Treats

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All treats on this page should be considered as candy to your rabbits. They are delightful to your rabbit but provide no significant useful nutritional content and increase the amount of calories and fat in the diet. If overdone, they may cause digestive upsets. Most rabbits can tolerate treats in small amounts. You have the option of never feeding any of the food listed on this page if you wish and stick with pellets, fresh herbs, and vegetables as treats -- a much healthier alternative. This page only hopes to consolidate all foods that are safe if fed occasionally and in very small amounts.

Remember, while these are not necessarily immediately deadly to your bun, treats may cause long term health problems if fed too often because of wrong flora developing in their gut (dysbiosis). Consider the activity level of your rabbit to adjust treat amounts appropriately to prevent obesity. Stop treats immediately if you notice any diarrhea. Also, take a look at the ingredients in your pellets before deciding what additional treats to feed your rabbit.

Each of the feeding recommendations below are based on daily consumption of only one type of treat. If you decide to feed multiple types, feed less of each. Omit the following treats if your rabbit is overweight.

Fruits

Fresh fruits are a better alternative as treats to rabbits than most commercial brands. In the wild, these would be special high calorie foods obtained only at certain times of the year.[1] Fruits should be no more then 10% of the diet or about 1/2 teaspoon per pound of body weight per day.[1][2] Because these are high in natural sugars, it is important to limit their consumption no matter how much your bun begs for more. Acute episodes of GI stasis and dysbiosis are common following ingestion of a large volume of fruit.[3]

Do not feed any to rabbits under 12 weeks of age.[2] Stop fruit treats if there are any signs of GI upset and/or diarrhea. Leave the skin on fruits for more nutrition unless otherwise noted or you are worried about chemicals.[1] Also, do not feed any cooked items or fruit seeds and pits unless otherwise noted.

A list of acceptable fruits are the following:[1][4][5][6][7][8]

  • Apple (any variety) - remove the core with stem and seeds
  • Apricot
  • Banana - remove the peel; no more then about 2-1/8 inch slices a day for a 5lb rabbit. Please be wary of feeding large pieces of banana as rabbits have passed away from fatal choking.
  • Blackberries + leaves
  • Blueberries + heath - be wary of choking for rabbits that don't chew well.
  • Cherries (any variety) - remove pits, although many rabbits will eat around them on their own
  • Cowberries + heath
  • Cranberries (fresh or dried)
  • Craisins
  • Currants
  • Kiwi
  • Grapefruit - can include peel
  • Grapes - be wary of choking for rabbits that don't chew well.
  • Lemons - can include peel
  • Mango
  • Melons (any) - can include peel and seeds
  • Nectarine
  • Orange (any) - can include peel
  • Papaya
  • Peach
  • Pear - remove the seeds
  • Persimmon
  • Pineapple - remove skin
  • Prickly pear - remove small spines at base of pads.[9][10]
  • Plums - remove pits
  • Raisins
  • Raspberries + leaves
  • Star Fruit
  • Strawberries + leaves
  • Watermelon

See Fruit and Vegetable Nutrient Data for more information about the nutrition content of fruits.

Grains

In the wild, rabbits do not normally eat large amounts of grain, except for certain seasons.[11]

If your rabbit has digestive problems, do not feed any grain treats as starch that is not digested and absorbed in the small intestine can pass into the cecum as a substrate for bacterial fermentation and may cause GI stasis and even enterotoxemia.[3][12]

Acute episodes of GI stasis and dysbiosis are also common following ingestion of a large volume of baked goods.[3]

If you decide to continue to feed these foods to your bun, heed the following advice. Do not feed any to rabbits under 12 weeks.[2] They should also not be fed to obese rabbits. Rabbits may have no more than 1/2 teaspoon per pound of body weight per day.[2]

Some safe treats are the following:

  • Rolled or steel-cut oats or barley

Un-sugared whole grain foods like plain Cheerios and Shredded Wheat can be safe, but due to their processed nature, we do not recommend them as regular treats for rabbits and to find alternative options instead.

Seeds

Seeds are very high in fatty oils and are usually only eaten by wintering animals. As a result, seeds should be fed very rarely. Do not feed at all if your rabbit is overweight.

Be warned that[12]

Rabbits appear to be more sensitive to fat than are humans, and in addition to obesity, the excess fat can accumulate in your rabbit's liver and arteries (atherosclerosis). Veterinarians have reported that rabbits fed seed-rich diets have a much higher incidence of fatty liver disease (hepatic steatosis), which is often fatal.

Acute episodes of GI stasis and dysbiosis are common following ingestion of a large volume of seeds.[3]

Please feed loose seeds, and do not purchase pet store seed sticks covered in honey. The following are some stories of rabbits that had consumed seed sticks with possibly fatal consequences:

If you decide to feed seeds, the following types of seeds are safe.

  • Chia[13] - please feed pre-soaked as dry seeds can significantly swell when consumed.
  • Flax (linseed)
  • Melon (e.g. watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew)
  • Pine nuts
  • Pumpkin
  • Safflower
  • Sunflower
  • Squash

Dried seeds (pulses) such as locust bean seeds or dried peas or sweet corn and very small seeds like milo can be the exact dimension to block the pylorus and small intestine to cause a serious blockage and should not be fed to rabbits.[3]:325[14]:111 Rabbits with dental problems are prone to swallowing such ingredients whole.[3]:325

Make sure that these seeds are unsalted. Feed no more than a small pinch of seeds a day to prevent weight gain. Make sure that the seeds are part of a balanced diet with plenty of hay and vegetables.[15] You may wish to hull the seeds since the shell is indigestible and may cause a blockage if not chewed well, especially if the rabbit has dental issues, but the hulls can also provide lots of fiber for a rabbit.[16]

Nuts

Most nuts are high in unsaturated fat as well as vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, and arginine, and may be appropriate for underweight or elderly rabbits or rabbits with dry skin and poor coats.[14]:49 Do not feed any nuts if your rabbit is overweight.

The following types of nuts are rabbit-safe.[14]

  • Almonds
  • Peanuts
  • Walnuts

Make sure that these nuts are part of a balanced diet with plenty of hay and vegetables, and feed no more than a few pieces a day to prevent weight gain.

Dairy

We do not recommend feeding any dairy treats such as yogurt drops to rabbits as treats. Rabbits are strict herbivores in the wild and never have access to milk and other dairy products.

Adult rabbits do not naturally have the right bacteria to process dairy in their cecum and intestines and can consequently accelerate the onset of GI stasis in the absence of the bacteria.[17] These yogurt treats are also extremely high in sugar content.

An excess amount of milk-based products can also cause a gradual loss of vision in rabbits due to corneal lipidosis.[18]

However, MediRabbit does note, [17]

Yogurt diluted in water can nevertheless help rabbit suffering from intestinal bacterial disturbances et diarrhea, by protecting the endemic bacterial flora and allowing it to grow.

There are many varieties of vegan yogurts made from plants with probiotics that can be offered to rabbits to restore gut microbiota.

Homemade recipes

While some recipes recommend using honey as an ingredient for rabbit treats, we recommend skipping the addition. Honey is not plant-based, and sweet fruits and grains like bananas and oats already provide enough sugar in the treats to be tasty to rabbits.

PetitCavy. (2019). Pea Flakes for guinea pig - How to make

Online rabbit treat stores

Searching "rabbit treats" on Etsy will net lots more independent stores around the world.

Further reading

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Susan A. Brown, DVM. (n.d.). Best Vegetables and Fruits for Rabbits. Retrieved 24 Feb 2023 from https://rabbit.org/care/fruits-vegetables/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 LaRoche, N. (2012). Diet Details. Retrieved 26 August 2015 from http://coloradohrs.org/diet-details/ Diet Details
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Varga, M. (2013). Textbook of rabbit medicine. (2nd ed.).
  4. ↑ San Diego House Rabbit Society, Suggested Fruits
  5. ↑ Kathy Smith, Fruit Treats
  6. ↑ kanin.org, Rabbit-safe fruits and berries
  7. ↑ MediRabbit, Camilla Bergstrøm, Feeding the house rabbit 4: Fruit and Berries
  8. ↑ Michigan Humane Society, MHS Rabbit Care
  9. ↑ RabbitTalk. (2012). Prickly Pear Cactus - Opuntia sp? Retrieved 5 April 2016 from http://rabbittalk.com/prickly-pear-cactus-opuntia-sp-t10352.html
  10. ↑ Ruiz-Feria, C.A., Lukefahr, S.D., and Felker, P. (1998). Evaluation of Leucaena leucocephala and cactus (Opuntia sp.) as forages for growing rabbits. Retrieved 5 April 2016 from http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd10/2/luke102.htm
  11. ↑ House Rabbit Society, Elizabeth Te Selle. (n.d.). Natural Nutrition Part I: The Importance of Fiber. Retrieved 24 Feb 2023 from https://rabbit.org/journal/3-3/fiber.html
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 House Rabbit Society. (2011). Treat Foods. Retrieved 19 August 2015 from http://rabbit.org/faq-treat-foods/.
  13. ↑ Diana Rodríguez-Abello et al. (2016). Performance of growing rabbits fed increasing levels of discarded Salvia hispanica L. (chia) seed. Retrieved 24 Feb 2023 from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26992735/
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Moore, L. (2017). Rabbit nutrition and nutritional healing. (3rd ed.).
  15. ↑ Sherwood Forest Natural Rabbit Food. (n.d.).Can Rabbits Eat Sunflower Seeds? Retrieved 30 March 2016 Archived from the original on 09 July 2016
  16. ↑ Harcourt-Brown, F. (n.d.). Sunflower seeds. Retrieved 30 March 2016 from https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/media/diet/sunflower-seeds/view
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 MediRabbit.com. (n.d.). Can rabbits eat yogurt or dairy products? Retrieved 30 March 2016 from http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Food/yogurt.htm
  18. ↑ MediRabbit.com (n.d.). Corneal lipidosis or lipid deposit in the cornea of rabbits. Retrieved 30 Oct 2017 from http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Eye_diseases/Disorder/Lipid/Lipid_en.htm
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