In most of the cartoons we see, rabbits are the animals that trespass the farmer’s land and eat any vegetables. But as rabbit owners, you already might know that rabbits are picky eaters and every food is not suitable for them.
Turnip is a staple in a person’s diet. From salads to roasts, we can’t avoid this crunchy bitter vegetable. Have you ever thought you will give a piece of it to your furry baby? But you don’t know if it’s safe or not? Let us see…
Rabbits can eat turnips in moderation as a rare treat. Turnips are not toxic to rabbits so you don’t have to worry even if rabbits eat them. But turnip alone does not provide much nutrition to the rabbits. Turnip green, however, is better than turnips for rabbits.
Why do you think turnips should be given in moderation if they are not toxic? like turnip green, which all other parts can rabbit have of turnips? In this article, we will discuss all you have to know about rabbits eating a turnip.
Let us hop straight in!
Do Rabbits Like Turnips?
Yes, bunnies like turnips and will eat them if you offer them a few pieces. Turnips should be given as occasional treats and not a staple in their daily diet.
However, turnips are not toxic or do not cause any fatal health problems in rabbits if consumed more than enough.
Your bunnies should only eat turnips in small quantities because of the high carbohydrate content. If eating more than enough can cause obesity and weight gain in rabbits. One teaspoon is enough for a bunny weighing about two pounds.
Turnips are a good addition to your rabbit’s diet if you stick to the appropriate level of intake. As we know there are two parts to turnips: turnip root and the turnip greens.
For rabbits, it is mostly recommended to give turnip greens because it is much easier on your bun’s body than the starchy, bulbous turnip root. Turnip greens have higher nutritional value than turnip roots.
You have to make sure you give turnips to your rabbits in moderation. According to experts, you can feed one teaspoon of turnip for every two pounds of the rabbit’s weight, per day.
The age and weight of the rabbit are two of the most important factors that you have to keep in mind when you feed them turnips.
Is Turnip Good For Rabbits?
Turnips do good for your rabbit if they are given in moderation. Turnip greens especially are better in nutritional value and will be a good addition to your rabbit’s diet if given in moderation and mixed with other leafy vegetables.
Even though turnips don’t have enough fiber content in them, they have a reasonable amount of calcium. If your bunny is suffering from a calcium deficiency, the veterinarian may recommend calcium-rich turnip treats occasionally for rabbits. This helps in strengthening the rabbits’ teeth and bones.
You should only introduce turnips to your rabbit’s diet slowly. Once the rabbits get familiar with the vegetable then you can give them occasionally as a treat. You have to keep in mind your rabbit’s weight and age before giving them turnips.
When rabbits weigh about 2 pounds, you can introduce vegetables into their diet. During that time, you can mix chopped turnip greens with other vegetables, and give them as treats occasionally.
Now let’s discuss more the nutritional value of turnips and understand why they should be given in moderation for your furry babies.
Nutritional Value Of Turnips For Rabbits
Even though turnips shouldn’t be an everyday part of your bun’s diet, if given in an appropriate amount, they could provide great nutritional value for your rabbit.
Turnips are quite nutritious—they contain moderate amounts of Vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, folate, and other B vitamins.
They are also quite high in calcium compared to other vegetables, which can help support strong bones and teeth.
The calcium content in turnips can help your rabbits that are growing and can aid in the growth of their teeth and bones. Your furry baby must have a balanced calcium level too.
If your rabbit is a little bit low in calcium, opting for calcium-rich treats like turnips may help boost their overall intake.
It is, however, important to have your veterinarian examine your rabbit if you suspect that they are suffering from a nutritional deficiency before you make any changes to its diet.
One cup of turnips contains:
- 36.4 calories
- 1.17 g of protein
- 0.13 g of fat
- 8.36 g of carbohydrate, including 4.66 g of sugar
- 2.34 g of fiber
- 39 milligrams (mg) of calcium
- 0.39 mg of iron
- 14.3 mg of magnesium
- 35.1 mg of phosphorus
- 0.13 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin K
- 87.1 mg of sodium
- 0.351 mg of zinc
- 27.3 mg of vitamin C
- 19.5 mcg of folate
Can Bunnies Have Turnip Greens?
Turnip greens are the dark leafy green tops of turnips. It is often discarded by us as it does not make its way into our diet. But that’s not the case for your furry baby. They love turnip greens and can be included in their diet.
The turnip greens are more nutritious. You can give more turnip greens to rabbits, as they are a rich source of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and folate. The roots are not loaded with these nutrients in large quantities.
Turnip greens are loaded with Vitamin K, Vitamin A, folate, and Vitamin C, which will boost the immune system, neutralize free radicals, and help support healthy bones, teeth, and blood.
Turnip greens are also much higher in fiber and much lower in sugar than turnip roots, which makes them far more rabbit-friendly.
While your bun should not eat turnip roots more than once a week or so, they can eat turnip greens several times per week.
One 55-gram cup of raw turnip greens contains:
- 18 calories
- 0.82 grams of protein
- 0.17 gram of fat
- 3.92 grams of carbohydrate
- 1.8 grams of fiber
- 0.45 gram of sugar
They are also a rich source of minerals:
- 104 milligrams (mg) of calcium
- 0.61 mg of iron
- 17 mg of magnesium
- 23 mg of phosphorus
- 163 mg of potassium
- 0.1 mg of zinc
How Many Turnip Greens Can a Rabbit Have?
Your furry babies can have turnip greens several times a week, unlike the turnip roots. The greens are usually given to the rabbits by mixing them with other leafy vegetables.
In quantities, you should feed them as you do to other leafy greens. A chopped cup of at least 5-6 different veggies including turnip greens per bunny weighing two pounds daily.
You can mix it with kale, watercress, parsley, radishes, asparagus, wheatgrass, dandelion greens, romaine lettuce, Bok Choy, cilantro, Mache, arugula, endive, spring greens, collard greens, borage leaves, and so forth.
Can Rabbits Eat The Stem Of Turnip Green?
Yes, rabbits can have the stem of turnip greens. It is normal for them to consume the stems while they eat the turnip greens.
You can cut the stems into smaller pieces and mix them up with the greens and give them to your bunnies.
Make sure you don’t overfeed the rabbit with the stems. You have to stick to an adequate amount of stem keeping in mind your rabbit’s age and weight.
Can Your Rabbit Eat Raw Turnip?
Well here is a question for you: how do you think rabbits survive in the wild? With cooked food or uncooked food? It’s pretty obvious! They eat raw foods that are readily available to them. The same is the case for domestic rabbits.
It is recommended to give rabbits raw turnips. You can give them turnip roots which are cut into small pieces. You can serve them raw turnip roots.
Turnip greens are also cut into smaller pieces and mixed with other green vegetables. It is also given raw to the rabbits.
When cooked, other ingredients such as oil or salt, or spices are added. Your bunnies should be allergic to them or some ingredients won’t be bun-safe. That’s why cooked food should be mostly avoided for buns and raw veggies and fruits are recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Rabbits Eat Sweet Potatoes?
Fortunately, sweet potatoes aren’t toxic to rabbits unless your rabbit has consumed a large amount at once. If you recently fed your rabbit a small chunk of sweet potato, there’s no need for concern. However, your rabbit may experience stomach upset.
What vegetables are not good for rabbits?
Poisonous vegetables for rabbits include potatoes, rhubarb, mushrooms, broad beans, kidney beans, and iceberg lettuce, Dacombe says. On the fruit side, avocado is a fatty fruit that contains a fungicidal toxin called persin that can be deadly if ingested by a pet rabbit.
Final Word
We are at the end, and we have finally gotten the answer to the question: can rabbits eat turnip?
Turnips are good to go for your furry babies. All you have to keep in mind is you have to give them turnips in moderation keeping their age and weight in mind. Turnip greens are also a great source of nutrients when given with other veggies.
By now you know that rabbits are very picky eaters and you have to be careful with what to feed them. I hope this article answered your queries in the turnip department.
For more queries, comment down below.
