great food that is high in nutrients, high in water and fiber content, and low in calories. If your rabbit is experiencing digestive issues, a few helpings of zucchini can provide relief. Let’s take a closer look at the perks:

High In Nutrients

Zucchini is packed full of potassium. This nutrient is very helpful to a rabbit’s digestive system. In fact, a lack of potassium has been linked to muscular dystrophy in rabbits, according to The Journal of Nutrition. Other nutrients in a zucchini include:

• Vitamin A
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin B
• Folate
• Phosphorus
• Thiamine

In smaller amounts, zucchinis also contain:

• Iron
• Zinc
• Other B vitamins

High Water And Fiber Content

Rabbits need a fiber-rich diet in order to have healthy digestion. Zucchini is a great source of fiber, with a gram of fiber per one cup of zucchini.

On top of this fiber content, zucchini also contains a large helping of water. A cup of this fruit is more than 90% water. If your rabbit needs help staying hydrated, a few helpings of zucchini can easily balance out its diet.

Low in Calories

Because of this high water content, zucchinis are also low in calories. This is great news for rabbits, whose minimal caloric intake should be at about 2.2 calories per gram, or about 900 calories per pound. At an average of 6 pounds, the domestic rabbit should have about 5,500 calories per day.

These can seem like high numbers. Nonetheless, remember that bunnies gain the majority of their calories from other important parts of their diet. For example, timothy hay has about 804 calories per pound. That’s already a fifth of a rabbit’s necessary caloric intake.

You don’t have to worry about your rabbit gaining weight. One whole zucchini only has about 55 calories. As a reward or snack, your rabbit can munch on zucchini, enjoy the health benefits, and not ruin its appetite.

Reduce Risk of Heart Disease

According to Food and Nutrition Sciences, zucchini has been shown to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, or heart disease. This is because of the high levels of good cholesterol in zucchini, which have been linked with lower levels of heart disease.

As a bonus, heart disease has been linked to a high caloric intake. Because zucchinis are low in calories, you can be sure they won’t harm your rabbit.

Raw vs. Cooked

Zucchinis should always be fed raw to your bunny. This is because rabbits cannot eat butter, oil, or other ingredients typically used to prepare zucchini. If ingested, these additions will usually cause digestive issues.

Even if a rabbit could eat cooked zucchini, its raw counterpart is still superior. Compared to cooked varieties, raw zucchini will boast of more vitamins and minerals.

This is because the cooking process destroys or reduces the nutrients in vegetables and fruits. Roasting, baking, frying, or boiling zucchini will cook-off or leach out the healthy elements your rabbit needs.

Rabbits are picky eaters. Raw zucchini will likely have a more appealing taste than cooked zucchini. After all, you won’t find wild rabbits cooking anything over a fire. Because of this, it’s wise to feed your rabbit fruits straight from the garden or fridge.

Frozen

Freezing can break down the composition of food in the same way that cooking does. So, you may find the nutrition content reduced after zucchini has sat in the freezer. The freezing process will also change the taste and texture of this vegetable.

For these reasons, don’t feed your rabbit frozen zucchinis. Not only will it upset the bunny’s stomach, but it is also less nutritious. Even if your bunny ignores this, the taste will likely stop it from eating the zucchini.

Do Rabbits Like Zucchini?

There’s a good chance that your rabbit will like zucchini. It’s a tasty, crunchy, and nourishing treat.

You will need to introduce zucchini slowly. Most likely, your bunny will be hesitant at first. If given time to smell and gradually taste it, your rabbit may eventually warm up to the treat.

If your rabbit simply can’t be persuaded, don’t worry. You don’t have to force it to like or eat zucchinis. There are many other fruits and veggies to choose from, which can also provide the same benefits.

How To Give Rabbits Zucchini

If you want to introduce zucchinis into your rabbit’s diet, where do you start?

Small Amounts

Because rabbits have a sensitive digestive system, all new food should be introduced slowly. If a rabbit’s diet changes abruptly, this can upset its delicate gut health. Should this happen, it may experience discomfort, irregular bowel habits, changes in mood, or more serious health concerns.

Instead, by giving your rabbit small amounts, its body can adjust slowly. Likewise, this will give your rabbit time to decide if it likes the taste of zucchini. If forced, it may instead refuse the new treat altogether.

Slice Thinly

Food that’s easy to eat will be more welcomed by your rabbit. Smaller food will also be harder to choke on and simpler to digest. Because of this, always slice zucchini into thin discs before feeding them to your rabbit.

You can also present zucchini to your rabbit in small cubes. However, this style may take more time for your rabbit to eat. If it finds gnawing on the new food time-consuming, it may refuse the zucchini in favor of easier food to consume. This is so if your rabbit is trying zucchini for the first time.   When slicing zucchinis, aim for a thickness of 1/8 or ¼ of an inch.

Wash Beforehand

Washing zucchini ensures there are no bacteria, fertilizers, or chemicals left on its surface. Whether grown in your garden or bought in the store, all veggies should be washed prior to being fed to your rabbit.

This is because your vegetables may have toxins on their surface, whether organic or synthetic, found in the soil or in the water they were grown. While a human body can process most things found in commercial foods, a rabbit’s delicate chemistry may not.

Avoid Giving Zucchini To Juveniles

Raw veggies, including zucchini, should not be given to baby rabbits. Specifically, this means rabbits younger than 2 to 4 months.

All rabbits have a sensitive digestive system. Younger rabbits, however, will be more susceptible to issues. This is because they are still developing the gut flora necessary to regulate their diet. Any changes to their usual diet can kill off, stunt, or otherwise disrupt the balance of their gut. This can lead to a range of health issues.

Instead, it’s best to wait until your rabbit has grown into an adult. Then, it can enjoy these treats safely.

Only Give Zucchini As a Treat

Hay and grass should be the majority of your rabbit’s food. Too much zucchini can leave your rabbit overly full, unable to eat the timothy hay and orchard grass it needs. This can leave it low on calories, fiber, and vital nutrients not found in zucchini.

Don’t be fooled by the wonderful health benefits of zucchini and make it a primary ingredient in your rabbit’s diet. Instead, this fruit serves as a wonderful treat – but not the main course. When given infrequently, it can be a health boost to complement your bunny’s normal diet.

Supervise Your Rabbit’s Reaction

Every rabbit is different and will react to foods in different ways. After feeding your bunny zucchini for a week, be sure to watch it closely for changes in health and behavior. If you don’t notice any changes, feel free to continue with this treat.

However, common symptoms of digestive issues include a loss of appetite, weakness, and a lack of poop. If you notice changes to your rabbit’s behavior and health, return it to its original diet, and consult your vet. You may be overfeeding your bunny with zucchini.

Zucchini contains many nutrients that are helpful to rabbits. When given in moderation, this fruit can aid their heart and digestive system. Be sure to feed it raw to your bunny, sliced thinly, and in small amounts. As a treat, not a meal replacement, zucchini will be great for your rabbit’s diet.