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Can Rabbits Eat Tomatoes?

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Wild rabbits live on grass and hay mostly. Besides grass and hay, they eat some other foods like vegetables or fruits. Pet rabbits are not so different from wild rabbits.

But still, for some health concerns, we need to think before feeding them anything. And that leads us to the question- can rabbits eat tomatoes?

As tomatoes are easy to find and cheap to buy, so most of us think that should I feed my rabbits tomatoes or not.

Well, this article is actually for those who are thinking about tomatoes.

Can Rabbits Eat Tomatoes?

Yes, rabbits surely can eat tomatoes. But tomatoes are much rich in sugar when overripen and do not contain the major kind of nutrition a rabbit needs. There are some ways to follow before feeding tomatoes in the correct way.

Let’s step into the article.

About Tomato and Rabbit

A tomato is a generally large, red, and juicy fruit that is considered as vegetables to us by mistake. Yes, tomato is actually a fruit, not a vegetable.

You can relate a tomato with the family of potatoes, peppers, or eggplants. There are many kinds of shapes and colors of this fruit.

Let’s see what a tomato contains:

  • Tomato contains almost 95% of water which is good for hydration for rabbit’s health.
  • It has vitamins B6, A, and C that are great for rabbit’s skin and teeth.
  • To help the GI issue of a rabbit, a tomato can offer you fiber in it.
  • Tomato is a good storage of potassium which helps rabbits to prevent Hypokalemia which means low potassium levels in bloodstream.

Is Tomato Safe for Rabbits?

Tomatoes are good for rabbit’s health. They are safe but they should not be overfed ever.

So, you can feed your rabbits tomatoes if you follow the right steps and feed them gradually in a low amount and at a particular time.

Let’s talk about some frequently asked questions related can rabbits eat tomatoes?

Can Rabbits Eat Tomato Leaves?

No, rabbits should not eat tomato leaves. Tomato leaves are not as safe as the main fruit is. They are toxic and bitter to taste.

If any rabbit eats many tomato leaves, then it can create serious health issues. So keep your rabbits away from tomato leaves.

Can Rabbits Eat Tomato Seeds?

Again a no answer to this question. Tomato seeds need pesticides and other chemicals before growing into a plant. Those contaminated chemicals remain in seeds for a long time.

And if a rabbit eats tomato seeds then it may swallow some chemicals too, which may lead them to death.

Can Rabbits Eat a Cherry Tomato?

Yes, rabbits can eat cherry tomatoes. Actually, they can eat almost all types of tomatoes. Because they can be different in size and colors but contain the same ingredients.

Can Rabbits Eat Cooked Tomatoes?

Though there are some fruits or vegetables which can be given to rabbits after cooking. But tomato is kind of a fruit and when cooked, their tastes may get changed and some other ingredients too.

So, do not give your rabbits cooked or processed tomatoes.

Can Rabbits Eat Tomato Plant?

There are two kinds of chemicals that run into a tomato plant- solanine and tomatine. These chemicals are really harmful to rabbit’s bodies. So you should never feed your rabbits a tomato plant.

They could create gastric issues inside of the body. So, there are some steps to feed rabbits in the correct way. We are going to talk about this later in this article.

Can Baby Rabbits Eat Tomatoes?

Baby rabbits should be introduced with new fruits and vegetables gradually after they cross 10 to 12 weeks. After this time, they get matured and their body becomes ready to have any kind of fruit.

So you should just take some time to feed tomatoes when your baby rabbits are not babies anymore.

Cons of Feeding Rabbits Tomatoes

These are some serious problems of feeding rabbits tomatoes. Don’t take them lightly.

Rich in Sugar: Tomatoes are rich in sugar and that can make rabbits fat. Too much fat is risky for rabbits.

Selection Mistake: Fresh and accurate tomato selection is sometimes confusing. If there is any selection mistake while you feed your rabbits tomato, your rabbits may face health issues.

Toxicity: Some tomatoes are as toxic as their plants and seeds are. But we humans can not detect, because they could taste the same to us. But for rabbits, they are totally poison.

Pesticides and Parasites: Tomatoes need pesticides for growing and as tomato plants are not higher from the ground so there can be many parasites in a tomato.

Unripe Tomatoes: Never feed your rabbits unripe tomatoes. They do not just taste bitter but also they can create Anorexia for your rabbits.

How to Feed Rabbits a Tomato?

Here are some steps to follow so that you can feed your rabbits a tomato in the correct way.

  • First of all select a mid-ripe tomato. Not much soft and not much hard but select one which is firm.
  • The tomato must be fresh.
  • Now, remove all the leaves, the stalk, and any dirt on the tomato body.
  • Wash the tomato well but don’t keep it under the water for a long time.
  • Cut the tomato into some big pieces.
  • Remove any seeds.
  • If you find any bad smell inside of a tomato, then don’t give it to your rabbits.
  • The Leftover of a tomato should not be eaten by rabbits, so if there is any leftover you find, you should remove it from their dish.

How much and How Often should you feed Rabbits Tomato?

Tomatoes should be given a treat. Rabbit’s diet mostly depends on grass and hay. Around 5%-10% should be filled with treats means vegetables or any fruit.

As rabbits have a small stomachs, so they don’t need much food to meet their hunger. Though they pee and poop a lot, so their tummy got empty fast. But they should not be given treat like tomato again and again.

Only one tomato should be okay for your rabbits. If your rabbits are bigger than usual or any grown-up size, then they can be fed one and a half.

Other Fruits for Rabbits

There are some other fruits for rabbits that are easy to find and cheap too. Moreover, they are much safe than a tomato.

So, when you think to feed your rabbits tomatoes, there could be some other options you can take.

Safe fruits for rabbits are:

Things to Consider

A tomato is both safe and dangerous side by side for rabbits. They are good for rabbit’s health still there are some issues to maintain before feeding rabbits tomatoes.

If you have come this far, I can guess you are thinking to feed your rabbits tomatoes. Well, there are some steps before giving them tomatoes. And take a look at the list of other fruits a rabbit can have.

Those fruits are safe than tomatoes. So if they are available to you, I suggest you skip tomato.

Conclusion

Can rabbits eat tomatoes? Yes, tomatoes are edible and also good for rabbit’s bodies. But there is a chance of having toxicity in a tomato’s body.

so while you are ready to give tomatoes to your rabbits, you should check if those tomatoes are also ready to feed or not.

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