# Can my bunny eat the tops of carrots?



## MyBoyHarper (May 24, 2006)

I know Bunnies 101 on the site says I can, butone of the bunny books I was reading at the pet store said that thegrassy green tops of carrots are toxic to bunnies if given often. Isthis true? I went to Walmart today and bought bunny a bunch of carrotswith the roots and tops still on them, and the tops have lots and lotsof fresh greens still attached. Is it safe to give it to him? 

So confused... :shock:


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## Snuggys Mom (May 24, 2006)

I've always heard it's safe. Mine love them, but only get them once in a while. 

They don't keep well in the fridge. They look bad after a day in there, so I usually throw them out.


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## MyBoyHarper (May 24, 2006)

Well, if you've fed them and their safe, thenI'll go ahead and give my boy some. I'm sure he'll love them, I justwanted to be sure first. 

Gosh, I'm such a worry wart. It's like raising a child.:faint::caffeine


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## TrixieRabbit (May 24, 2006)

*MyBoyHarper wrote:*


> Well, if you've fed them and their safe, then I'll go aheadand give my boy some. I'm sure he'll love them, I just wanted to besure first.
> 
> Gosh, I'm such a worry wart. It's like raising a child.:faint::caffeine




It really is...and there is nothing wrong with that. I would even call that normal bunny parent behavior!


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## naturestee (May 24, 2006)

Out of curiosity, what book is that?

Carrot tops are great for bunnies. Mine like them.They are a bit high in calcium compared to other veggies, but that'snot normally an issue for most rabbits.


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## MyBoyHarper (May 24, 2006)

*naturestee wrote: *


> Out of curiosity, what book is that?
> 
> Carrot tops are great for bunnies. Mine like them.They are a bit high in calcium compared to other veggies, but that'snot normally an issue for most rabbits.




I'm not sure to be honest, it was one of the books on the shelves atPetsmart. I was browsing through them when I was picking up someTimothy Hay. I remember it saying though; carrots are a great snack forrabbits, but feed the tops sparingly as they can be a health hazard ifgiven in high amounts.

To be honest though, I've found a few different details in a fewdifferent books to be pretty off with certain information. Good to knowmy bun bun can have his carrot
tops. 
He'll be thoroughly pleased. :elephant:


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## naturestee (May 24, 2006)

Aha! Most of Petsmart's rabbit booksare not very good. Now if they stocked the House RabbitHandbook, the House Rabbit Primer, or Rabbit Health in the 21st CenturyI might actually buy a book there!

Actually, carrots themselves should be limited because of their high sugar content. Carrot tops can be fed daily.


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## MyBoyHarper (May 24, 2006)

Awesome, thank you very much for the info! Ihave heard before of limiting carrots because of sugar content, butawesome to know that I can feed him the tops daily. Harper is happy toknow that too!


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## SOOOSKA (May 24, 2006)

Hi, all four of ours love carrot tops. 

I usually get them from our grocery store a couple of times a week,they just throw them away. I end up going home with 4 hugebags of carrot tops. Ours don't go bad, they last up to aweek in the fridge.

I've planted tons of carrots and parsley in the garden for thebabies. I get a small area to plant three tomatoplants. I guess you can see who's food is more important"Bunnies Rule"

Soooska

:bunnydance::apollo::bunny19:bunny18


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## Anneliese (May 25, 2006)

My bun loves carrot tops. He's always wanting them. 

-Anneliese:bunnydance:


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## pamnock (May 25, 2006)

Sudden diet changes, or a rabbit gorgingthemself on a food that they are not used to can cause severe digestiveupset, however green carrot tops are commonly fed as a part of arabbit's balanced diet.

I had sold a bunny years ago to a family and given strict instructionagainst sudden diet changes and to avoid greens because the bunny hadnever had them.

Got a call a couple weeks later that the bunny had died and had beenfoaming green at the mouth after they gave it a bunch of carrot tops 



Pam


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## MyBoyHarper (May 25, 2006)

I gave my bunny some carrot tops last night andhe absolutely LOVED them. Harper thanks you all for saying it was safefor him to have. He's one happy bun bun now! I'm glad he found someveggies he likes. He loves his timothy hay and pellets, but everyday Iput a bowl of veggies in with him; broccoli, zucchini, summer squash,mustard greens, romaine lettuce, and he only nibbles, and leaves therest alone. But the carrot tops, he just devours! He's such a littlepiggy. :cooking:


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## Snuggys Mom (May 25, 2006)

Another thing he might like is dandeliongreens. They sell them at a lot of grocery stores (peopleactually use them in salads). 

My rabbits all love them.


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## Pipp (May 25, 2006)

*naturestee wrote:*


> Actually, carrots themselves should be limited because oftheir high sugar content. Carrot tops can be fed daily.


Carrot tops can be fed daily? I thought they were like kale,and had to be somewhat limited, although it escapes me why.Maybe it was just the high calcium content and Pipp was the onerestricted because she was having 'issues'? In any case,they'll be happy to get more than they've been getting!Everybunny here loves them.  And they'reFREE! The grocery stores around here gladly give mebig bags of discarded carrot tops (and celery leaves)if Iask.

I don't actually feed mine anything for more than three or four days ina row, other than maybe romaine, bok choy and cilantro. Thoseveggiesseem to be the only onestotally safe inlarge quantities for everybunny here. 

Dill and Sherry will only eat leafy veggies with stems (and kale), somaybe Harper's the same. Try cilantro andparsley.Oh, and sometimes they'll eat dandelionleaves and the leafy part of the celery.

Kale is probably the most popular veggie in this house, although itreally can only be fed to them a few times a week. (I findthree days on, three days off works well foreverything). Bok choy is second. (I liveina bok choy center, tons of it around).

All of mineHATE zucchini (THE most unpopular veggie here),and they don't like squash ormustard greens (which are VERYhigh calcium, btw). Pipp hates parsley, but she's the onlyone. (Good thing, it's also up there on the calicum content).

Celery stalks aren't too popular, either, just the leaf -- exceptRadar, who loves celery. (You really have to take the stringsoff and cut it up into little pieces, Radar got some stuck in his teethand/or throat once and I almost had to rush him to the vet).

Pipp LOVES broccoli and cauliflower (so do Radar and Darry, but theylike everything but zucchini). I thinktheywouldgiveDillgas (he'sprone to upsets), so I haven't tried. Sherry won't touch them.

Throwing in somedifferent colouredveggiesisgoodto give thema wide range ofnutrients (although the only thing not green thatDill andSherry will eat are carrots). The backroom bunnies (Radar andDarry) will eat tomatoes, but not until last.Waylast. Nobunny else will. Radicchio worksfor Pipp and the theBRB's, too. 

Collard greens (also high in calcium) went over better than beet greens. Chard is tolerated, but not loved.

We're not doing well with herbs. I've trieddilland mint this week, no go. 

Oh yeah, wejust discovered that all of them, including Dilland Sherry, seem to like radish leaves. 

Whew! This is long! :shock:

Back to work!








sas


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