Lemongrass is a delicious herb for us humans. Use it as a garnish, make tea, or simply as an infusing oil; this aromatic plant surely puts us in a better mood. However, lemongrass is not limited to humans.
Grazing animals love to eat this green plant as well. It has many benefits for an animal but some cations too. Like every plant cannot be consumed by every animal, lemongrass is the same. So, can rabbits eat lemongrass? Yes, they love it!
Rabbits are known to enjoy a crunch in their foods. Lemongrass is crunchy and juicy, which makes it a perfect snack for your little fellow. Lemongrass has many nutrients for your bunny, and a balanced intake can do wonders for its health.
Lemongrass is one of the safest plants for your bunny to enjoy. It can eat in fresh and dry forms both. As much as it is a nutrient, remember not to make it a substitute for your bunny’s main diet of hay. Hay is, by far, the most basic necessity for your bunny. Other plants can be added as a topping or treat. Read on for more on lemongrass for your bunny!
Also Check Out: Can Rabbits Eat Sunflowers?
How Often Can You Feed Lemongrass to Your Bunny?
Lemongrass should be fed to a rabbit according to its weight. You can measure it this way: 1 cup of lemongrass (5-6 leaves) for 1kg weight of your bunny.
Introduce lemongrass to your rabbit slowly. Once you are sure your bunny is not reacting negatively to the grass-like plant, add a small portion to its everyday diet. A rabbit should only have 5-10% greens in its daily diet, so mix it up with other foods.
Your rabbit’s main course should always remain hay, that is, 70-80% of its meal. You should add healthy pallets, some 10-15%, daily. You can play with the greens and keep things fun for your bunny by switching these up every day. Some days you can feed it lemongrass and on others some tasty sunflower, etc.
It is important to note that only mature rabbits can eat the whole lemongrass plants. That is not the case with the little ones. You can start with dried lemongrass or chopped-up greens for the babies. Furthermore, the roots of a lemongrass plant and lemongrass oil are unhealthy for a rabbit of any age.
Check The Lemongrass Before Feeding Your Bunny
Bunnies are sensitive creatures with fragile bodies and guts. Before plating anything for your furry friends, always do a quality check. Following are a few steps you should do before giving your bunny lemongrass:
- Look out for yellow or insect-eaten plants.
- Only pick the freshest and greenest lemongrass for feeding.
- Inspect the fresh lemongrass for any creepy crawlies that can harm your little friend’s digestion.
- Wash the grass with cold water thoroughly to remove all the dirt.
- Serve the lemongrass in a small bowl to ensure a small quantity. Remove it as soon as the bunny has eaten a little, and save the rest for later. You do not want to overfeed lemongrass to your rabbit.
Also Check Out: Can Baby Rabbits Drink Water?
How Does Lemongrass Benefit Your Bunny?
This scallion-looking grass is filled with nutrients that will bring health to your bunny. Lemongrass has many vitamins and minerals that help keep your rabbit in optimal health. Here are a few things lemongrass can provide your bunny:
Bone Strength
Lemongrass has a good amount of calcium in it. Eating this plant will aid your bunny in maintaining bone and teeth strength. If your bunny is extra fragile and gets fractures easily, a small portion of lemongrass is the perfect remedy.
Prevents Deficiencies
Vitamin B is vital for our little furry friends. Lemongrass, a carrier of this vitamin, is beneficial for your bunny. With Vitamin B, your bunny will have soft skin, a healthy appetite, a better reproduction rate, and reduced diarrhea issues.
Better Respiration And Metabolism
Lemongrass is rich in iron as well. This mineral helps in oxygen transportation and enhances the metabolism of your bunny. Lemongrass can decrease anemia in rabbits and better hemoglobin production.
Decreases Leg Issues
This plant has manganese that can help strengthen your bunny with three issues: brittle bones, weak legs, and reduced reproduction. With lemongrass, your bunny will get the right amount of manganese to maintain its health.
Risk Factors of Feeding Lemongrass to Your Bunny
Every food has its pros and cons. For a bunny, you need to be extra cautious about every food you decide to give it. These fragile furry babies have a sensitive digestive system that requires proper attention and caretaking. So, beware of the following things while feeding your rabbit this deliciously scented grass:
Parasites Or Bugs
Every plant can be the perfect host to parasites. These will not be good for your little friend. When you buy some lemongrass, you must double and triple check it for insects, pests, slugs, and insect eggs before giving them to your bunny.
Insect Repellents Or Pesticides
Most farmer use pesticides to avoid an insect raids on their plants. Unless you have personally grown the lemongrass yourself, do not serve it without taking some precautions. Wash the lemongrass with cool water to remove any trace of insect repellents, as it can be harmful to your bunny.
Wilted Lemongrass
Over-ripened lemongrass is unhealthy for humans and is certainly not good for your rabbit. Remove every wilted, rotten, moldy, and yellow lemongrass from the batch. Feed only the fresh green ones to your little bunny. Rotten lemongrass can cause digestive issues for your rabbit.
Your Bunny’s Weight
Lemongrass is high in carbs for bunnies. Too much of it can increase your bunny’s weight. An obese bunny is an unhealthy bunny as it will restrict its movement.
Less physical activity would, in turn, harm your furry friend’s heart, bones, and digestive system. If your bunny starts gaining weight, reduce the quantity of lemongrass even more than usual. Skip a day or give it to your rabbit once a day with hay.
Also Check Out: Are Rabbits Immune to Rattlesnake Venom?
Your Bunny Might Not Like Lemongrass
There is always a chance that your bunny will disapprove of the lemony scent of the scallion-like plant. It will show its disapproval in many ways; it will avoid eating, wiggle its tail in defiance, ignore lunchtime, etc.
Plus, another case could be the plant not suiting your rabbit. As mentioned before, the fragility of your rabbit’s guts plays a vital role in what to feed it. If you observe your bunny is passing a runny stool, stop giving it lemongrass immediately.
We know lemongrass sounds like the perfect healthy snack for your rabbit. Do not worry! There are plenty of alternatives that you can use to keep your bunny healthy.
Alternatives of Lemongrass
If your bunny, for any reason, cannot eat lemongrass, you can use these as a substitute. The following plants carry similar nutrients to lemongrass. These will provide your bunny with deliciousness, aroma, minerals, vitamins, resistance, etc.
Here is the list of perfect lemongrass substitutes:
- Celery
- Green bell peppers
- Basil
- Mint
- Bok choy
- Clover
- Peapods
- Raspberry leaves
- Peppermint leaves
- Parsley
- Wheatgrass
- Carrots
- Cilantro
- Dandelions
- Daisies
- Roses
- Sunflowers
- Watercress
Above mentioned are a few options. The world is your rabbit’s oyster. There are much more greens that your precious bunny can enjoy.
What To Take Away From This
Bunnies are like babies. You need to care for them more than a dog or a cat. When feeding your rabbit any greens, do not replace them with the major portion of its daily diet. Add lemongrass or any other plant with hay.
Furthermore, always inspect the lemongrass for pests or rotting. Feed your bunnies the freshest batch. Ensure that the lemongrass is age appropriate for your bunny in terms of serving and bite size.