Can Rabbits Eat Blueberries? Here’s Why.

Last Updated on March 7, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

Blueberries are safe and highly favored by rabbits when it comes to treats. Just make sure that your rabbit is old enough (7 months old) to eat blueberries and that you’re only giving it 1-2 times per week.

The only way blueberries could harm your rabbits is if you overfeed them with large amounts of blueberries or if you give them to young rabbits who are susceptible to digestive distress.

Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain in more detail why rabbits can eat blueberries:

Do rabbits like to eat blueberries?

Your rabbits would gobble up blueberries if you gave them some. Rabbits are suckers for anything sweet.

In fact, they will often overfeed on sugary treats like blueberries if you let them have as much as they want.

In my case, both my rabbits, Tyr and Freya, love to eat blueberries.

I’ve also asked some of my friends who have rabbits, and all of them reported giving blueberries to their babies because their rabbits love the stuff.

Are blueberries safe to be eaten by rabbits?

Blueberries are safe for rabbits to eat as long as you only give them in moderation and your rabbit is old enough to eat treats (7 months old).

You should also stop giving blueberries to your rabbits if they are having any digestive problems.

What are the benefits of feeding blueberries to rabbits?

To properly understand the benefits of blueberries, you can use this nutrient constraint calculator, which shows the amount of nutrients your rabbit is getting and if it’s within the nutritional constraint for rabbits.

You can also click on the blue icon beside the nutrient to show the benefits and deficiency of each nutrient:

As you can see from the nutrient constrain calculator above, 100 grams of blueberries have very low nutrients.

But, as an occasional treat, it’s perfectly okay to have low nutrients because you should never rely on treats to meet any of your rabbit’s nutritional requirements.

Are blueberries good for rabbits?

Blueberries, although very low in calories, contain a variety of vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, E, B6, copper, choline, potassium, calcium, and fiber.

All of which are good for rabbits. But, as I said earlier, never rely on treats to meet any of your rabbit’s nutritional requirements.

How many blueberries can a rabbit eat?

The proper amount of blueberries you should give your rabbits would depend on their current weight and age.

You can use this nutrient constraint calculator in order to determine the proper amount of blueberries (treats) to give your rabbits:

If you currently have no idea of your rabbits’ weight, here’s a table that shows the average weight of rabbits based on their breed and how much blueberries to give:

At what age can rabbits eat blueberries?

The table above assumes that your rabbit is at least 7 months old.

Another important factor when deciding how many blueberries to give your rabbits is their age.

Here’s a table that shows how much blueberries to give based on your rabbit’s age:

When should you not feed blueberries to rabbits?

Gist:

Stop giving blueberries to rabbits who are having digestive problems.

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Rabbits that are having digestive problems should only be fed hay.

Remove any other food from their diet, except hay.

This would ensure that your rabbit is getting their required fiber for the day.

But you should still bring your rabbit to a veterinarian if they are having digestive problems.

Risk of overfeeding blueberries to rabbits.

While blueberries are safe and nutritious for rabbits, there are still risks associated with overfeeding your rabbits:

• Gastrointestinal Stasis: Overfeeding blueberries in lieu of hay to your rabbits could lead to GI stasis, which is caused by a lack of fiber in your rabbit’s diet.
• Diarrhea: Diarrhea is also possible when rabbit owners overfeed large amounts of blueberries to their rabbits too fast. Always introduce any new diet to your rabbits slowly.
• Uneaten cecotropes: Soft uneaten cecotropes are also possible when rabbits are eating large amounts of blueberries instead of hay. This could lead to softer cecotropes due to the lack of fiber.
• Dental problems: Due to the sugar content of blueberries, feeding your rabbits large amounts of them could lead to dental problems.
• Obesity: Overfeeding blueberries to older rabbits, whose metabolism is slower, could lead to obesity due to the high sugar content of blueberries. Obesity could also lead to uneaten cecotropes, or “poopy bottoms,” because obese rabbits wouldn’t be able to reach their cecotropes to eat them.

Healthy alternatives to blueberries.

Rabbit experts recommend that you mimic what wild rabbits eat in the wild.

Wild rabbits have an abundance of choices when it comes to their diet.

Here are some alternatives to blueberries that you can give to your rabbits one to two times per week as a treat:

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can rabbits eat blueberry leaves?

Yes, blueberry leaves are safe to be eaten by rabbits.

In fact, wild rabbits like to nibble on blueberry plants in the winter.

Can rabbits eat dried blueberries?

Yes, rabbits can eat dried blueberries 1-2 times per week.

Just make sure that your rabbit is at least 7 months old before giving one.

Can rabbits eat blueberry muffins?

No, blueberry muffins should not be given to rabbits because they are made out of bread and have a lot of sugar in them.

Feeding blueberry muffins to rabbits could lead to digestive problems.

Can rabbits eat blueberries daily?

No, blueberries should never be fed to rabbits daily.

Treats like blueberries should only be given 1-2 times per week to prevent dental and digestive problems.

Conclusion

Blueberries are safe to be given to rabbits who are at least 7 months old.

Only give blueberries 1-2 times per week to prevent dental and digestive problems.

Rabbits can eat blueberry leaves and plants just like what wild rabbits do in the winter.