If your home is like mine, blossoming daises are common in the spring and summer months. I often wondered and eventually researched if my rabbit could eat them.
So can rabbits eat daisies? According to experts, rabbits can eat only daisies in small amounts as they don’t offer the nutritional value of a dietary staple (1).
But this answer doesn’t tell the whole story about the daisy and rabbit relationship.
Read on, and you’ll learn if daisies could be your rabbit’s favorite new treat!
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Daises are a safe treat for rabbits in small amounts. In fact, your rabbit won’t suffer from side effects from eating any part of the daisy.
- Rabbit owners can expect daises to improve a rabbit’s digestive and immune systems. These benefits come from high vitamin C and fiber content.
- A good recipe for feeding rabbits daises would be a small amount once or twice weekly. It’ll ensure a rabbit gets all the benefits without any issues.
Is It Safe For Rabbits To Eat Daisies?
Daisies are safe for rabbits to eat. After all, these beautiful flowers don’t contain toxins that could cause serious harm.
In fact, it’s common for wild rabbits to run our gardens munching on them. On numerous occasions, I’ve had this exact situation happen to me.
I would come out and see all the rabbit damage done on my daises. Finally, I had to invest in several bunny deterrents to keep them out.
Meanwhile, pet rabbit owners must know that chemicals may contaminate these yellow flowers. For example, if you use pesticides or insecticides, it’ll spoil them.
These chemicals will get absorbed by your rabbit’s body and cause serious harm. Therefore, if you plan to feed the rabbit daisies, ensure that they’re chemical-free.
Also, don’t forget to check our guide on what do bunnies eat.
Can Baby Rabbits Eat Daisies?
Daises aren’t an acceptable plant food choice for baby rabbits until they reach 12 weeks. Before the 12-week mark, their digestive systems can’t handle daises.
It’s similar to human babies, as it takes a little growing up to handle certain foods without issues. So under 12-week-old rabbits should stick with hay and their mother’s milk (2).
After this point, daisies become acceptable. You can introduce it by offering your rabbit a small piece of daisy.
It’ll become clear whether there are adverse reactions. Some examples would be vomit or diarrhea.
If these issues appear, stop feeding the daisies immediately. I even had to stop using them with my baby rabbit.
But if there aren’t any issues, keep using daises as an occasional treat. I’d suggest a tiny piece of daisy about once a week.
If you don’t believe me, check out this video of a few baby rabbits enjoying some daisies. I simply can’t get over the cuteness.
Can Rabbits Eat Daisy Leaves?
Rabbits can eat daisy leaves without harmful side effects. Some people even swear by them as being very nutritious and healthy.
But before feeding rabbits daisy leaves, check whether fertilizers and pesticides have contaminated them. These infected plants aren’t something you want a rabbit to absorb.
Once you’ve checked them out, feed your rabbit a handful of daisy leaves about one or two times per week. It’s certainly been an excellent addition to my rabbit’s feeding schedule.
Health Benefits of Daisies for Rabbits
As I mentioned earlier, daises don’t provide much nutritional value for rabbits. But these popular flowers do offer health benefits and medicinal properties worth discussing:
1. Promotes Strong Immune Systems
Daisy leaves are renowned for their high vitamin C content. It’s vital because the vitamin helps establish a robust immune system.
As a result, rabbits with plenty of vitamin c will be less likely to become ill. It’s easy to see how introducing these leafy greens into a rabbit’s diet could be helpful.
I’ve also used daisy leaves to help my rabbit recover from illnesses. Therefore, it does a solid job in prevention and recovery to become a beneficial tool in keeping them healthy.
2. Helps With Digestion
A rabbit’s digestive system will benefit from a daisy’s higher fiber content. In fact, fiber is “critical for maintaining gut health” and promoting regular bowel movements in rabbits (3).
For example, I recently used daisies to help a rabbit experiencing a rough bout of diarrhea. It helped him through the episode, and he returned to normal relatively quickly.
On the flip side, it also helps prevent constipation. So it becomes a godsend for any rabbit’s digestive system, especially if they have issues.
How To Feed Daisies To Rabbits?
Feeding daisies to a rabbit isn’t a complicated process. The easiest method is simply picking off the flower part and throwing it at them.
My rabbit gets a kick out of it, even trying to catch it. It’s a fun little game we play at least once per week.
You can also give them the leaves along with the flower. After all, both parts of the plant are safe for rabbits.
Plus, your rabbits will enjoy eating them. Anyone with a potted plant of daisies will agree with this finding, considering how much wild rabbits love eating them.
Lastly, you can mix the daisies with other safe plants and vegetables. I’ll go over a list of plants and safe flowers in a later section.
How Many Daisies To Feed Rabbits?
You must be cautious when giving your domesticated rabbits daisies. In other words, use daisies as a treat in small amounts rather than an everyday item.
A good starting point would be a small number of daisies, once or twice weekly. After that, it’ll be more than enough to provide all the wanted benefits.
In a precise percentage, daisies should only make up 10% of the rabbit’s overall diet. Too much of it could lead to health issues for them.
Other Flowers That Rabbits Can Eat
Daisies aren’t the only flowers and plant food a rabbit can eat. So I decided to review a few other options. It’ll come in handy if your rabbit turns out not to be a fan of daisies:
1. Marigolds
One of my favorite rabbit treats is wild or pot marigold. They are an excellent way of spoiling my rabbit.
After all, my rabbit love nibbling on them. Of course, it also helps that marigolds are packed with great nutrition.
The feeding process isn’t complicated, either. Rabbits can eat the stems, flower head, or leaves without side effects.
But marigolds are another flower where moderation is key. Once or twice per week is a good rule to follow with these flowers.
2. Sunflowers
Sunflowers don’t only look beautiful, but they also are an excellent treat for rabbits. You don’t have to do much with them, either, as every part is suitable for rabbits.
I give mine the seeds, flower heads, stems, and leaves. But I have to be careful about using them too much.
As with marigolds, sunflowers are only suitable in small amounts rather than being an everyday plant food item. If not, large quantities can lead to health issues like obesity.
3. Lavender
Lavenders have a reputation among rabbit owners for their medicinal properties and great taste. In other words, rabbits love eating them and benefit from them.
After all, this plant offers a massive amount of nutrition. It’s why I often recommend lavender as a secondary treat for rabbits.
Are you on the hunt for the perfect name for your bunny? Look no further than the “rabbit names” video below:
What flowers can’t rabbits eat?
There are several flowers a rabbit won’t or can’t eat, such as columbine, butterfly bush, hellebore, peony, and snapdragons. Therefore, you must avoid all of these at all costs within a rabbit’s diet.
Do rabbits eat daisy petals?
Yes, rabbits can and do eat daisy petals. Daisies and their petals are often a common target among wild rabbits, so it’s more than safe for pet rabbits.
Conclusion
Can rabbits eat daisies? Rabbits can eat daisies without any issues or side effects. The only downside is it must be a small amount rather than a dietary staple.
As a result, use them as a treat once or twice per week. Your rabbit will benefit significantly from their high fiber and vitamin C content!
So, did you ever feed daisies to your rabbits? Let us know in the comments section!
Resources
- 1. Rabbit Diet: What to Feed a Bunny [Internet]. Best Friends Animal Society. 2018. Available from: https://resources.bestfriends.org/article/rabbit-diet-what-feed-bunny
- 2. House Rabbit Diet [Internet]. home.adelphi.edu. Available from: https://home.adelphi.edu/~tw17718/Diet.html
- 3. Hamlin J. The Importance of Fibre in Rabbit Health [Internet]. The Veterinary Nurse. 2012. Available from: https://www.theveterinarynurse.com/review/article/the-importance-of-fibre-in-rabbit-health
Andreea is a very passionate content creator and her purpose is to provide you with the most interesting articles, while constantly discovering new facts. She’s been freelance writing for the past five years and has created numerous articles and educational materials while managing her own mom blog.
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