Tomato is such a fresh, delicious, and juicy fruit that we all love to consume it in any form. Be it tomato ketchup or salad, the taste of tomato is just delicious every single time. Whenever rabbit owners eat something delicious, the first thought that hits their mind is whether if they can share it with their beloved rabbit owners or not. What do the experts suggest? Can rabbits eat tomatoes?
Previous articles we knew that tomatoes are good for guinea pigs but not all tomatoes are good for dogs. Should we feed our lovely rabbits with tomatoes?
Table of Contents
Can bunnies eat tomatoes
No, we do not recommend feeding tomatoes to the bunnies. The reason behind it is that bunnies are too sensitive and tomatoes can hurt their health.
Bunnies have a more sensitive digestive system as compared to grown-up adult rabbits. If you will feed tomatoes to the bunnies, it can exploit the smooth working of their digestive systems and make them ill. It’s because tomatoes contain certain compounds that cannot be processed or digested by the digestive system of the bunnies. So feeding tomatoes to the bunnies can upset their digestive system and lead to medical problems.
Vets recommend that you should feed tomatoes to the bunnies once they have reached 12 weeks of age. It’s because, at that time, their stomach becomes ready for accepting, processing, and digesting tomatoes. Once your bunny has reached 12 weeks of age, start with feeding a very small amount of tomatoes to the bunnies and check if it shows any adverse reactions or not. If the bunny does show any adverse reaction then you should discontinue feeding tomatoes to it but if the bunny is completely healthy then you should continue feeding tomatoes to it.
Can rabbits eat cherry tomatoes?
Yes, rabbits can eat cherry tomatoes and they are safe to feed as long as you are offering them moderately in a controlled and small amount.
What you need to keep in mind is that tomatoes contain a high concentration of calcium oxalates and overfeeding tomatoes to your rabbit will form oxalate crystals inside their body and lead to oxalate poisoning. It can also cause kidney stones and many other urinary problems. That is why it is important to feed a controlled amount of cherry tomatoes to the rabbits.
Can rabbits eat grape tomatoes?
Yes, rabbits can eat grape tomatoes but in a moderate and controlled amount.
Grape tomatoes are juicy and contain a lot of fluids. They can keep your rabbit hydrated all the time and maintain their overall and general health. Staying hydrated has many health benefits for your rabbits such as it improves their skin, blood circulation, and sharpens their mind. So, grape tomatoes are a great treat for your rabbit in summer.
However, the thing you should always keep in mind that overfeeding grape tomatoes to the rabbits has its consequences and can hurt their health.
Can rabbits eat tomato plants?
No! We do not recommend feeding tomato plants to the rabbits.
The reason is that the tomato plants contain poisonous compounds like Tomatine and Solanine (which is found in all members of the nightshade family of plants) that can have a devastating impact on the health of the rabbits and prove toxic and poisonous for their health. These poisonous compounds are mostly found in the leaves, stems, roots, and flowers of the tomato plant.
Can rabbits eat baby tomatoes?
Yes, rabbits can eat baby tomatoes.
As you know that experts recommend feeding only a small amount of tomatoes to the rabbits, therefore, baby tomatoes are an ideal choice to feed your rabbit because they are small in size and contain less amount of everything. Avoid overfeeding baby tomatoes to the rabbits because it will have severe consequences on the health of the rabbit.
Can rabbits eat sweet tomatoes?
Yes, rabbits can eat sweet tomatoes but only in moderation and a small amount.
Always keep in mind that sweet potatoes contain sugary content and consuming too much of them will make your rabbit fatty and obese and lead to medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular problems. We recommend you only give sweet tomatoes to your rabbit only once in a while as a treat.
Can rabbits eat green tomatoes?
No, you should not feed green tomatoes to your rabbit because green tomatoes may contain poisonous compounds like Tomatine and Solanine that can prove toxic for the rabbits and have a devastating impact on their health.
Can rabbits eat yellow tomatoes?
Yes, yellow tomatoes are completely safe to eat for the rabbits and they will keep your rabbits fresh and hydrated.
However, feeding too many yellow tomatoes to the rabbits can have a severe impact on their health.
Can rabbits eat tomatoes seeds?
No! You should never feed tomato seeds to your rabbit.
Don’t ever make this mistake because tomato seeds also contain poisonous compounds that are toxic for the health of the rabbits. That is why we recommend you avoid feeding tomato seeds to the rabbits.
Can cottontail rabbits eat tomatoes?
Yes, cottontail rabbits can eat tomatoes but the one thing you need to remember is that tomatoes are sugary and also contain oxalates. So feeding too many tomatoes to your cottontail rabbit will make it ill. Therefore, we recommend you feed them tomatoes in moderation and a small amount as treat.
Can lion head rabbits eat tomatoes?
Yes, lion head rabbits can eat tomatoes and they will stay healthy and fit as long as you are feeding them the right amount of tomatoes.
Will rabbits eat tomatoes
Yes, rabbits are grazing animals and they’ll eat anything edible in front of them.
If you will offer a controlled and small quantity of tomatoes to your rabbits, it will keep them fresh, hydrated, and also maintain their overall health.
Should rabbits eat tomatoes
Now if you are wondering whether should rabbits eat tomatoes or not and the possible advantages and drawbacks associated with feeding tomatoes to the rabbits, then we got it all covered for you. So here’s the thing:
Are tomatoes good for rabbits?
Yes, tomatoes have many health benefits for the rabbits and we have dropped all of them below:
- Hydration – The fluids in tomatoes will keep your rabbit hydrated.
- Immune System Boost – Vitamin C in tomatoes boosts the rabbit’s immune system.
- Smooth Digestive System – Fiber present in tomatoes ensure smooth working of the rabbit’s digestive system.
- Prevent Hypokalemia – Tomatoes prevent hypokalemia in rabbits by providing them enough potassium.
- Improve Heart Health – Antioxidants like lycopene in tomatoes improve heart health.
Are tomatoes safe for rabbits
Tomatoes are safe for rabbits as long as you are feeding them the right quantity in the right way. If you’ll start overfeeding tomatoes to the rabbits, it will have the following consequences:
- Kidney Problems – Caused by consuming an excess of Vitamin C, and oxalates in tomatoes.
- Poisoning – Alkaloids, Solanine, & Tomatine compounds present in tomatoes are poisonous for rabbits. We recommend you only feed the fruit part of tomatoes to the rabbits and avoid the seeds and the rest of the plant.
- Digestive Problems – Diarrhea, Gas, or Bloating caused by overeating tomatoes.
- Diabetes & Obesity – Sugary content in tomatoes can make your rabbit obese and lead to diabetes, hypertension, and heart problems.
Can baby rabbits eat tomatoes
No, we do not recommend feeding tomatoes to baby rabbits because they have a more sensitive digestive system which can be easily exploited by feeding tomatoes.
Instead, you should wait until they turn 12 weeks of age because their stomach is ready to accept, process, and digest tomatoes at that time without causing any harm.
How many tomatoes rabbits can eat a day
Tomatoes contain certain ingredients like calcium oxalate, sugar, and Vitamin C which can hurt the health of the rabbits if consumed in an excess quantity. You should stick to the natural food of the rabbits such as grass, hay, fruits, vegetables, and offer a moderate and controlled amount of tomatoes to the rabbits once in a while as a treat.
We recommend you should feed nothing more than ¼ cups of tomatoes per day to the rabbits.
Final Thoughts
Tomatoes have a lot of health benefits for the rabbits but they possess some risks to the health of the rabbits as well.
Therefore, you must feed a moderate and controlled amount of tomatoes to the rabbits because tomatoes are sugary and contain calcium oxalate, vitamin C, and other compounds (like Solanine & Tomatine) that can prove toxic for the rabbits if consumed in an excess quantity.
Remove the seeds and only feed the fruity part of the tomato to the rabbits because the seeds, leaves, stems, roots, and other green parts of the tomato plant are toxic and poisonous to the rabbits.
We recommend you stick to the natural diet of the rabbits such as grass, hay, healthy fruits, vegetables, and offer a moderate and controlled amount of tomatoes to them every once in a while as a treat because rabbits also get bored of eating the same food for multiple days just like us humans. So feeding the right quantity of tomatoes to the rabbits will make them happy and keep them healthy at the same time.
We also recommend you feed your rabbits with fruits such as pineapple, cherries and bananas. They love it!
References
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/tomatoes
- https://www.verywellfit.com/tomatoes-nutrition-facts-calories-and-health-benefits-4119981
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9605204/
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170457/nutrients
- https://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/preventing-cancer/how-to-get-maximum-health-benefits-from-tomatoes/
Shannon work as nurse practitioner in Alliance Health Medical Group. She own pets and she love pets. With her knowledge in medicine, she know what can the pet eat and what can’t
