Last Updated on June 12, 2023 by Georgie Smith
Rabbits have both, a sweet tooth, and a love for treats. If given a choice, rabbits would trade their regular food for tasty treats. For this reason, it is important that you stand firm on only allowing her treats from time to time instead of all day, every day.
To ensure your bunny remains on her balanced diet, feeding her hay and a veggie or fruit is what she needs on a daily basis. Rabbit treats should never replace a meal on a vegetarian diet high in fiber. The right type of treat suitable for bunnies is not the typical foods you would think.
You may think chocolate, the type of chocolate pet stores sell, or milk drops would be fine beings it is priced to appeal to people and their wallets, but, they are not. The sugar amount alone is a good enough reason that treats such as these are not on the good list for treats.
See Also:
- Best Rabbit Hay Feeder And Is It Necessary To Have One?
- Can Rabbits Eat Bananas For A Healthy Diet? How Much is Too Much?
- Can Rabbits Eat Apples? Does Eating A Apple A Day Keep The Vet Away?
Natural sweet treats such as apples, bananas, or small amounts of “sweet” veggies, such as broccoli and carrots will always be a healthy choice. Just like with dogs and cats, it is great feeding rabbits an occasional treat to add a little variety to their meals.
Adding treats to your bunnies’ diet will for sure make her happy. However, you must be aware of the good, the bad, and the downright not healthy treats. Just like with all things, treats are fine as long as you give them to her in moderation.
*Helpful Tip*
Never over-feed your rabbit with any type of food but in particular, treats. As much as rabbits love sweet food, she will eventually stop eating hay and other healthy foods to hold out for something sweet. Moderation is the key to feeding your rabbit.
As you add treats to her diet, it is vital she always has access to clean, fresh water because the sugar will increase her thirst.
Are Treats Necessary?
No-treats are not necessary as 80 percent of your rabbit’s diet is hay and grass. Rabbits will snack all day on hay, so it is necessary that she always has a fresh bunch accessible to her at all times. Scattering the hay around also keeps it fresh.
Even though your rabbit will get all the vitamins, minerals, and fiber, she needs from hay, adding treats is vital. If hay is all she ever eats, she will soon become bored and not eat much. By adding treats to her daily diet, you will see a happier and healthier bunny.
Feeding her treats will excite her while giving the two of you time to socialize and bond. Also, certain treats supply additional vitamins and minerals that she may not get from hay alone. At first, try various types of hay and grass such as Timothy hay, wheat, oats, and ryegrass. Also, try legume hay with some clover, Lucerne, and alfalfa.
Mixing these to see which she prefers is a good way to avoid buying foods she does not like. Keep a close eye out for damp and moldy areas and be sure to remove what she does not eat and try another.
Why Offer Treats?
You can train rabbits, just like cats and dogs, by offering treats during training, she will learn faster. Calling her name while offering her a treat is a great place to start. That will teach her to know when she sees you; she is getting a treat. She will eventually begin to realize you offer good stuff.
Rabbits, by their nature, are typically timid and shy creatures. Adding treats will help you with bonding and building her self-confidence. Healthy rabbit treats can help with the health of your rabbit as well. Bunnies generally have an extremely sensitive digestive system.
If you want to offer her treats, you need to know what is safe and what can harm her. First, always offer her small amounts. Beings the stomach of rabbits is tiny, a simple tablespoon is a fair amount. For larger rabbits, you can offer up to three treats each day in small, easy-to-digest portions.
Fruits and Snacks Make Rabbits Happy
Everyone and every animal enjoys a tasty treat occasionally. That includes rabbits just as well. Be sure that the snacks you choose are healthy and fed in moderation. If you are feeding her a healthy balanced diet, then she is already getting plenty of nutrition.
It is still vital that you only offer treats in moderation because she is already getting plenty of healthy ingredients from her regular diet. As far as snacks go, fruit is the best choice for a treat, but, only occasionally.
One or two tablespoons Is plenty for a daily treat. Be sure only to feed her fresh fruits as any type of dried fruit has a high level of sugar and is unhealthy. Organic fruits are always the best option because they are safer and cleaner due to the lack of chemicals and pesticides.
Also, refrain from feeding your bunny any type of treat that is high in carbs such as cookies, pasta, crackers, bread, or chips. You will want to be leery of treats sold commercially due to high levels of sugar and fats such as chips and yogurt that could disrupt her digestive tract.
*Healthy Tip* Never give your rabbit chocolate in any form. Chocolate of all types are toxic and will cause your bunny to be very sick and could lead to death.
Fruits, Veggies, and Healthy Snacks
Rabbits are most known for their love of carrots. However, carrots are not a fruit but rather a very starchy veggie that rabbits should only eat occasionally. Fruits that you bunny will enjoy are these:
- Apples (no seed or stem)
- Papaya
- Blueberries
- Melon
- Plums
- Peaches
- Pears
Fruits that are super sugary such as raisins, grapes, and bananas are good too as long as they are a rare treat. Too much sugar will disrupt her stomach and cause an imbalance in her healthy gut bacteria.
Commercial Healthy Rabbit Treats
There are many healthy rabbit treats available that your bunny will enjoy. The top sellers on Amazon are as follows:
Rabbit Treats and Chews – Kaytee Bunny Treats for Rabbits
The first best seller on the list is a bundle of four Kaytee Bunny Treats and Chews. These Kaytee biscuits that are apple and carrot flavors are not only tasty, but they provide conditioning for your rabbit’s teeth.
The nutritious snack satisfies your rabbit’s natural desire to chew. Each biscuit supplies the high fiber of timothy grass hay. The healthy toppings for all small animals come from real fruit. Also, in this bundle is six pieces of large rice pop treats. This bundle from Kaytee is all and more of what you can offer your bunny for a healthy treat.
In the bundle you get, six rice pops, papaya treats, carrot rabbit treats, and apple bunny treats. No matter how picky your bunny is, there is something every bunny will love in the bundle.
For more information on this bundle and how to order yours today, click here.
Buy from Amazon
Malier Apple Sticks Pet Snacks Chew Toys for Guinea Pigs
These Malier Apple Sticks Pet Snacks are all natural and organic making them free of pesticides and other dangerous chemicals. The sweet taste is what makes rabbits happy to have a special treat on their diet plan.
Each stick is around four or five inches in length making it the perfect size for bunnies and all small animals. Apple branches that are fresh tend to hold excessive moisture making it simple to be moldy and breed bacteria. That scenario is very harmful to your rabbit’s gastrointestinal tract. Also, the fresh branches cannot stay in storage for any length of time.
Therefore, dried apple branches are perfect for your rabbit and her molars. Apple sticks are naturally healthy and moderately stiff making the ideal treat for your bunny. You can offer your rabbit one or two sticks per day to help with her need to chew.
Would you like more information on this product as well as place your order? If so, click here.
Buy from Amazon
Oxbow SIMPLE REWARDS Treats Rabbit Guinea Pig Chinchilla STRAWBERRY .5 oz 3 PACK
Oxbow Simple Rewards Treats guarantee to make your rabbit happy to see you coming. The treats are a naturally sweet and refreshingly simple reward for when your bunny deserves a treat. Unlike various snacks sold commercially, this product by Oxbow consists of 100 percent herbs or fruits harvested and freeze-dried.
The process happens at the perfect time to ensure your rabbit gets the freshest and best-tasting treat available. Each product is a natural source of potassium and vitamin B6, Vitamin C, and natural antioxidants.
Simple Rewards product, made from 100 percent strawberries chosen at the peak of their ripeness is how Oxbow can ensure only the best tasting and freshest treat for your bunny.
If you would like more information or order this product, click here:
Buy from Amazon
Kaytee Healthy Toppings for Small Animals, Papaya
When it comes to items for your pet rabbit, nobody does it better than Kaytee. This item, Kaytee Healthy Toppings for Small Animals is a best seller for all good reasons. These healthy toppings add to your rabbit’s regular diet plan, or you can offer it as a dish.
Thanks to its small size and real fruits, the papaya-flavored treat is a perfect solution for a training aid. This treat is not only healthy, but it is tasty as well. For an ideal bonding time treat, this healthy topping product by Kaytee is hands down a leader.
Be sure to read more information about this product as well as happy customer reviews and order your bunny this tasty treat by clicking here:
Buy from Amazon
Vitakraft Rabbit Sticks and 4-Ounce Bag
Vitakraft Glazed sticks for Rabbits is a best seller for many reasons. The first is because of its high-quality ingredients including wild berries and whole grains making it hard for a rabbit to resist. Vitakraft does not believe in using any ingredients that are not top quality.
These specially chosen grains plus the minerals and vitamins, as well as great taste, are why this is a five-star product. Every Vitakraft Glazed Stick stimulates the urge for chewing food like all rabbits love to do in a natural habitat.
The all-natural product baked three times on an all-natural wooden stick is why this product is different. That process provides excellent taste along with the crunchiness all rabbits love. With the package comes a clip holder that easily attaches to a cage for hassle-free dispensing.
There are the top five sellers for rabbit treats available on Amazon. When you buy from Amazon, you get excellent quality at the best prices and a guarantee you are satisfied or your money back. Why take a chance ordering elsewhere?
Buy from Amazon
Items That are Toxic to Rabbits
There are a few items that you must avoid feeding your rabbit that is toxic; these are tomato leaves, potato leaves, and rhubarb leaves. Also, keep in mind about the chocolate mentioned above being one other product to avoid as well as processed foods and gummy treats.
FAQs:
Q: Why should I feed my rabbit treats, isn’t her food enough?
A: Yes, feeding her a healthy balanced meal is plenty for your rabbit to remain healthy but she needs special treats as well. If all she eats is hay, she will eventually grow tired of it and stop eating altogether which is unhealthy and could lead to death.
Q: Will treats hurt my rabbit’s teeth?
A: No-actually, your rabbit, needs sticks and such to gnaw and chew to keep her teeth chiseled down to prevent her from biting through her lip.
To Sum Things Up
Feeding your bunny healthy treats not only aids in her daily nutrients but it also gives you special bonding time with her. Before you add any new item or remove an item from her diet, be sure to consult your vet for advice.
All rabbits are not the same, and yours may be one that does not care much for treats. In that case, fruits from time to time will do just fine. The best rabbit treats are the ones that she can chew as she would outdoors. Most are deliciously flavored which is an added perk.
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