Can Rabbits eat Kale?

Kale is a member of the cabbage family and comes in two different forms, which are kale which has smooth leaves, and curly kale which has crinkly leaves. Of the two varieties, curly kale is the most common of the two.

Kale has leaves that grow into a loose rosette at the top of the stem instead of forming a head. It has green leaves which are sometimes tinged with blue or purple and it has a distinct and strong flavour.

image wikipedia

So can rabbits eat kale and if they can, how much of it can be eaten?

Let’s take a look at their nutritional data and find out more about them. In particular their sugar, fat, phosphorous, acidic, protein and calcium content is particularly of interest.

Energy 117 kJ (28 kcal)
Carbohydrates
5.63 g
Sugars 1.25 g
Dietary fiber 2 g
Fat 0.4 g
Protei1.9 g
Vitamins
Vitamin A equiv.
beta-carotene
lutein zeaxanthin
(85%) 681 μg
(76%) 8173 μg
18246 μg
Thiamine (B1) (5%) 0.053 mg
Riboflavin (B2) (6%) 0.07 mg
Niacin (B3) (3%) 0.5 mg
Vitamin B6 (11%) 0.138 mg
Folate (B9) (3%) 13 μg
Choline (0%) 0.4 mg
Vitamin C (49%) 41 mg
Vitamin E (6%) 0.85 mg
Vitamin K (778%) 817 μg
Trace metals
Calcium (7%) 72 mg
Iron (7%) 0.9 mg
Magnesium (5%) 18 mg
Manganese (20%) 0.416 mg
Phosphorus (4%) 28 mg
Potassium (5%) 228 mg
Sodium (2%) 23 mg
Zinc (3%) 0.24 mg
Other constituents
Water 91.2 g

source wikipedia

As you can see, kale is a little acidic and contains some calcium and a little phosphorus. This means that it can be eaten in moderation but not too much as they may develop stomach problems if too much is eaten. Rabbits need to eat vegetables as part of their diet and kale can form part of this but just dont give them too much, Once a week, will suffice.

They can even eat kale stems which are fine for them to eat.

Leave a Comment