Can Rabbits Eat Plums?

Yes, your rabbit can eat plums. This treat should only be given to a rabbit in moderation.

However, the plum stone in the center is toxic and contains seeds that are a choking hazard – so you must properly remove them.

Plums have vitamins and minerals which contribute to the overall health and wellness of your rabbit. But you shouldn’t give your rabbit too much, as they are also extremely high in carbohydrates and sugar. The very high water content can also cause bloating for your rabbit. One or two teaspoons of plum up to twice a week is an ideal portion.

How to Prepare Plum for Your Rabbit?

You can feed your rabbit either dried plums (prunes) or fresh plums.

If you decide to use dried plums, you should give your rabbit around one-quarter of the quantity served of a fresh plum (about half a teaspoon). For fresh plums, stick with two teaspoons worth.

You’ll need to wash the plum thoroughly under the tap to make sure the outside is free from any chemicals. The smooth outside skin of the plum is fine to eat with the main plum.

The wood, leaves, and twigs of a plum tree are not safe for your rabbit to eat. The plum stones are also toxic to rabbits. A toxin called amygdalin breaks down into a cyanide compound which could cause serious health issues for your rabbit if eaten.

Before serving, cut the plum up into small chunks and double-check that the stone and seeds are gone. Serve alongside hay and water. Remember to also give your rabbit fresh vegetables and pellets which altogether create a balanced diet.

Benefits of Eating Plums

Plums contain vitamins such as Vitamin A, E, and B6 – as well as antioxidants and minerals like copper and manganese.

In small quantities, plums are beneficial and make a tasty treat for your rabbit. Also contained are lesser amounts of vitamins, which will all contribute to your rabbit’s good health.

Hazards of Eating Plums

The risks of giving your rabbit plums to eat are, generally, small – as long as the plum is given in small portions and anything toxic is safely removed.

  • Gastrointestinal Stasis: If your rabbit doesn’t eat as much fiber as they should, it can cause this condition. If you think your rabbit has this, take them to a vet ASAP.
  • Diarrhea: When rabbits eat the wrong diet or too much of the wrong food. This is why new foods must be introduced very slowly to allow them to get used to them and ensure that there’s no reaction.
  • Dental problems: Caused by high sugar content if eaten too often.
  • Obesity: Another side effect of high amounts of sugar. This is a bigger risk for older rabbits since their metabolisms are slower.
  • Choking: The seeds from within the center of the plum can get stuck and cause your rabbit to choke. Make sure you thoroughly remove them!
  • Toxic parts of Plum: The twigs, leaves, wood, and plum stone are toxic so you need to be especially careful to only give your rabbit the safe part.

You shouldn’t feed a baby rabbit new foods until they’re around one year old. Their stomachs aren’t ready for such foods so early and they’ll have digestion issues if you do.

Can Rabbits Eat Prunes?

Prunes are dried plums and are safe for rabbits to eat. The benefit of prunes is that they can help with constipation and with the cardiovascular health of your rabbit.

If your rabbit hasn’t had prunes before, let them have a small amount and then monitor them for the next day to make sure they don’t get sick. If they’re okay, you can increase the portion size the next time you give them some.

You should give your rabbit fewer prunes than you would plums because prunes have significantly higher sugar content.

Remember: Plums and prunes are treats – so they should only be given to your rabbit a maximum of two times per week. Ideally, you should vary the treats to keep your rabbit from getting bored and so they get different nutrients from each treat.

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