safe and unsafe vegetables for SG rabbits, the full NTUC and Sheng Siong list

if you have just adopted a rabbit and walked into NTUC for the first time looking for “rabbit food”, the produce aisle is overwhelming. some greens are daily staples. some are weekly treats. some will land your rabbit at the vet. this guide is the version you can take to the shop on your phone.

assume an adult rabbit of 1.5 to 2 kg. scale up or down by weight. children and adolescent rabbits under six months should stick to hay and pellets, with greens introduced slowly from four months.

daily staples, always safe

these can go in the bowl every day, rotated for variety. aim for 4 to 6 different greens across the week to prevent nutritional gaps.

• romaine lettuce (cos lettuce at SG supermarkets). high water content, mild flavour, low calcium. one to two leaves per kilogram of body weight daily
• cilantro (Chinese parsley, sold under both names). high palatability, most rabbits love it. a small handful daily
• flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley) and curly parsley. nutrient-dense but moderate calcium; daily is fine, big portions are not. a few sprigs daily
• basil (Thai basil and sweet basil both fine). aromatic, encourages picky eaters. a few leaves daily
• mint (peppermint, spearmint). cooling, supports gut motility. a few leaves daily
• dill. fragrant, well tolerated. a small sprig daily
• bok choy (small Shanghai-style bok choy). every other day in small portions; some rabbits get mild gas. half a head, chopped

these are at every NTUC and Sheng Siong in the fresh produce section, near the leafy greens. cilantro and parsley are often in the herb-bundle area; basil and mint are sometimes in plastic clamshells.

occasional, smaller portions

once or twice a week, in smaller quantities than the staples.

• carrot tops (the leaves on top of carrots). nutrient-rich, but supermarket bunches often have the tops cut off. ask the produce staff for any spare tops; some shops give them free
• kale (curly kale, lacinato/Tuscan kale). high in calcium and oxalates. once or twice a week, two to three leaves
• watercress (small bundles at NTUC). once or twice a week, a small handful
• arugula / rocket. peppery, some rabbits dislike. twice a week if accepted
• swiss chard. high calcium, similar to kale rules. twice a week max
• endive and escarole. less common at SG supermarkets, sometimes at Cold Storage. great if you find it
• radish tops (the leaves). like carrot tops, sometimes free if you ask
• celery leaves (the leafy tops, not the stalks). small handful twice a week

treats, only occasionally

these are treats, not greens. small portions, once or twice a week maximum.

• carrot (the root). sugary; rabbits love it but it should be a treat, not a staple. a sliver two to three times a week
• bell pepper (capsicum, red or yellow). small piece once or twice a week
• cucumber. very high water content, low nutritional density. small slice twice a week
• broccoli (small florets and leaves). some rabbits get gas; portion-control. once or twice a week
• apple (no seeds, seeds contain trace cyanide). a thin slice once or twice a week
• blueberry, strawberry, raspberry. high sugar. one to two berries once a week

avoid entirely

these are toxic, dangerous, or so nutritionally inappropriate that the risk outweighs the benefit.

toxic to rabbits:

• iceberg lettuce. low nutrition, can cause diarrhoea, contains lactucarium. always avoid even though it is the cheapest lettuce
• onion, garlic, leeks, chives, spring onion. all toxic to rabbits, even in small amounts. these are everywhere in SG cooking; keep them inaccessible
• avocado. toxic
• raw potato and potato peel. starch and solanine; never safe
• rhubarb (leaves and stalks). oxalates; toxic
• mushrooms of any kind. some are toxic; rabbits cannot tell which

unsafe for digestive reasons:

• corn (kernels and cob). risk of intestinal blockage; never feed
• dried beans, lentils, chickpeas. cannot be digested
• bread, crackers, pasta, rice. starchy, leads to gut imbalance
• dairy in any form. lactose-intolerant; causes diarrhoea
• meat, fish, eggs. herbivores; cannot process animal protein
• chocolate, candy, anything sweet (beyond the treat list above)

common cooking ingredients that show up by accident:

• iceberg lettuce in the sandwich you put down for a minute. they will eat it
• onion bits from chopping board. rabbits will sample, especially curious young ones
• avocado skin in the bin they reach. keep bin lids closed

SG supermarket buying tips

a few patterns SG owners learn:

NTUC FairPrice: the broadest standard selection. cilantro and parsley are usually in herb bundles near the leafy greens. romaine in plastic clamshells, sometimes by piece. mint and basil are in clear clamshells, more expensive per gram than buying fresh from a wet market

Sheng Siong: similar to NTUC, slightly cheaper on staples. cilantro and parsley are often in larger bundles at lower per-bundle prices. selection on European herbs (rocket, watercress) is thinner

Cold Storage: pricier per gram but stocks endive, escarole, frisee, and other European greens NTUC sometimes lacks. worth a visit weekly for variety

wet markets (Tekka, Geylang Serai, Tiong Bahru): freshest by a wide margin, lowest per-gram price. parsley, cilantro, mint, dill, basil all routinely under SGD 1 per bundle. downsides: not all stalls sell every day, no aircon, can be a bigger commitment

organic specialty stores (Mum’s Market, Lim Chee Guan greens section, smaller co-ops): premium pricing, sometimes worth it for owners who prioritise pesticide-free

washing and prep

regardless of source, wash all greens.

• rinse in cool water (SG tap water is fine; some owners use filtered for sensitive rabbits)
• shake dry; greens can be served slightly damp, that is fine
• chop nothing; rabbits prefer whole leaves they can pull apart
• remove obvious damaged or yellowed bits

do not serve refrigerator-cold greens to a young or sensitive rabbit. let them come to room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes first. this matters less in the SG climate than in temperate ones because room temperature is usually warm enough.

portion math, by body weight

a working rule of thumb: one to two cups of varied chopped greens per kilogram of body weight daily, split across one or two feeds. so a 1.5 kg Holland Lop gets one and a half to three cups. a 3 kg Mini Lop gets three to six.

mix daily staples and occasional greens so that no single high-calcium green (like kale or parsley) dominates the bowl. variety prevents nutritional skews.

introducing a new green

slow introduction prevents gut upset.

• start with a small leaf the first day. observe droppings for 24 hours
• if droppings stay normal, increase the portion gradually over a week
• if droppings become soft or sticky, stop the new green and revert to staples for a few days

most rabbits handle new greens fine if introduced this way. rushing the introduction is a common cause of mild stomach upsets that, in rare cases, can escalate to GI stasis.

what owners often get wrong

three patterns from SG owner forums:

• only feeding two or three greens, always the same ones. variety matters; rotate at least four to six greens per week
• feeding carrot daily because the rabbit loves it. carrot is a treat, not a staple. weight gain creeps up
• buying iceberg because it’s cheapest. iceberg is the wrong choice at any price

related reading

• feeding rabbits in Singapore’s climate — the bigger picture on the 80% hay / 15% greens / 5% pellets ratio
• where to buy rabbit hay in Singapore — the hay side of the diet
• GI stasis emergency playbook — what happens when diet goes wrong
• our shops directory — supply shops for rabbit-specific staples

community-sourced information here is not veterinary advice. for any health concern see a licensed SG exotic vet at /vets/.