3,719 answers about small mammals
Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats and ferrets are small pets with big care needs — the right hay, safe housing, gentle handling and early signs of illness. This page gathers the small-mammal library of KinsLe Answers in one place, organized by topic. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
363 answers in Feeding & Nutrition — page 11 of 16
Balance comes from measuring for two individuals, not one shared bowl. Keep hay unlimited for both, give each pig its own measured scoop of plain pellets at its own feeding station, and spread greens across the enclosure so the bolder pig cannot guard the whole supply. Weigh both pigs every week: appetites differ, but…
Adjust by shrinking the meals, not the quality: an older ferret who grazes should get the same high-protein, meat-based food, just offered in smaller portions more often through the day. Leave suitable food within easy reach if your vet is happy with free feeding, warm portions slightly to release the smell, and…
Yes to the ripe red flesh, and an absolute no to everything green on a tomato plant. A halved cherry tomato or a small wedge of ripe tomato, washed with the stem picked off, makes an occasional juicy treat once a week or so. The leaves, stems and unripe green fruit contain compounds that are genuinely harmful to…
Yes, fresh sweetcorn kernels are fine for a rabbit in small amounts — a spoonful of kernels or a short section of fresh cob now and then. Sweetcorn is high in sugar and starch, so it stays a treat beside hay, and the husk and silk can go in as fibrous extras. Avoid dried corn completely: the hard kernels in mixed…
A rabbit can nibble a tiny piece of raw sweet potato without harm, but the flesh is so starchy and sugary that many owners skip it entirely and feed the leaves instead. Sweet potato leaves and vines are a proper leafy green and a much better fit for the hay-first diet a rabbit's gut depends on. If you do offer flesh,…
Yes, rabbits can eat swede — the hardy root also sold as rutabaga. Peel off its thick skin, cut the pale flesh into chunks, and offer a few pieces once or twice a week. Swede is filling and fairly sugary for a vegetable, so it plays a supporting role beside hay and leafy greens rather than replacing them, and it comes…
Yes, rabbits can eat strawberries, and the green leafy tops are fine too — many bunnies eat the tops first. The fruit itself is sugary, so one small berry, or half of a large one, once or twice a week is a fair treat for an adult rabbit, washed before serving. Skip anything dried or sweetened; fresh and plain is the…
Yes, rabbits can eat spinach, but it should stay an occasional green rather than a daily one. Spinach is nutritious, carrying iron and folate, yet it is also high in oxalic acid and calcium, so large daily handfuls are not wise — a modest handful once or twice a week, rotated with other leaves, is the right pattern.…
Yes — romaine is one of the best lettuces you can offer a rabbit. Its dark, crisp leaves bring fibre and useful nutrients, unlike pale iceberg types, which are mostly water and can loosen droppings. A few washed romaine leaves can appear in the greens rotation several times a week for an adult rabbit, introduced…
Yes, a rabbit can eat a little pear, but it belongs firmly in the treat category. Pear is sweet and watery, so a thin slice or a couple of small cubes once or twice a week is enough for an adult rabbit. Wash the fruit, and always cut away the stem, core and pips before serving, as those parts are not for rabbits.…
Yes, rabbits can eat parsnip, and its sweet, earthy flavour makes it a popular root vegetable with many bunnies. Treat it as a treat, though: parsnip is starchy and sugary compared with leafy greens, so a thumb-sized chunk once or twice a week is plenty, washed and peeled first. Always feed it raw — cooked vegetables…
Yes — parsley is safe for rabbits, and most take to its strong, fresh flavour straight away. It earns its place nutritionally too, bringing vitamin C, vitamin A and iron, but it is also one of the higher-calcium herbs, so it works best as part of a rotating handful of greens rather than the same herb every day. Offer…
Yes — ordinary garden mint, including spearmint and peppermint, is safe for rabbits and makes a fragrant addition to the herb rotation. A small sprig or two, leaves and tender stems, is plenty at a serving, since the flavour is strong and a little perfumes the whole bowl. One firm caution: never feed anything sold as…
Yes, rabbits can eat melon flesh as an occasional treat — watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew are all acceptable in small amounts — but melon is sugar and water in nearly equal measure, so it belongs in the same strict treat category as grapes or banana. Serve a small cube or two of ripe flesh, with the seeds removed…
Yes, rabbits can eat kale, and it is a nutritious leafy green — but kale carries a notably high calcium load, so it belongs in rotation a few times a week rather than as an everyday staple. A handful of washed leaves, stems included, is a sensible serving for an average rabbit, alternated with lower-calcium greens on…
Yes, rabbits can eat fresh green beans — the slender pods sold as French beans or string beans — as a moderate part of the vegetable rotation. Chop them into short lengths so they are easy to manage, introduce them gradually because beans can be gassy for some rabbits, and start with just a few pieces while you check…
Yes, but only as an occasional treat: grapes are safe for rabbits in the sense that they are not poisonous to them, yet they are packed with sugar, which is the currency a rabbit's teeth and gut handle worst. One or two grapes, halved so they are eaten slowly and any pips are easy to spot, once in a while is the whole…
Yes, rabbits can eat fennel — both the white bulb and the feathery green fronds — and its sweet, mild anise flavour makes it a favourite with many rabbits. Chop the bulb into slices or wedges, since it is firm and dense, and offer the fronds loose like any other green. Fennel has a traditional reputation as a gentle…
Yes — dandelion leaves are one of the most natural foods a rabbit can eat, the kind of forage wild rabbits seek out, and the flowers and stems are edible too. The conditions are about where you pick them: only gather from ground you know is free of weedkiller, pesticides and dog fouling, away from roadside verges, and…
Yes, rabbits can eat cucumber, and on a hot day a few cool slices are a welcome hydrating extra. Cucumber is mostly water with a little fibre, so think of it as a refreshing side rather than a nutritious staple — and that wateriness is its one caution, because a generous serving can bring on soft droppings in a rabbit…
Yes, rabbits can eat courgette — the vegetable also sold as zucchini — including its skin and soft seeds. It is a mild, gentle food that suits most rabbits, though its plain flavour means some individuals walk past it for stronger-tasting greens. Slice it into coins or batons so the rabbit can grip it, wash it first,…
Yes — coriander, known as cilantro in some shops, is one of the best herbs you can offer a rabbit: leaves and tender stems are both safe, and it is rich in vitamin A. Its strong perfume divides rabbits sharply, so expect either instant enthusiasm or a turned-up nose, and do not force the issue if yours refuses it.…
Yes, rabbits can eat celery — stalk, leaves and all — as long as you chop the stalk into short pieces first. Celery's long fibres run the length of the stalk, and a rabbit biting off a long stringy section can struggle with it, so slicing across the stalk into thumbnail-length chunks removes the one real hazard this…
Yes — cauliflower leaves are a good leafy green for rabbits, and nutritionally they suit a rabbit better than the dense white floret itself. Wash garden-grown leaves well, check them for spray residue and slug damage, and introduce a small handful across a few days so the gut adjusts gradually. Like other brassica…
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