Are you raring to learn nifty facts about our favorite long-eared furry friends, like can rabbits eat sweet potato? How about sweet potato leaves or sweet potato vines?
For one, cooked sweet potatoes are delicious, and this is what we can all agree on. This edible root is also packed with nutrition and health benefits – even more than regular potatoes.
But could rabbits benefit from the nutrients provided by sweet potatoes? When rabbits eat sweet potatoes, do they find them tasty? Is sweet potato safe for rabbits?
Rabbits cannot consume sweet potatoes
In case you want to know the answer earlier, then it is no: sweet potatoes are unsuitable for bunnies everywhere.
But why are sweet potatoes bad for rabbits? To know the reason for this, you have to know things about this sweet-tasting tuberous root crop.
Some facts about rabbits, sweet potatoes, and more
Sweet potato (scientific name: Ipomoea batatas) is primarily used as a root vegetable that is high in starch. This means that they are meant to be eaten by humans as food.
Sweet potato can come in various colors: orange, white, pink, purple, violet, and yellow. Sweet potato is called yam in some areas in North America. But it is the wrong name for it since yam is distinctly different from sweet potato.
Sweet potato can be cooked in many ways: fried, steamed, boiled, or baked.
Sweet potatoes contain a lot of nutrients, and the most prominent one is beta carotene, which is an essential antioxidant. It is also high in fiber and many other healthy nutrients.
For 100 grams or 3.5 ounces of raw sweet potato slices, there are:
- Water- 77 percent
- Calories- 86
- Carbohydrates- 20.1 grams
- Fiber- 3 grams
- Protein- 1.6 grams
- Fat- 0.1 gram
- Sugar- 4.2 grams
- Vitamin A- 14,187 international units
- Vitamin B5- 0.8 milligrams
- Vitamin C-2.4 milligrams
Can rabbits eat sweet potato?
Explaining the answer
Now, can rabbits eat sweet potato? Well, technically, yes. Rabbits can eat sweet potato. But sweet potatoes are not beneficial for your bunny friend.
Some rabbit pet owners like you have no qualms about feeding sweet potatoes to them.
Sweet potatoes are high in sugar and starch, which can be problematic for rabbits. Its digestive system would have a hard time digesting them. This is related to why rabbits don’t need bread in their diets.
Are sweet potatoes beneficial for rabbits?
Even though sweet potatoes have health benefits that humans need, nothing good will be gained when rabbits eat sweet potatoes, aside from the skin. It may even be outright toxic.
Healthy rabbits have an organ in their digestive systems called the cecum, whose role is to ferment the fibers in the grasses it eats, which comprise the bulk of what it eats.
The starch and sugar of a single piece of sweet potato will disrupt the cecum’s delicate processes and upset its internal balance, possibly causing diarrhea.
Then your rabbit will experience gas, which it won’t be able to discharge from its anus and remain trapped within. It can result in a condition known as GI stasis that disables the functioning of its digestive tract and can cause demise.
A sweet potato skin, on the other hand, is safer for your bunny friend. The skin has less starch and more fiber, making it better than the sweet potato flesh.
“Steak cut sweet potato fries” by dollen is licensed with CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Do rabbits like to eat sweet potatoes?
Rabbits generally enjoy eating sweet-tasting foods like sweet potatoes. But due to possible toxic effects from being high in starch, it’s better if you avoid feeding this to your rabbit.
What will I do if my pet bunny likes eating sweet potatoes too much?
While there are ways in how do rabbits communicate, rabbits cannot make valid judgments since it is only an animal. Rabbits eat anything given to them, as long as it is palatable to their taste buds – even a piece of sweet potato.
You, as its owner, already know that sweet potatoes are not good for rabbits, and if you still want to feed it, then be sure not to feed it too much sweet potato. Give only small amounts a few times a week or less.
How much sweet potato should I feed to my rabbit?
Since it is recommended that your rabbit should not eat sweet potatoes, the amount is irrelevant. However, a tiny nibble will suffice.
How frequently can rabbits eat sweet potatoes?
As mentioned, eating sweet potatoes few times a week would be alright, but it should only be once or NEVER.
“Sweet Potato Vine Study1_HDR” by jalexartis is licensed with CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Do rabbits eat sweet potato vines and eat sweet potato leaves?
Yes, rabbits can eat sweet potato leaves and sweet potato vines. Like most leafy greens, they are safe for rabbits because they have less starch and more fiber. They have essential nutrients like protein, carbs, vitamin A, C, B complex, and minerals that rabbits need.
What will I do if my rabbit has already eaten sweet potatoes?
If your rabbit has eaten a lot of potatoes, sweet potatoes, or some other food high in starch and sugar, then you have to closely monitor it for the many symptoms that are mostly digestive-related distress like:
- Not pooping regularly
- Not eating or drinking
- Weak and no energy
- In obvious pain
- Bloated
- Diarrhea
If you notice any of these conditions in your rabbit after it has consumed a sweet potato, consult your vet immediately or get medical assistance.
An ideal rabbit’s diet
You might already know that rabbits like to eat. They are herbivores, which means they only eat plants and plant-based foods with high fiber content.
A rabbit’s ideal diet consists of commercial rabbit pellets, hay, vegetables, fruits, and clean water to drink.
Pellets
These foods you can buy at your local grocery store in the pet food section. You have to make sure it is fresh and not stale since your rabbit will notice and would not eat it.
The best types of rabbit pellets are the ones low in protein but high in fiber. Do not pick pellets that have a high protein content because they will make your rabbit gain too much weight.
The ideal protein amount your rabbit will get comes from veggies. Also, do not get pellets that have other additives included like dried corn, which is unhealthy and leads to digestive issues.
Hay
Fresh hay comprises the majority of your rabbit’s diet. You should have a stockpile available every time it is depleted or has been soiled too much by your rabbit.
The best ones for adult rabbits are oat, grass, or timothy hay, and younger bunnies are fed alfalfa. Do not give alfalfa to adults because it has lots of sugar and protein that may be too much for adult rabbits.
Hay has high fiber content, which your rabbit needs for proper digestion. It also serves the dual purpose of wearing down its constantly growing teeth.
Place it on one side of the litter box. It will encourage your rabbit to eat and poop at the same time.
You have to make sure that the hay is fresh, new, and do not have mold. It should smell like freshly cut grass upon purchase.
It is a good idea to buy hay in bulk since you would save money that way. Look for a dry area to store it, with lots of air that can pass through to avoid mold.
Veggies
Besides hay, vegetables comprise a significant portion of your rabbit’s everyday diet. Selecting veggies should be done carefully since you want them to be pesticide-free and fresh.
When feeding veggies to your rabbit, make sure you serve them clean, which means they need thorough washing.
If you want to give your rabbit new vegetables, do it in small amounts since you have to observe if your rabbit might have a negative reaction from them.
Here are the best veggies for bunnies:
- Clover
- Dill
- Kale
- Celery
- Collard greens
- Cilantro
- Watercress
- Parsley
- Mint
- Mustard greens
- Lettuce
- Basil
- Broccoli
- Bok choy
- Carrots
- Carrot tops
- Dandelion leaves
Bunny treats
Giving your rabbit a treat is supposed to be infrequent only – once per day at the most or a few times a week. These still have nutrients, but not the ones rabbits need, so they should only have them occasionally.
Processed treats like cookies, crackers, pasta, etc., are a big no-no since they have lots of carbs that rabbits do not require in their bodies. This could lead to drastic weight gain and can also cause diarrhea in some cases.
There are commercial rabbit treats, but these are loaded with sugar and fat that are detrimental to your rabbit’s health if eaten too much. Chocolate and other caffeinated products are toxic to rabbits.
Fruits are the best rabbit treat, but only in moderation since they still contain sugar. Also, make sure they are clean, properly washed, and pesticide-free.
Here are the best fruity delights for bunnies everywhere:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Pineapple
Water
There should always be clean water in your rabbit cage at all times. A good alternative is a hanging water bottle for easy access.
Some rabbits prefer to drink water from a water bowl, so have one full at all times. If the day is particularly hot, you can drop a single ice cube to cool its dry lips.
If your rabbit does not like to drink much water, leave the leafy veggies partially submerged in water.
Conclusion: Rabbit, sweet potatoes, and other starchy foods don’t mix
Now you know potato and sweet potato is a big no-no to your best furry buddy. However, there are still lots of bunny snacks with high fiber and vitamin content that you can opt for.
Be sure your rabbit has the proper nutrition. This way, you can treasure its company for years to come.
