Why is cilantro so important in a rabbits diet?

[Number1Sticky]

I’ve heard that cilantro is good for rabbits, I’m just wondering why? My rabbits get unlimited Timothy hay, ¼ cup of pellets (oxbow) and four different kinds of leafy greens a day. I don’t mind feeding it to them; I’m just wondering if they actually NEED it. And how much a day?

Thanks for any advice!!

[Monkeybun]

To my buns it is a necessity, because they adore it more than the other greens A bunch of cilantro will last my 4 maybe 2 sittings lol (mixed with other greens too of course)

[LBJ10]

LOL, mine hate the stuff and won’t touch it. ;p

[LoveChaCha]

I can’t stand the smell of it, but I buy it because Chacha loves it.

[LittlePuffyTail]

It’s a big fave here. Bindi likes it a bit less than the other two. Hubby hates the smell and won’t ever feed it to them when he’s on bunny duty (Men are wussies). It smells soapy. I can’t imagine eating it alone but the buns can’t get enough of it. I give it most days, not everyday. It’s a great veg because you can get it pretty cheap.

[RabbitPam]

I never heard that it was necessary to their health, any more than the other dark green leafy veggies.

I realized that I am allergic to it. Can’t even touch it in the store without feeling it in my throat. It didn’t used to be as popular, but a few years ago every restaurant seemed to discover it and put it in Mex. food and salads, etc. I kept not wanting to eat something in the mix, and it took a long time to identify the ingredient that bothered me.

LPT, your Hubby can come over to our house for a nice romaine salad instead.

[Sam and Lady's Human]

I think its just another option, not a necessity. BB has a great veggie list I go by, I do a couple main ones, like romaine and kale, and then switch up the “smaller” ones like parsley or mint.

[RabbitPam]

Sam&Lady’s – that’s the menu at my house.

[Sarita]

I don’t think it’s necessary, it’s just one of the choices for greens that you can select from.

[Elrohwen]

I agree with Sarita – I’ve never heard anything about it being necessary. It’s just a green like anything else.

I never feed it because the buns don’t really love it and I hate the smell.

[tobyluv]

My bunnies really like cilantro, especially when I have it fresh from my garden. It’s certainly not a necessary veggie, but it’s one that many rabbits enjoy and a bunch can be bought for less than a dollar, although I pay more when I get organic cilantro. I used to not like the taste of it (soapy to me) when I had salsa or other dishes with it, but I’ve come to like the taste now.

[Queensbun]

I also dislike the smell & taste of cliantro myself but my bun LOVES it and since it’s so cheap & always available at my local Asian supermarket which is only a 5-minute walk away, he gets it as a main staple along with parsley and lettuce.

[Lazee]

my girls didn’t seem to care for it either, it was the last thing they ate so I stopped buying it.

[kinggoblin]

It is not. Most rabbits like smelly herbs and cilantro is cheap, 99 cents for a big bunch that only last my bunny less than 4 hours, lol.

[Jessica Rabbit]

my boys will dig through their pile to pick out the cilantro first unless they’ve got something REALLY special on the menu that day. It’s definately a favourite of theirs, but it’s not a neccessity.

We tried to grow cilantro in our garden last summer (before we had buns) and found that the chipmunks and wild bunnies got to it before we had even a chance to harvest any…..

[Number1Sticky]

Thanks, everyone for your help. One of rabbits LOVES it, we actually play a game with it. I’ll hand it to her and I need to get her another piece before the other one is gone. She will get very upset with me if we don’t play or if I run out of it. But my other rabbits doesn’t like it too much, but she eats it. So I will continue to feed it to both of them.

[luvmyhunybuny]

They don’t need it, per se, but is has many health benefits (unlike some of the other lettuces they eat) It is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. It is also rich in vitamins including folic-acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-A, beta carotene, vitamin-C. I have read it is good for the bunnies immune system. My trio LOVE it!

[LoveChaCha]

Chacha is like a little child with a temper tantrum when it comes to cilantro. She picks it up with her mouth, runs off foot flicking with it, leaving a cilantro mess all over the living room.

[MayaConsuelo]

Interesting, I recently read an article about how some people are genetically predisposed to dislike cilantro, and they usually describe it as “soapy.” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/dining/14curious.html

In other words cilantro-lovers and cilantro-haters perceive the flavor and smell in two totally different ways. I personally could eat a handful of raw cilantro on top of every meal and never get sick of it! The bunches they sell in our neighborhood market are HUGE (due to living in a Caribbean neighborhood) so we probably go through 3 to 4 bunches a week between myself, my fiance, and Mr. Bun-Bun who loves it. I think it’s good for buns because it’s cheap and plentiful… and has a vivid green color (in general, the darker the color of the greens, the more nutrients they contain.)

[Coco the Lionhead Bunny]

My bunny Coco absolutely adores cilantro. Also, I heard that cilantro is supposed to help the rabbit’s urinary tract. I don’t remember where I heard that but I read a little about cilantro and it is very healthy for them.

[Sarita]

Hi Coco and welcome – we ask that members do not respond to old threads (this is from 2011) – it is very confusing to members because they will go up to the top to see the post and answer that question – basically this members question and concerns have already been resolved…going to lock this thread.

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