Can Rabbits Eat Eggplant? Here’s why.

Last Updated on March 12, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

The eggplant itself is safe to be eaten by rabbits as long as your rabbit is old enough and you only give it in small amounts. The problem with eggplant is that the leaves and the tops are toxic to rabbits.

That’s why eggplants are not a popular choice when deciding what to feed your rabbits. Also, eggplants contain very few nutrients compared to other popular rabbit foods.

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

Do rabbits like eating eggplant?

Some rabbits do like to eat eggplants, while others will just ignore them. In my case, both my rabbits (Tyr and Freya) dislike eggplants.

I’ve also asked a few rabbit owners if they’ve ever fed eggplants to their rabbits and what their rabbits’ response was. Most of them reported that their rabbits ignored eggplants when given.

Is eggplant safe to be eaten by rabbits?

The eggplant itself is safe to be eaten by rabbits in small amounts. But the tops and the plant itself should NEVER be given to rabbits because it’s toxic to them.

You should also limit the amount of eggplant you feed your rabbits because there’s better food to give to your rabbits than eggplants.

What are the benefits of feeding eggplant to rabbits?

Gist:

Eggplants contain small amounts of vitamins A, E, and B6.

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To better understand the benefits of feeding eggplants to your rabbits, let’s first take a look at what nutrients eggplants provide when eaten by rabbits and if it’s within the safe range.

You can use the nutrient constraint calculator for rabbits below to see the different nutrients your rabbit is getting. You can click on the blue icon beside the nutrient to see its benefits and deficiency.

As you can see from the calculator above, eggplants provide very little nutrition per 100 grams. This is the reason why eggplants are not considered a traditional rabbit food.

But nevertheless, eggplants can be used as an additional variety in your rabbit’s diet, an aspect often ignored in a rabbit’s diet. A rabbit’s diet should closely mimic the variety of choices wild rabbits have.

How much eggplant can a rabbit eat?

To properly measure the amount of eggplant to give your rabbits, you need to know their current weight and age.

You can then use the diet portion calculator below to determine how much eggplant (vegetables) to give your rabbits:

If you currently have no way of weighing your rabbits, here’s a table of the different rabbit weights based on breed and how many eggplants to give:

The table above only accounts for the weight of the rabbit. You still need to consider their age before giving them any eggplants. Just to be safe, only give eggplants to rabbits who are at least 7 months old.

When should you not feed eggplant to rabbits?

Gist:

Stop giving eggplants if you suspect that your rabbit might be suffering from digestive problems.

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If you notice any changes in your rabbit’s stool or if you notice any behavioral changes, stop giving any other foods like eggplants to your rabbits and just feed them pure hay.

This would ensure that your rabbits are getting enough fiber in their diet. But you should still bring your rabbits to a veterinarian if you notice any odd behaviors, just to be safe.

Risk of overfeeding eggplant to rabbits.

While eggplant is safe for rabbits, there are still risks associated with it when overfed:

• Gastrointestinal Stasis: Overfeeding eggplant 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 eggplant 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 eggplant instead of hay. This could lead to softer cecotropes due to the lack of fiber.
• Dental problems: Due to the sugar content of eggplant, feeding your rabbits large amounts of it could lead to dental problems.
• Obesity: Overfeeding eggplant to older rabbits, whose metabolism is slower, could lead to obesity due to the high sugar content of eggplant.

Healthy alternatives to eggplant.

While eggplants are safe to be eaten by rabbits in small amounts, there are still better alternatives out there that are much better to be fed to rabbits:

• Spinach
• Celery
• Green peppers
• Basil
• Mint
• Alfalfa, radish & Clover sprouts
• Beet greens (tops)
• Parsley
• Peapods (the flat edible kind)
• Peppermint leaves
• Bok choy
• Escarole
• Clover
• Peppermint leaves
• Carrot & carrot tops
• Radicchio
• Raspberry leaves
• Wheatgrass
• Watercress
• Cilantro
• Dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides)

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Conclusion

Eggplants are safe for rabbits to eat as long as your rabbit is old enough (at least 7 months old) and you only give them in moderation. You should also NEVER give your rabbits the tops and leaves of eggplants because they are toxic to rabbits.

Finally, if it’s your first time giving eggplants to your rabbits, you need to introduce it slowly to avoid triggering any digestive problems, especially in young rabbits.