Bok choy is a staple in Asian households. When you eat bok choys then it is natural that you feel like giving a bite or two to your bunny. You might feel it’s okay as bok choys are nutritious as well.
But is it safe for bunnies to eat bok choy? Do bok choys have the same nutritional benefits as rabbits as well? Let us see
Can rabbits eat bok choy? Yes, rabbits can eat bok choy. It is perfectly safe for rabbits. Bok choy offers many health benefits for rabbits. Make sure to feed this vegetable to rabbits in moderation. Feeding high quantities of bok choy can lead to excess gas and soft stools in rabbits.
Even though it is safe for rabbits to eat bok choy, there are still many questions we have to look into before feeding bok choy to rabbits such as the nutritional value, feeding raw bok choy to rabbits, or how much is too much and many more.
If you are a new rabbit owner, it is natural for you to worry over these details but don’t worry because in this article we are gonna discuss everything you should know about bok choys and bunnies.
Let us hop straight in!
Can Rabbits Eat Pak Choi (Bok Choy) Safely?
Bok Choy is a popular vegetable in Southeast Asia and is commonly referred to as bok choy or pak choi.
It is also known as Chinese cabbage and is categorized in the Brassica family. It is a clustered base of thick stems and oval-shaped leaves. Bok choys are available throughout the year.
Can rabbits eat bok choy safely? Yes, bok choy can be consulted by rabbits without any fear. It is not toxic and won’t pose a fatal health threat to your rabbit. However, moderate feeding of bok choy is recommended for your rabbit.
Bok choys are nutritious. They are filled with benefits for your bunnies.
Bok Choy also contains high amounts of antioxidants which protects the rabbit body from different diseases, it has good amounts of vitamins like vitamins A, K, and C which will prevent blood clotting for the rabbits, and lastly, Bok Choy is very low in calories.
Rabbits also like bok choys. Rabbit likes the sweet-savory taste and crunchy texture of bok choy. The crunchy texture is helpful for our little bunnies who are developing teeth.
Even though bok choys are healthy, they should be given as a treat. It shouldn’t be a part of everyday diet. The basic diet should be made up of hay (80%). Bok choy compared to hay has not had enough fiber, therefore, if you do not feed enough hay then hairballs may occur.
Let’s further discuss the other details about bok choy. Keep reading!
What Part Of Bok Choy Can Rabbits Eat?
We have to understand that different rabbits have different digestive systems. Some rabbits can tolerate different parts of bok choy but some cannot. You have to try it out yourself but it’s better to be on the errand and stick to the leaves.
Rabbits can normally eat steam and the core of bok choy but if your rabbit has a sensitive tummy then it is a no. so try giving a small piece of stem or core to test it out. If your rabbit can tolerate it then it’s okay to give it to them.
Eating too much bok choy stem can give your rabbit a gassy stomach. Apart from the gassy stomach, the bok choy stem or core does not possess any major threat to the rabbit’s health.
You can cut the bok choy stems and core into smaller pieces and can store them in the freezer over time. You can feed them to your rabbit once in a while as a treat but never as a staple food.
The bok choy flowers come out from their thin stems. These flowers have a bright yellow color and grow in clusters. They have a delicate texture and small size. But the bok choy flowers maintain a strong and bold flavor.
The taste of the flowers is similar to spices. Because of this smell and taste, rabbits don’t like the bok choy flowers. Many rabbits won’t eat the bok choy flowers.
It’s better to give the rabbits regular bok choy instead of different parts. In case you wanna feed more parts to make the most out of it, we recommend you give very small amounts of it to your bunny. You could feed them once a week as a small treat.
Pak Choi (Bok Choy) Nutrition And Rabbit Requirements
Let’s discuss the various nutrients that rabbits require and how much it is there in 100 grams of bok choy.
- Water (95.3g): bok choy is filled with water. This is good for rabbits. It will keep them hydrated throughout the day. But it also means it shouldn’t be a part of your bunny’s everyday diet.
- Energy (13 kcal): Pak choi doesn’t provide much energy for rabbits. This is another reason why pak choi should be a supplement to the main diet of hay for rabbits, rather than their only or main food.
- Protein (1.5g): bok choy is low in nutrients. This is another reason why it shouldn’t be part of a rabbit’s everyday diet. You have to incorporate it with hay which is the main food for rabbits. Rabbits require 12-17 g.
- Fat (0.2g): bok choy is low in fat. This is good for rabbits because low-fat diets are better for them. Rabbit requires 2.5-5 g.
- Fiber (1g): rabbits need really fiber-rich food in their diet to keep their digestive system healthy. Pak choi does not provide enough fiber for the bunnies that’s why hay should be provided to the rabbits. Rabbit requires 14-25 g.
- Carbohydrates (2.18 g): rabbits like a low carbohydrates diet. Bok choy is low in it. Rabbit requires <20 g.
- Calcium (105 mg): rabbits need a low calcium diet as excess calcium can cause kidney stones in rabbits. Bok choy has low calcium compared to Timothy hay. Rabbit requires 500 mg.
- Iron (0.8 mg): it provides only a little amount of iron that a rabbit requires. Rabbits require 30-400 mg.
- Magnesium (19 mg): it provides a good level of magnesium that rabbits require. Rabbits require 30-300 mg.
- Phosphorus (37 mg): it provides a very little amount of phosphorus. Rabbits require 400 mg.
- Potassium (252 mg): it can contribute a small amount of potassium to a rabbit’s everyday life. Rabbits require 6000 mg.
- Vitamin A(4,479 IU): Pak choi is great for vitamin A, which rabbits need. Rabbits require 1,000-1,200 IU.
- Vitamin C(45mg): rabbits don’t require vitamin C at all. But the vitamin C in bok choy won’t harm the rabbits nor help them.
- Vitamin E(0.09 mg): Pak choi doesn’t provide much vitamin E for rabbits. Rabbits require 5-16 mg.
- Vitamin D (0): bok choy does not provide any vitamin D that rabbits require. Rabbits require 80-100 IU.
- Vitamin B Complex (0.96 mg): rabbits make all the vitamin B complex that they need. So they don’t require vitamin B complex from bok choy.
- Zinc (0.19mg): Pak choi doesn’t provide much zinc. Rabbits require 5-15 mg.
- Selenium (0.0005 mg): Pak choi provides just a little of the selenium that bunnies need. Rabbits require 0.005- 0.032 mg.
Benefits Of Bok Choy For Rabbits
There are many benefits of feeding bok choy to your bunnies. Let’s discuss this array of benefits.
- Calcium: it contains a good and modest amount of calcium. Hugh amount of calcium can cause kidney stones in rabbits. Bok choy contains a modest amount of calcium that won’t cause any health problems for your bunny.
- Potassium and Magnesium: A sufficient supply of Potassium and Magnesium reduces the risk of death from heart diseases. Potassium prevents muscle mass loss and developing kidney stones.
- Prevents gastrointestinal problems: It contains fibrous consistency and adds extra fiber to the rabbit’s diet. High dietary fiber prevents gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, gases, and bloating.
- Antioxidants: bok choy contains a great amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants play a vital role in protecting the rabbit’s body from various infections.
- Low calories: bok choy contains very less amount of calories. A low-calorie diet is the best for rabbits. Low-calorie diet will decrease the chance of obesity in rabbits.
- Vitamins: Bok choy is packed with essential vitamins like A, C, and K. Bok choy has plenty of vitamin K, which is vital for blood clotting. Eating enough amounts of vitamin K can clot the blood of the injured rabbit quickly.
- Low oxalates: bok choy contains less amount of oxalates. This is good for rabbits as a high amount of oxalate causes health problems for rabbits.
Things To Consider When Feeding Bok Choy For Rabbits
There are some pointers you have to pay attention to while feeding bok choy to your rabbits. These are simple but important things that you have to look into while feeding the rabbits. Let’s jump into it…
You should never feed your rabbit bok choy as a smoothie or soup or juice. If you make it into a smoothie, it will lose all of its fiber content. Rabbits need fiber for a healthy digestive system.
Some rabbits develop gas if they overeat bok choy. You have to make sure that you don’t overfeed your bunny with bok choy. You have to always keep an eye on your rabbit while they eat bok choy.
How Often Should We Feed Bok Choy?
It is better to not feed bok choy to your rabbit every day. A small amount of bok choy once a week is harmless.
You could give a few pieces of the bok choy to your rabbits as a treat once in a while. But you have to make sure that you top it off with plenty of water and hay which is the main diet of rabbits.
Can You Feed Cooked Pak Choi To Rabbits?
You can feed cooked pak choi to rabbits so long as you haven’t cooked the pak choi with anything else that might affect the rabbits.
The cooked pak choi won’t be quite as healthy for the rabbits as the raw pak choi (and they might not enjoy it as much). But it will be fine for them.
Can Baby Rabbits Eat Pak Choi?
With young rabbits, you need to be careful with every new food. For the first six weeks, baby rabbits should be depending on their mother’s milk.
After this, they transfer to hay (and a few pellets). Only later can other foods be introduced, and it is best to do this a little at a time, and one new food at a time.
This is because young rabbits have extremely delicate digestive systems that can be easily upset.
Proper Way To Introduce Bok Choy To Rabbits
Like any other fresh foods for rabbits or vegetables, you need to introduce it gradually over a period of at least a week. Begin with small amounts and watch how your bunny’s digestive system is going to respond.
If it causes any health problems like diarrhea, gas, and other intestinal problems then you have to stop feeding bok choy to your bunny and revert to the normal diet.
You have to make sure that the bok choy you are feeding your bunny is organic and chemical-free. If it stores brought then make sure you wash it free of all the chemicals.
The fresh veggies should only make only 10-15% of their diet. The rest should be hay or pellets. So make sure you stick to feeding your rabbit the appropriate amount of bok choy according to their weight and age.
Alternative To Bok Choy
Quality hay and grass are the staples of a rabbit’s diet even included in rabbit pellets. Some healthy fruits and vegetables can be given additionally.
If not Bok Choy, try giving them Bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, Basil, Cilantro, Endive, Green leaf, Red leaf, Parsley, and Fennel.
Bok Choy is a healthy treat option for rabbits when served right. It provides vital nutrients in sufficient quantity to keep them healthy.
However, it is advised to not go overboard with the treats, only offer these delicious snacks in limited quantity, and under strict supervision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does spinach give rabbits diarrhea?
If spinach is a new food for your rabbit, introduce it gradually to minimize diarrhea or digestive upsets. Give it a small amount, wait 24 hours and see if it processes soft poo. If it does, do not continue feeding it spinach. If it doesn’t, give it very small amounts for 2-3 weeks.
How do you prevent gas in rabbits?
Your rabbit will pick at the sweet ingredients and ignore her hay. This will lead to a lack of fiber in her diet. Be mindful of fresh fruit and vegetables when feeding your rabbit. Foods high in sugar or carbohydrates cause gas.
Final Word
We are at the end of this article. By now we know the answer to the question: Can rabbits eat bok choy? Yes, rabbits can eat bok choy. It is perfectly safe for rabbits. Bok choy offers many health benefits for rabbits.
We discussed all the benefits and the things to consider while feeding your rabbit bok choy. Keep in mind all the tips we mentioned to give a safe and healthy diet for your rabbit.
We hope this article solved all your questions about feeding rabbits bok choy. For more questions comment down below!
