Can Rabbits Eat Tomatoes – All you need to know

We have heard a couple of people ask, “can rabbits eat tomatoes?” Rabbits love to take snacks and most of the snacks are also loved by rabbits.

So, you are wondering if it possible for rabbits to eat tomatoes. The fact is that tomatoes may be good and bad for your rabbit friend. It all depends on many factors.

It will be interesting for you to know that tomatoes mean different things for your rabbit.

On one hand, the fruit has great nutrients for your rabbit, even when it doesn’t have all the nutrients that your rabbit needs.

On the other hand, you want to maintain an appropriate proportion of tomatoes to feed your rabbit with.

Can Rabbits Eat Tomatoes?

Yes, it is possible for rabbits to eat tomatoes. The golden rule is that you should take care to cut down on the frequency because excessive tomato intake can trigger lots of health problems for your rabbit.

Is it Possible for Bunnies to Eat Tomatoes?

There is a bit of confusion here. Can bunnies eat tomatoes? Before we answer that, we would like to clarify something.

Bunnies are young rabbits. They are also called Kitten. So, you shouldn’t be confused when you see bunnies and rabbits used in the same sentence, because they are the same.

Now, back to the question – bunnies can eat tomatoes because the older rabbits can consume the same.

The only thing you want to do differently is to reduce the portion of tomatoes you feed your bunnies.

For example, if you feed your rabbit with tomatoes the same size as a cherry tomato; you may want to cut it by half when feeding your bunny.

At the same time, you want to take some precautionary moves. You see, bunnies have more sensitive digestive systems. Because of that, you want to exercise extra caution when feeding tomatoes to your bunny.

What you want to do is to introduce your bunny to tomatoes only when it is twelve weeks of age. That way, the digestive systems of the bunny would have become less sensitive to tomatoes.

When feeding, ensure that you slowly introduce the tomatoes to the bunny. While at it, ensure that you wait for 24 hours or more before the next feeding with tomatoes.

This is because if the bunny were to react negatively to the tomatoes, it would usually manifest within 24 hours.

If there is no sign of adverse effects after then, you can take it as a sign that your bunny can eat tomatoes without any hitches.

What are the Health Benefits of Tomatoes?

Consuming tomatoes is healthy both for humans and pets–rabbits inclusive. Here are some of the health benefits that support the importance of feeding your rabbit with tomatoes:

• Tomatoes are a good source of potassium – which helps to prevent low potassium levels in the bloodstream of your rabbit.
• The 95% water content in tomatoes helps to keep your rabbit hydrated.
• Tomatoes are a good source of fiber. The fiber sourced from the fruit helps to improve the digestion levels of your rabbit.
• Cell damage is reduced in rabbits because of the antioxidant lycopene content that prevents free radicals from causing damages to the rabbit’s cells.

Should Rabbits Eat Tomatoes: Medical Concerns You Should Know

Tomatoes may have lots of health benefits to offer to your rabbit, but you must not overlook the potential issues that may be triggered in the process.

These are some of the medical concerns of tomato consumption by rabbits:

• Increased Chances of Obesity: There is an increased chance of obesity in your rabbit because of the excessive sugary content in tomatoes.
• Exposure to Chemicals: Some tomatoes may not be healthy, because they may have been grown in areas that are overly exposed to chemicals and pesticides.
• Digestive Issues: Your rabbit may also be susceptible to developing digestive issues, because of the high sugar content in tomatoes.

Can Rabbits Eat Tomato Plant?

You may have asked yourself many times, “Do rabbits eat tomato plants?” If not, what might be the reason for this?

Tomato plants are not ideal for consumption by your rabbit. This is because of the poisonous nature of those plants.

That is why rabbit owners are advised to discard or remove the tomato plants before feeding their rabbits with tomatoes.

Besides, many other theories prove why it is important to remove tomato plants before feeding your rabbits.

One of those theories is the presence of certain alkaloids in tomatoes.

Alkaloids are plant compounds that are popular for triggering physiological effects on animals, including rabbits. Solanine and tomatine are two of the common alkaloids.

Solanine is found in the plants of tomatoes, as well as on the stems.

On the other hand, you can find Tomatine in the stems and leaves of tomato plants. It is also possible to find it on all other parts of the tomato plant.

Given the downsides that come with those alkaloids, you want to protect your rabbit/bunny by feeding it only with the tomato fruit, instead of including the plants.

Can My Rabbit Eat Cherry Tomatoes?

Yes, bunnies and rabbits can eat cherry tomatoes. Besides, the general rule is to feed your rabbit the size of cherry tomatoes.

How to Feed Tomatoes to a Rabbit: Best Practices

Now that we have confirmed that it is possible for rabbits to eat tomatoes – let us now find out the steps to do that.

Here are the steps you must take to successfully feed tomatoes to your rabbit:

• Scrap off the vine, stems, and plants from the tomatoes.
• Remove the tomato seeds because the seeds are toxic.
• Wash the tomatoes with salt and water to get rid of possible pesticides on the surface.
• Cut the tomatoes into cherry-like sizes so it would be easier for the rabbit to eat.
• Check to be sure that the size you want to feed your rabbit is similar to the size of a cherry. This makes it easier to digest.
• After feeding, look around and clean up the juicy splatters that must have dropped while you fed your rabbit with tomatoes.

Why You Must Never Give Tomatoes to Your Rabbit

Here are some of the downsides or cons of feeding tomatoes to your rabbit/bunny:

• Rabbits have a very low tolerance for toxins, which means that they may likely die from the toxins in tomatoes they eat.
• Eating too many fruits and vegetables means that your rabbit may not consume more hay that keeps the rabbit nourished.

Conclusion

Rabbits can eat tomatoes, but only in small proportions. You want to start by introducing the fruit once or twice a week.

At the same time, you monitor your rabbit/bunny for signs of distress of excessive stool– because that could mean the rabbit finds it hard to digest the tomatoes.

Above all, you want to keep an eye on your rabbit as you introduce it to tomatoes and consider taking it to see a veterinarian if you suspect that it has had way too many tomatoes.