You want to know if your rabbits can eat fenugreek. The answer is yes. However, there is more you need to know about this herb and its seeds concerning safety to bunnies.
Overview
Fenugreek or Trigonella foenum-graecum is an annual semiarid plant used as a culinary herb (fresh or dried leaves), spice (seeds especially in India), or as a vegetable (sprouts, micro-greens, and fresh leaves) in the family Fabaceae or Leguminosae (pea, bean or legume family).
Besides these uses, it has traditional medicinal uses. However, it to have some therapeutic side effects, but safe for use as a culinary herb in small quantities. What about giving it to your rabbits.
Should I give my bunny Fenugreek?
Yes. Rabbits can eat fenugreek greens (leaves and stems) as well as and flowers as a rare healthy treat. They are safe for bunnies. These greens have calcium, iron, potassium, vitamins A and C, among other nutrients.
Also, it has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. In humans, some benefits of fenugreek seeds, including helping lower blood sugar in people with diabetes, helping with menstrual cramps, support digestion, improving sex drive, among other benefits.
However, there are some side effects associated with this herb. For instance, a study on the Toxicological properties of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) concludes that it may have neurodevelopmental, neurobehavioral, and neuropathological side effects. However, the small amount given as a treat may not produce this effects.
Are fenugreek seeds safe for rabbits?
Yes. Fenugreek seeds are safe for rabbits. However, there are conflicting findings on the benefits, with some showing positive effects while others negative. If you decide to let your bunnies have some, grind them to ensure they don’t present choking hazards and keep the amount very small.
These seeds are an excellent source of B vitamins, especially thiamine, riboflavin, B6, and have some niacin and folate. Also, they are rich in calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, and potassium.
However, they are high in carbohydrates while its fat content is slightly above the 1-3% ideal for rabbits.
Some of the purported benefits and potential side effects of these seeds include the following:
May stimulate appetite
According to the manufacturers of Rosewood Pet Pouch Fenugreek Crunchies Food for Small Animals, fenugreek seeds may help stimulate your bunny’s appetite.
Improves productive performance
A study on Physiological Studies on the Effect of Fenugreek on Productive Performance of White New-Zealand Rabbit Does notes that “(powdered seeds, germinated seeds or oil) to rabbit does improved quality and quantity of milk, bunnies body weight, immunological profiles, and erythrogram.”
Similarly, Effect of Fenugreek and Anise Seeds as Natural Growth Promoter on the Performance, Carcass, Blood Constituents and Antioxidant Status of Growing Rabbits concludes that their seeds “had positive effects on rabbits’ performance, blood lipid regulation which reflected their antioxidant activity and the oxidative ant status of growing V-line rabbits.”
May have an antidiabetic effect
A study on Antidiabetic Effects of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) Seeds in the Domestic Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) reports that “supplementation slightly increased serum insulin level in diabetic rabbits, a demonstration of antidiabetic and insulin-mimetic effects of fenugreek seeds in rabbits.”
May have an antifertility effect
A study on the Evaluation of the potential antifertility effect of fenugreek seeds in male and female rabbits concludes that “they may have “antifertility effect on “female rabbits and more of a toxicity effect in the male rabbits.”
Conclusion
Your bunnies can have a tiny amount of fenugreek greens as a rare treat. Keep the amounts very small. A single or two twigs are enough. However, for the part of seeds, unless guided by a veterinarian, we don’t see the need to give them to your bunnies, unless they are just an ingredient of some commercial bunny treat.