Mashed potato with beef is delicious and healthy, we know. But are there bunnies at your home? And can rabbits eat potatoes in any form?
Well, if you ask technically, then yes, rabbits will chew on raw potatoes happily and gobble them up as long as you let them. They’re herbivorous, after all. However, it doesn’t mean raw potatoes are healthy for rabbits.
Why so?
Although rabbits may find potatoes tasty, the starch in potatoes won’t go down their digestive tract easily. Bunnies may develop ailments like constipation, GI stasis, diarrhea, etc.
If you’re willing to know more about rabbits eating potatoes and its effect on their health, keep reading this article.
Can Rabbits Eat Potatoes?
Potatoes are a staple food for people all around the world. It’s an ideal vegetable for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food diets.
Nonetheless, rabbits may be fully vegetarian, but potatoes shouldn’t be fed to them as a main meal. It’s because rabbits should only consume vegetables, herbs, and fruits that are rich in fiber.
Enough intake of fiber smoothens the digestive system of rabbits, pushing the bowel through the tract easily. Protein and fat can be added to a rabbit’s regular diet but in moderation.
For this reason, rabbits should mostly feed on grass hay which accounts for more than eighty percent of their daily diet. Additionally, bunnies can eat leafy greens, herbs, and fruits like celery, cilantro, asparagus, cucumber, etc.
Coming back to potatoes, they contain a very little amount of fiber, just above two grams per hundred-gram serving. So, in terms of nutrition, potatoes aren’t good for rabbits as well.
Below, we’ll try to answer a few more questions related to rabbits eating potatoes.
Are Raw or Cooked Potatoes Good for Bunnies?
A few pet owners might think that cooked potatoes should be a better option for rabbits instead of raw ones. But that’s not the case.
Both cooked and raw potatoes can inflict harm on your bunny’s health if consumed daily. It’s true that cooking reduces the starch content in potatoes, but not entirely. Some starch content still remains which can badly interact with the rabbit’s digestive system.
Potatoes also contain a decent amount of carbohydrates, cooked or raw, which is indigestible for rabbits. In short, cooked or raw, potatoes aren’t a healthy choice for bunnies
Can Rabbits Eat Potato Peels or Leaves?
You also might be concerned with feeding potato peels and leaves plants to your rabbits. Can rabbits eat them? Let’s find out.
- Potato Peels: Speaking of potato peels, many claim them to be a good source of fiber for rabbits. Yes, potato peels contain a good amount of fiber, much more than the main white content itself. They are also rich in potassium, vitamin C, etc.
However, there’s a little problem. Potato peels also contain starch which diminishes the merit of the fiber in them. Hence, getting the optimum fiber and proper digestion from the potato peels becomes quite difficult.
- Potato Leaves: A big NO for this. Potato leaves, flowers, and vines are outright poisonous to bunnies. If you have a potato vine in the yard where your bunnies play around, keep them away from the potato leaves and flowers.
‘Eyes’ on old potatoes are also poisonous to rabbits. On a more serious note, they can even end their lives.
Are Sweet Potatoes Good for Rabbits?
Sweet potatoes can be as good as regular potatoes for rabbits. Sweet potatoes might belong to a different family, but their nutrition chart isn’t more favorable for your bunny’s health.
There is more fat in sweet potatoes than in regular ones. Besides, their sugary content will hamper the rabbit’s digestive tract too.
Do Rabbits Like Potatoes?
Since rabbits love to munch on any crunchy vegetables or fruits, it’s natural that they’ll easily take a bite or two of raw potatoes. But that doesn’t make potatoes their favorite food.
They might like the taste of potatoes a bit, however, they won’t and shouldn’t consume as many raw potatoes as they like.
As we’ve discussed earlier in this article, you mustn’t let your bunnies eat potatoes regularly. Still, if your bunnies are fascinated by the taste of it, you can give two to four thin slices of potato once a week after the main meal including hay, herbs, veggies, etc.
Don’t forget to let your rabbits drink lots of water, so the veggies or little amount of potatoes don’t get stuck in their digestive tract.
Can Eating Potatoes Affect a Rabbit’s Health?
Rabbits may suffer from various ailments due to eating potatoes regularly. Pet owners often overlook the health condition of rabbits while feeding them unhealthy foods.
Below, you’ll find out what health turmoil your pet can go through upon consuming potatoes:
- Stomach Ache: The starch in potatoes doesn’t dissolve nicely in a rabbit’s digestive system. Eating potatoes regularly will worsen the condition, making its guts swollen and painful.
- Laziness: Rabbits do love to slouch occasionally on your bed, floor, or inside their cage. But if they’re not moving frequently as usual or not bringing themselves out of their hutch for a long time, something must be bothering them inside.
Foods that are low in fiber and high in carbohydrates like potatoes can cause lethargy in rabbits. - Diarrhea: In some rabbits, potato starch can act reactively in the system, making their bowel irregular or go loose. Diarrhea is one of the ailments bunnies can suffer from consuming potatoes.
- Weight Gain: Potatoes or any protein and carbohydrate-rich diet is like junk food to rabbits. Having them regularly can store fat in their bodies, helping them gain unnecessary weight.
- Constipation: This is more critical because constipation in rabbits may lead to GI stasis (gastrointestinal stasis). If you didn’t know what it is, it’s a rare condition where the whole digestive system can get paralyzed.
Final Words
Can rabbits eat potatoes or not is still arguable, however, to conclude, it’s safe to say that there are better choices out there for sure.
Sadly, rabbits can’t speak for themselves and it’s you who must provide them with fiber-enriched hay, fruits, veggies, and lots of water for hydration.
Potatoes are a vital food in the human diet chart, no doubt. But don’t measure your bunnies on the same scale.
So, put a red flag on potatoes from today to keep your bunnies healthy and safe.