Can Rabbits Eat Celery?

Yes, rabbits can eat celery, but it should only be a very small portion of their diet

A rabbit’s diet should consist mainly of hay (dried grass) and be supplemented with vegetables and pellets.

Now let’s look a little more closely at celery and its role in a rabbit’s diet.

Can rabbits eat celery?

Contents

1 Yes, rabbits can eat celery, but it should only be a very small portion of their diet

2 Is Celery Good for Rabbits

3 Is Celery Bad for Rabbits

4 Advice on Feeding Celery to your Rabbit:

5 Can Celery Fit into a Bunny’s Diet?

6 Do Rabbits like Celery?

7 What Other Foods Can Rabbits Eat?

8 Summary of Can Rabbits Eat Celery

Is Celery Good for Rabbits

There are a couple of benefits (other than taste) when you feed rabbits celery.

Firstly, celery contains many vitamins, minerals, and nutrients such as calcium, choline, fiber, folate, folic acid, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, vitamin A, several B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K to name a few (all of which are beneficial for rabbits’ overall health).

Celery is a vegetable in the family Apiaceae (which includes carrots and parsley). Both its fibrous stalk and its leaves can be eaten either raw or cooked (by both rabbits and humans).

Celery has a savory taste and is full of water. Many rabbits develop a fondness for celery due to its high sugar content (by rabbit standards) and love eating it.

Secondly, celery also helps to keep rabbits’ teeth in check due to how crunchy and difficult it is to chew.

Did you know that rabbits’ teeth never stop growing?

While that is very cool, it also means that their teeth can grow straight into their gums and mouth if left unchecked. This is very painful for them and dangerous as well.

According to the Vet Times, “Rabbits’ dentition and gastrointestinal anatomy are adapted to digest coarse, high-fiber foods, such as grass and hay (Meredith and Lord, 2014), so it is important this makes up the bulk of their diet.”

High-fiber foods, including celery, help provide the nutrients Bunnies need for the stomach and teeth.

Is Celery Bad for Rabbits

While celery is generally considered safe for rabbits, there are some cons to consider.

The most dangerous of which is celery strings (yes, celery strings can be dangerous).

Celery strings can get stuck in a rabbit’s stomach and can cause blockages (which may sound minor but can be deadly for rabbits) They can also get stuck in rabbits’ teeth and can lead to infection.

It is often recommended to cut up any celery for your rabbit to help prevent the celery strands from getting caught.

Another con of celery is that it can cause an upset stomach. Since rabbits are natural foragers, many people assume that they can eat almost anything. But this is not true.

Rabbits have delicate stomachs which can be easily upset (by new foods, by too many vegetables, by too much sugar, etc.). A good way to avoid this is to introduce new foods (especially vegetables) very slowly and in small pieces. If you see soft or watery stool (poo), then their stomach is not a happy camper!

The final con of celery for rabbits is sugar. While humans think of celery as a health food (and consider its sugar content meager), for rabbits, celery is high in sugar (for what they require), and it should be considered more of a treat than a daily meal.

Advice on Feeding Celery to your Rabbit:

As noted above, the stringy veins of celery can cause a real problem for intestinal, dental, and overall health.

Cut celery into small bits; no larger than an inch
Measure 1/4 of a cup – roughly 1 medium stick of celery is equivalent to a half cup of chopped celery bits. Remember, this is a tasty treat to their diet and should be limited to half a stick per day
Feed your Rabbit a portion of celery with leafy greens (celery leaves aren’t a bad choice) and high-quality pellets.
Monitor how your bunny responds – Rabbits have individualized tastes. Even though a fruit or vegetable might be a sweet treat to some rabbits, it could be unappetizing or upsetting to others. Anytime we introduce new foods to our bunnies, we should take note of whether they like them or not and if their stomachs can handle it.

Can Celery Fit into a Bunny’s Diet?

Yes, it can! A general recommendation is to feed your rabbit no more than ½ a celery stick daily. Rabbits are herbivores which means they only feed on plants, vegetables, and other leafy greens. Celery fits their diet. While originally from Europe and Africa, rabbits are now found all over the world which means their diet can adapt to what’s available. Pet rabbits need a comfortable environment to protect against elements in the wild along with plenty of fresh water 24/7.

Remember: “A rabbit’s diet should consist mainly of hay (dried grass) and be supplemented with vegetables and pellets.”

Do Feed Your Bunny:

Hay, grass, leafy greens daily
Clean drinking water day and night
High-quality pellets or nuggets
Fun, tasty, and healthy treats including celery

Do Rabbits like Celery?

Each Rabbit is unique, but generally, Rabbits do like celery. It can be a fun snack added to a balanced diet, and if you need more evidence…look at how h*ckin cute this bunny is crunching on celery. 14/10.

What Other Foods Can Rabbits Eat?

Cucumbers – Bunnies can eat about 1 – 2 slices of cucumber a week. They should mostly eat hay supplemented with some pellets and vegetables.

Apples – Rabbits can eat apples but you must remove the leaves, stems, and seeds.

Tomatoes – They can technically eat them, but should not be part of their diet.

Spinach – Rabbits can be consumed but should be limited to no more than twice a week because it is high in oxalates.

Grapes – Yes, but limited to 1-2 times a week.

Watermelon – Yes, just cut the pieces up into small bits to prevent choking.

Strawberries – This should be only an occasional treat for rabbits.

Summary of Can Rabbits Eat Celery

There are some benefits to feeding your rabbit celery (it contains many vitamins, minerals, and nutrients and helps to keep your rabbit’s teeth in check), and there are also some cons (celery strings can cause blockages, celery can cause an upset stomach, and is high in sugar for rabbits).
Since rabbits do not have constant stomach movement (called peristalsis), they are very susceptible to GI stasis (which is where the digestive tract either slows down or stops completely). This can be deadly for rabbits.
To help prevent this, a rabbit’s primary diet should consist mainly of hay and be supplemented with vegetables and pellets. Starchy vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts (or any “treats”) should be limited.
Therefore, it is generally recommended to feed your rabbit as much hay as they want, a small daily salad (consisting mainly of dark, leafy vegetables), a small portion of pellets, and occasional treats).
Celery should be limited, and a general recommendation is to feed your rabbit no more than ½ a celery stick daily (and you should cut it up into small one-inch sections).

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AIW Pet Team

AIW Pet Team is a group of pet trainers, veterinarians, certified behavioral specialists, and experienced pet owners. Our goal is to publish helpful content for all new pet owners from a mix of professional opinions and first-hand experience. All content published through AIW Pet Team is meant to be fun, helpful, and updated consistently for accuracy.