Can Rabbits Eat Cherries? What You Need To Know.

Last Updated on February 26, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

Make sure to remove the seeds before feeding cherries to your rabbits. Your rabbit should be at least 7 months old before giving one.

Also, only give cherries 1-2 times per week to avoid triggering any digestive problems.

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

Do rabbits like eating cherries?

In my case, both of my rabbits (Tyr and Freya) like to eat cherries. I always give them some whenever I have some available.

I’ve also asked this question to several of my friends who have rabbits, and all of them told me that their rabbits like cherries and would gobble them up right away.

Are cherries safe to be eaten by rabbits?

As long as you remove the seeds, which are a choking hazard to rabbits, cherries are safe to be eaten by rabbits.

Also, cherry pits could lead to intestinal blockage if fed in large amounts, so make sure to remove them.

Finally, only feed cherries to rabbits who are 7 months old and only give them 1-2 times per week.

If you stick to these rules, cherries are safe to be eaten by rabbits.

What are the benefits of feeding cherries to rabbits?

You can use the nutrient constraint calculator for rabbits to calculate the benefits of feeding cherries to your rabbits.

This tool shows the different nutrients your rabbit is getting whenever you feed them cherries and if the amount you are giving is within the nutritional range.

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, cherries contain very few nutrients per 100 grams.

But, it’s okay for a treat to have low nutrients.

You should never use treats to meet any of your rabbit’s nutritional requirements.

Treats should only be fed to make your rabbits happy.

Are cherries good for rabbits?

Cherries contain vitamins A, E, and B6 per 100 grams.

It also contains trace amounts of copper, pantothenic acid, niacin, choline, protein, fiber, lysine, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium.

All of which help in boosting your rabbit’s health if fed in reasonable amounts.

How many cherries can a rabbit eat?

To know the proper amount of cherries to give your rabbits, you need to know their weight and age.

You can then use the diet portion calculator, which shows how many cherries (treats) to give your rabbits:

If you don’t know your rabbit’s weight, here’s a table that shows the average weight of rabbits based on their breed and how many cherries to give:

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

Another important variable when deciding how much cherry to give your rabbits is their age:

When can rabbits start eating cherries?

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

When should you not feed cherries to rabbits?

Gist:

Stop giving cherries to rabbits who are having digestive problems or those that are less than 7 months old.

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Young rabbits or rabbits that are less than 7 months old should not be given sugary treats like cherries to avoid triggering any digestive problems.

Also, the proper protocol whenever you notice or suspect any digestive problems is to remove any other food in your rabbit’s diet except hay.

This would ensure that your rabbit is getting their required fiber for the day, which should account for 80% of their diet.

Finally, bring your rabbit to a veterinarian when your rabbit is having digestive problems.

Risk of overfeeding cherries to rabbits.

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

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

Healthy alternatives to cherries.

While cherries are safe to be given to rabbits, you should still give your rabbits a variety of choices when it comes to their diet, just like what wild rabbits have.

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

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Conclusion

Before giving cherries to your rabbits, make sure to remove the seeds because they’re poisonous to rabbits due to their cyanide content.

Also, make sure that your rabbit is at least 7 months old and you’re only giving cherries 1-2 times per week in small amounts.