Last Updated on June 7, 2023 by Georgie Smith
While it is true that rabbits gain most of the nutrition they need from timothy hay. The idea of eating mainly hay might sound dull and boring, but for rabbits, it is a delicious meal. However, even though rabbits live mostly on hay, having a few veggies and fruits on the side is exciting for them as well.
Tomatoes are a favorite fruit for many humans and animals. They are an excellent source of Vitamin A, B-6, and Vitamin C along with antioxidants and potassium. If you enjoy tomatoes as well, you may consider sharing a bite or two with your furry pet friend. However, first, you need to know if can rabbits eat tomatoes.
Are Rabbits and Tomatoes a Good Mix?
Yes, your rabbit can eat tomatoes with you as you both snack. However, feeding should only be as a special treat. Whether they are large or small, juicy, or not, yellow, or red, or cherry or not, tomatoes are not poisonous.
Did you know tomatoes are a fruit? Not many know or remember this bit of knowledge when trying to decide on treats for a pet rabbit. The Food is not bad for rabbits but parts of the fruit, the vines, flowers, stems, and leaves are toxic. The fruit while green is toxic to rabbits.
With tomatoes comes an excellent source of Vitamin A, C, B6 and antioxidants, and potassium. However, no type should be a primary source of nutrition for bunny rabbits. The critical question is how rabbits eat tomatoes.
The following steps will clear this up:
First, you must remove the fruit stalk that contains the fruit on the stem of the plant because it too can be poisonous as well.
Next, clean the fruit thoroughly to get rid of any pesticides that may linger. The next step is to cut the tomatoes into many slices, and wash and remove the seeds. Feed the rabbit two slices from your hand.
*Helpful Tip* The amount of a cherry tomato is perfect for the rabbit’s stomach.
With this in mind, you should avoid overfeeding her and getting her fur messy. Rabbits enjoy being clean after finishing their meals. They do not favor being wet either.
What About Baby Bunnies?
When talking about what to feed baby rabbits, keep in mind, that these have digestive systems that are much more sensitive. Due to this, you need to avoid feeding the babies any veggies and fruit until they are at least 12 weeks of age.
If and when you decide to introduce your rabbit to these foods, do so with caution and at a slow pace. Then wait for 24 hours to monitor her reaction. If all is well, you can continue to try varieties. One other way is to provide your young rabbit “free from veggies and treats days.”
If your rabbit seems to be upset while eating a specific food, refrain from feeding her that food again. It is a recommendation to wait even more days until you provide any other type of treatment. Moreover, the word, “treats,” means only accepted fruits for rabbits.
Tomatoes are Treats
Pet owners alike consider tomatoes to be a fruit that they believe to be a treat. Due to the amount of large acidy amounts of sugar, it is wise only to feed rabbits really small portions. Sugar from all fruits increases the amount of harmful bacteria overgrowth. That leads to various digestive concerns.
A simple slice or two fed occasionally is plenty. Treats need to take place infrequently and changed regularly. Ensure that you refrain from feeding your rabbit no more than one small tomato per week. Follow the same path with every treat you provide for your rabbit. As long as she only consumes tomatoes as a treat, she should be fine.
Tomato Plants are a No-No
Rabbits know by instinct that these plants are unhealthy, but they are not always on track. For that reason, it is best to keep all plants out of nibbling range. So, do rabbits eat tomato plants? Perhaps in the wild, yes. However, do your best to avoid feeding any controversial plant to your pet rabbit.
Here is where you should apply the “better safe than sorry” rule to keep all small pets safe. You should never let your rabbit digest only the type of seeds, including those from tomatoes, which are poisonous. Be sure to remove the seeds before feeding her.
Other Things to Know About Tomatoes
- Avoid consuming rotten tomatoes which cause diarrhea.
- Tomato sauce or ketchup is not the same thing as tomatoes.
- Cooked or canned tomatoes are full of chemicals and sugar. These both are unhealthy for your rabbit. When they cook, they become even more acidic than the raw tomatoes.
Conclusion
Can rabbits eat tomatoes? Of course, but, not more than one or two slices that equal that of a cherry tomato. Make sure everyone in your family understands that it is important to know the right amount of tomato is ok for your rabbit.
One careless mistake can cost your rabbit a life if allowed to eat the stem or leaves. Caution is vital.
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