Everyone who has ever watched Bugs Bunny cartoons knows that rabbits adore carrots, but the question is can bunnies eat carrot tops? Even though carrot is yummy food for your fluffy friend, it is packed with sugar, making it unsuitable for its sensitive stomach.
On the other hand, carrot tops are low in carbs and sugar, making them healthy and entirely safe for your rabbit to eat. In fact, you should include this healthy and highly nutritious food on the menu because of its high phytonutrient, vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant levels.
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What Are Carrot Tops?
As you know, carrots are highly nutritious food for rabbits, but their greens are also rich in fiber, vitamins A, K, and C. For instance, carrot tops are six times richer in vitamin C than their roots. On the other hand, raw greens don’t contain fat and are low in calories.
| Dried carrot tops chemical composition | |
| Nutrient | Amount |
| Protein | 20.27% |
| Fat | 3.37% |
| Carbs | 61.36% |
| Water | 9.15% |
Besides high levels of minerals like potassium, iron, and calcium, carrot tops will also provide necessary phenolic, carotenoids, phytonutrients, and other antioxidants for your bunny. Plus, one cup provides a modest 90 Kcal, making this food an excellent option for rabbits.
| Dried carrot tops nutritional value | |
| Vitamins and minerals | Concentration |
| Calcium | 15 mg/L |
| Phosphorus | 7.8 mg/L |
| Potassium | 975 mg/L |
| Iron | 3.36 mg/L |
| Zink | 0.88 mg/L |
| Phenols | 82 mg/ml |
There is a list of ingredients that make this greenery extremely high quality and nutritious:
Chlorophyll
This compound provides plants, including carrot tops, with beautiful green color. Besides anticancer properties, it makes greenery an excellent antioxidant that helps detoxify your rabbit’s kidneys.
Antioxidants
Besides chlorophyll, carrot greens also contain b-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. They are crucial because of:
- Improving bunny’s eye health
- Keeping rabbit’s skin infection-free
- Freeing your pet’s body from toxins
- Increasing coat shine and preventing its matting
Oxalic acid
Oxalates are regularly-occurring food toxins found in some leafy greens, particularly veggies like carrot tops. However, such a low level of oxalic acid makes this greenery safe for consumption.
Moreover, you can combine them with vegetables containing a higher level of this toxin, like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard. That way, the level of this chemical will stay low and won’t harm your bunny.
However, avoiding offering too high amounts of this food type is better. Otherwise, your rabbit may have an issue with itchy skin and urinary tract discomfort.
Calcium
It is one of the crucial minerals for bunnies’ health since it improves their bone density and prevents arthritis in older rabbits. Be careful with this mineral because of its crystallizing properties. It can jeopardize your pet’s health when offered in excess and cause:
- Urinary tract infection
- Kidney and bladder stones
- Kidney disease
Magnesium and potassium
Carrot tops are unbelievably rich in potassium, helping your long-eared buddy lower blood pressure. That way, it is less likely to suffer from heart disease.
In combination with magnesium, this mineral also boosts the rabbit’s metabolism, strengthens its muscle tissues, and increases the overall energy levels necessary for such an active creature.
Fiber
As you know, rabbits need a lot of fiber in their everyday diet to encourage the regular functioning of the stomach and intestines. Since carrot tops contain high fiber levels, their consumption will:
- Improve other nutrient absorption
- Stimulate bowel movement
- Maintain good stool consistency
- Reduce the possibility of constipation
Can Rabbits Eat Carrot Tops?
People typically avoid carrot tops because these greens are a bit bitter, but rabbits don’t care about that taste. They happily nibble on this beneficial food whenever they get it.
Interestingly, there is a chance that your pet likes eating these leaf stalks more than carrots. Unfortunately, finding carrots with tops in grocery stores can be tricky.
The only way to find them is to buy organic carrots, use them for your meal, and let your bunny enjoy their tops. If you think better about it, this greenery is a free rabbit treat, making this food a rare grocery packed with nutrients that cost nothing.
Best of all, you can regrow them by popping carrot tops on the soil surface and wait for a few days until new greens sprout. Once they grow up, you should pick out the longest stalks and add them to a regular rabbit’s meal once to twice a week.
Cooked carrot tops
Unlike other veggies, carrot tops are an excellent food for your bunny even after cooking. In fact, boiling water will soften their bitterness and provide unique earthy flavor rabbits adore.
Are Carrot Tops Safe for Rabbits?
Contrary to what many believe, carrot tops are poisonous neither for humans nor for rabbits. They are a bit bitter and contain potentially dangerous oxalates, but their percentage in this greenery is relatively low.
If you offer carrot tops moderately, approximately once or twice a week, they will be entirely safe for your bunny. Combining them with five to six other healthy greens types is even better, providing a yummy and nutritious meal full of vitamins and minerals without jeopardizing your pet.
The most dangerous thing about carrot tops is pesticides sprayed throughout the carrot growing process. However, thorough washing will reduce their harmful effect.
Carrot tops for kits
Kits adore eating carrot tops, but you should wait a while before including them in their diet. Even though this greenery doesn’t contain as much sugar as carrots, it is better to control the amount each baby rabbit grabs.
Always cut off the root part from the top and offer only thoroughly rinsed leaves to reduce the risk of diarrhea. In some cases, you should consider replacing them with equally healthy but less controversial broccoli leaves.
Carrot tops for wild rabbits
Carrots and tops are not typical food for wild rabbits, but they can consume them without particular problems. However, they will pick out this food type only when their preferred dark greens are unavailable for any reason. In other words, they are only an alternative to their favorite veggies, not a food of choice.
Carrot Tops Benefits for Rabbits
As I have already mentioned, carrots tops are healthy and nutritious food most domesticated rabbits like. They provide the necessary moisture for their tiny bodies, keeping their kidneys and bladders healthy and functional.
An occasional offering of this greenery prevents many inconveniences and disorders, including:
- Dehydration
- Overheating
- Urinary tract issues
- Kidney diseases
- Bladder stones development
This greenery also adds variety in food taste, texture, and nutritional value, making your bunny’s diet healthier and more desirable. It is also a source of fiber crucial for digestive system functioning.
One of the excellent options to increase water intake in rabbits refusing to drink enough liquid is to serve previously moistened leafy greens, including carrot tops. As you can see, they are beneficial for your furry friend. Plus, you can get them for free, meaning that something you probably consider as waste is doubly useful!
Carrot Tops Risks for Rabbits
In some cases, carrot tops can harm your bunny, particularly when you add them regularly to the daily diet. Offering too sizable amounts more often than twice a week can lead to disorders such as:
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Weight loss
- Stomach ache and bloating
Besides, oxalates this greenery contains can bind with calcium inside the rabbit’s body and cause bladder infections and painful kidney or bladder stones.
Sometimes, carrot tops given in excessive amounts can be challenging for your bunny to digest because of their high fiber content. It is a rare case and typically occurs when you overfeed it.
In this case, your pet will suffer from unpleasant constipation, and you should consult your vet to solve the problem.
Ways of Preparing Carrot Tops For Rabbits
Most rabbits adore carrot tops, and you should offer them to your bunny from time to time as a nutritious treat. However, the proper preparation will make a difference between healthy food and poisonous greenery dangerous for your pet.
The rule of thumb is that an ideal measure is giving the rabbit about 0.5 cups of carrot tops per every 4 pounds (1.8 kg) of its weight.
It is crucial to remove dirt and wash carrot tops thoroughly to remove pesticide residue as much as possible. If you have a dwarf breed or young bunny, it is necessary to cut this greenery into acceptable pieces according to its size.
Mix this food with other greens to make a rich and diverse meal. Another option is to make puree or juice of carrot tops and other veggies and offer your long-eared buddy a delicious smoothie.
Never start with a too sizable portion in the beginning until your bunny’s digestive system gets used to new food. Only that way, you can prevent stomach pain and diarrhea. It is OK to increase the amount over time when noticing that there are no adverse effects after feeding.
Summary
Carrot tops are a nutritious and healthy addition to your rabbit’s diet. They are packed with fibers, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and minerals. Even though this greenery contains numerous vitamins, it is particularly desirable because containing six times more vitamin C than carrot roots.
