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| Safe? | Yes, a good everyday green |
| How much | Two or three leaves in a mixed handful for a 2 kg (4.4 lb) rabbit |
| How often | Three or four days a week, rotated |
| Best served | Raw, washed, leaves and stalks |
| Watch out for | Gas if fed in large amounts; go slowly with new rabbits |
Are spring greens good for rabbits?
Yes. Spring greens are young cabbage leaves picked before a heart forms (the nearest US match is collard greens). The House Rabbit Society puts spring greens on its list of leafy greens, and the RSPCA names them among good daily greens. The Rabbit Welfare Association says broccoli, spring greens and parsley are "as tasty to a rabbit as dandelions from the garden". Dark, leafy greens like these should make up most of a rabbit's fresh food, with hay as the bulk of the diet.
How much spring greens can a rabbit have?
The House Rabbit Society suggests at least 2 cups of chopped vegetables per 2.7 kg (6 lb) of body weight a day, so roughly 1.5 cups (about 350 ml) for a 2 kg (4.4 lb) rabbit, with at least three different leafy greens. PDSA puts it as an adult-sized handful twice a day. Two or three spring green leaves can be one part of that.
The one caution is gas. The Rabbit Welfare Association says cabbage-family greens can ferment in the gut and produce gas in some rabbits, and are best rotated with other vegetables rather than fed in large amounts every day. The House Rabbit Society also advises caution with the cabbage family. So we would use spring greens three or four days a week and swap in non-cabbage greens such as romaine, coriander (cilantro) or fennel tops on the other days.
How to introduce spring greens
- Wash the leaves. Rinse well and shake off the water.
- Start with one leaf. Give a single leaf, torn up, with greens your rabbit already eats.
- Watch for 24 hours. Droppings should stay round, dry and plentiful. Soft droppings or a quiet, hunched rabbit mean stop.
- Build up slowly. Over a week or two, go up to two or three leaves in the mix.
Who should skip spring greens?
Woodgreen advises that rabbits with past digestive problems avoid cabbage-family vegetables, because they can cause gas and bloating. Young rabbits should start greens one at a time from about 12 weeks old, in tiny amounts.
What to offer instead
Plain cabbage and broccoli are cousins of spring greens, so count them in the same group. For a non-cabbage swap, try fennel or celery leaves. Our rabbit safe food list, rabbit diet guide and rabbit care guide cover the rest.
Spring greens and rabbits: questions
Can rabbits eat spring greens every day?
They can have some most days, but rotating is kinder to the gut. The Rabbit Welfare Association says cabbage-family greens are best rotated with other vegetables rather than fed in large amounts every day. Give spring greens three or four days a week and use romaine, herbs or fennel tops on the others.
Can rabbits eat the stalks of spring greens?
Yes. The thick central rib is safe and gives extra chewing. Cut it into short pieces of about 2 to 3 cm (1 in) so it is easy to manage, and count it as part of the same handful of greens, not on top.
Can rabbits eat cooked spring greens?
No. Cooking softens the leaf, so it gives none of the chewing rabbits need, and greens cooked for people often have butter, oil or salt on them. Always feed them raw and plain.
Are spring greens the same as cabbage?
They are a young, loose-leaved form of cabbage picked before a firm heart forms. Both are safe for rabbits. Spring greens are leafier and darker, which makes them a better everyday green than a pale, tightly packed cabbage head.
