Nopales for rabbits

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This topic has 4sd replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 6 months ago by SuperCheesetastic.

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- 10/07/2014 at 12:40 PM
  SuperCheesetastic
  Participant
  197 posts
  Hey!
  
  I was given a few spineless/thorn-free nopales to plant and I was wondering if rabbits could have them. I wasn’t even sure my rabbit would be interested in them until I let her sniff a few leaves and she lunged forward to take a bite (I took away the nopale before she could do this).
  
  On the internet I found a scientific lab study regarding nopales and diabetic lab rabbits. I found another testimonial of a dude saying that his rabbits barely touched the ones he offered them.
  
  The nopales are okay for people to consume (they’re a delicacy), but are they okay for rabbits to eat as one of their daily veggies?
  
  All we have is lettuce, kale, carrots, concord grapes, strawberries, organic apples at the moment (until tomorrow or Friday).
  
  I thought the cactus could be an option.
  
  https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2x53d917#page-3
  
  ^There is the study
- 10/08/2014 at 11:35 AM
  jerseygirl
  Moderator
  22342 posts
  I wasn’t sure what these were at first. We call them prickly pears here.
  
  The nopales are okay for people to consume (they’re a delicacy), but are they okay for rabbits to eat as one of their daily veggies?
  
  Are you asking about the fruit portion or the pad part?
  The fruit looks nutritionally great for us but it does contain oxalates so that could be a concern for rabbits. I honestly don’t know about this plant for certain.
  If in doubt, don’t?
  
  I also came across that there are studies being done pertaining to diabetes.
- 10/09/2014 at 10:37 PM
  SuperCheesetastic
  Participant
  197 posts
  The actual pad leaf-thing, I meant.
  
  The fruit… I know we’ve (the human family) eaten them in the past but the thorns on those are so painful and annoyingly tiny that I can’t imagine myself using them ever again. Those basically taste like tougher watermelon fruit, if anyone’s curious.
  
  I don’t see myself eating the cactus pad cuttings for now, so i’ll pass on giving them to the rabbit and plant ’em.
- 10/10/2014 at 2:38 AM
  jerseygirl
  Moderator
  22342 posts
  I was curious, thanks!
  I see the fruit sometimes at the produce store. A lot of the italian families in the area have these plants growing in their gardens.
- 10/11/2014 at 2:01 PM
  SuperCheesetastic
  Participant
  197 posts
  If you wish to take the risk, cut off the skin with gloves. They do taste really good.
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