Rabbits are small, furry mammals that mostly feed on fiber and green leafy vegetables.Tomatoes are a rich source of vitamin C and safe for rabbits to consume in small amounts. However, tomato seeds are not very safe and can be toxic to rabbits.Tomato is technically a seed fruit, but usually, it is consumed as a salad vegetable. It has several health benefits for us and is a major dietary and cooking supplement. As far as rabbits are concerned, an intake in small quantities is safe for rabbits to eat.In larger quantities, however, feeding tomatoes to rabbits can pose a risk to their fragile health by causing a blockage in their digestive system and even possible intestinal collapse, which may make their bodies permanently weak. In spite of all the danger signs, rabbits still can eat tomatoes, but under no circumstance shall it be more than one slice in a single go and the pet owner or breeder must ensure the tomatoes are thoroughly cleansed so that no trace of pesticide or any other chemical enters their body.If you liked this article so far, you might also find can rabbits eat watermelon rind and can rabbits eat carrots.Can rabbits eat red tomatoes?Red tomato fruit is high in sugar but still contains several other nutrients which can be beneficial for a rabbit. Even though ripe red tomatoes are mostly included in a rabbit’s diet, that too only as an occasional snack, rabbits can eat tomatoes that are raw and green in color in exceptional circumstances. However, it is essential to know that ripe red tomatoes are softer and easier to digest compared to the raw green ones. Due to this very reason, a rabbit, especially a pet rabbit, must not be fed green or raw tomatoes under any given circumstance.As far as red tomatoes are concerned, they are edible, and rabbits can consume them in small, regulated quantities. The red color means that the tomato is ripe and can be consumed either in a cooked or an uncooked manner. For rabbits, it’s mostly the latter because their digestive enzymes function better at digesting raw food in very small quantities. Hence, red tomatoes, ideally the ones freshly plucked from tomato plants, thoroughly washed and cleansed in order to remove all chemical traces from their surface and chopped into very small pieces which a rabbit can nibble, can be fed to bunnies but should not be made a regular item in their diet. Also, all the seeds should be removed to avoid the risk of choking. Moreover, in the case of baby rabbits, it is best to avoid feeding them tomatoes altogether because their organs, especially the intestines, don’t develop until 12 weeks after their birth.How often can rabbits eat tomatoes?Can rabbits eat tomatoes? Yes, they most certainly can and will even eat them straight out of the garden itself. How often? Let’s find out!Usually, a rabbit’s diet includes lots of leafy green vegetables, hay, fresh grass, and some fruits. However, as far as tomatoes are concerned, they are not entirely harmful to bunnies, but that does not necessarily mean that they are not toxic at all. Tomatoes must only be fed to a rabbit in a very specific manner, following dietary regulation and exercising restraint. Due to their sensitive intestinal system, rabbits will fail to digest tomatoes if the owner or breeder continues to feed tomatoes to them daily. In any situation, that should not happen. Depending on the size of your rabbit, the tomato portion being fed to them should approximately be the size of a cherry tomato and must not be fed more than one to two times in a week, with a minimum gap of two days in between. So, it goes without saying that rabbits under no condition should be fed tomatoes on a daily basis.Can rabbits eat tomatoes, not the leaves?While feeding tomatoes to a normal average-sized rabbit on occasion is completely fine, some parts of the tomato can be extremely harmful to bunnies and hence should not be fed to them.Given leafy greens and fresh grass is among the items which are a part of rabbits’ diet, many wonder, ‘can rabbits eat tomato plants?’ Well, the answer is very simple. No. Rabbits cannot eat tomato plants and, for that matter, even tomato leaves. There is no doubt about the benefits of tomatoes and a rabbit’s capability to eat them. Rabbits can eat tomatoes, and it is good for them to some extent. However, the risks outlining their tomato intake are far more than the dietary benefits of tomatoes. It is filled with vitamin C and high water content, which helps develop and build their immunity stronger. But it also contains less amount of fiber, high sugar content, and its seeds have proved to be fatal for rabbits.For tomato leaves and plants, it is important to know that the tomato plant contains a toxin called solanine and tomatine which can make your rabbit extremely sick. It is because of this reason you must ensure proper removal of the stalk before feeding the tomato to your bunny so that no part of the tomato plant enters the body of the rabbit.Are tomatoes healthy for your rabbits?Tomatoes contain a number of nutrients that are healthy for humans but not so much for rabbits. As mentioned above, tomato is only beneficial for a rabbit because it fulfills their sugar requirement, which itself is very minimal to even begin with.Be it red tomatoes or green tomatoes, only the fruit part of it can be consumed by rabbits because it contains vitamin C and a traceable quantity of fiber, except that no other part of tomato or its plant is good for rabbits, especially if its a baby rabbit. In fact, for their regular vitamin requirement, breeders can feed their bunny with other non-toxic fruit, hay, and grass. They can even be fed frozen vegetables in some cases, but they won’t be 100% nutritious as frozen food loses its nutrients. But it is important to stay careful even while feeding a bunny with greens. Tomato plant stems and leaves contain high amounts of potassium and solanine. Along with that, tomato leaves, flowers, and the stalk have a relatively low sugar content compared to the fruit itself, but it is still a high sugar content. One can feed tomatoes as treats minus the seeds, given it is a fruit after all. But other varieties like cherry tomatoes and green tomatoes and the plant portion like stems and leaves, which rabbits cannot eat, should be avoided at the maximum because they contain harmful elements like potassium and solanine, which if a bunny consumes, it can fall sick. In conclusion, tomatoes can be considered only partially healthy for your rabbits and should only be given to them as a treat on occasions.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for can rabbits eat tomatoes, then why not take a look at can dogs eat cilantroh, or can dogs eat grapefruit.
Rabbits are small, furry mammals that mostly feed on fiber and green leafy vegetables.
