Can Rabbits Eat Guava? Here’s Why.

Last Updated on March 9, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

Guava is safe to be eaten by rabbits as long as your rabbit is old enough (at least 7 months old) and you only give it in moderation, or 2 times per week.

The only way guava would harm your rabbits is if you feed them large amounts of guava in lieu of hay or if you feed them to young rabbits whose gut is sensitive to sugar.

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

Would rabbits intentionally eat guavas?

Yes, your rabbits would intentionally eat guava if you gave them some.

Guavas contain sugar, and as we know, rabbits love sugar.

We’ve also asked a few rabbit owners about this, and all of those who have guava in their country reported seeing their rabbits eating guava.

Is guava safe to be eaten by rabbits?

Yes, guava is safe to be eaten by rabbits as long as your rabbits are old enough (at least 7 months old) and you only give it in small amounts 2 times per week.

What are the benefits of feeding guava to rabbits?

Gist:

Guavas contain small amounts of vitamins A, E, and B6. It also contains small amounts of protein and fiber.

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In order for you to properly understand the benefits of feeding guava to your rabbits, you can use the nutrient constrain calculator for rabbits to see how much and what nutrients your rabbit is getting and whether or not the amount you’re giving is within the nutrient constrain:

As you can see from the nutrient calculator above, 100 grams of guava contains small amounts of vitamins A, E, and B6.

It also contains small amounts of protein and fiber.

Although guava only contains small amounts of nutrients, it’s actually much better for rabbit treats to only contain small amounts of nutrients because treats should only account for a small percentage (1%) of your rabbit’s diet.

You should never rely on treats to meet any nutritional requirements for your rabbits because feeding large amounts of treats in lieu of hay could lead to dangerous digestive distress.

How much guava can a rabbit eat?

To properly measure how much guava you can feed your rabbits, you need to know their weight and age.

You can then use the diet portion calculator for rabbits below to determine how much guava (treats) to give to your rabbits based on their weight and age:

If you don’t know your rabbit’s weight, here’s the estimated amount of guava you can give your rabbit based on the average weight of each breed of rabbit:

The table above assumes that your rabbit is old enough to be given treats (7 months old).

Do not give treats to rabbits that are less than 7 months old because young rabbits are susceptible to digestive distress if fed treats (sugar).

Here’s a table showing how many treats you can feed your rabbits based on their age:

When should you not feed guava to rabbits?

Gist:

Don’t give guava to rabbits that are less than 7 months old. Also, don’t give guava to rabbits that have any digestive problems.

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The proper protocol if you notice any changes in your rabbit’s stool or if you suspect that your rabbit is having digestive problems is to remove any other food from their diet, except hay.

This would ensure that your rabbits are getting their required fiber (hay) for the day.

You should also bring your rabbits to a veterinarian if you notice or suspect any digestive problems.

And finally, young rabbits are susceptible to digestive distress when fed sugar.

Do not feed any treats to young rabbits.

Risk of overfeeding guava to rabbits.

While guava is safe and nutritious for rabbits, there are still risks associated when a rabbit owner overfeeds their rabbits:

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

Healthy alternatives to guava.

While guava is safe and nutritious for rabbits, you should still give your rabbits the variety of food that wild rabbits have.

Rabbit experts recommend mimicking what wild rabbits eat in order for your pet rabbits to be happy and healthy.

Here are some healthy alternatives to guava:

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Conclusion

Guava is a safe and nutritious treat that you can sparingly give to your rabbits in small amounts.

Make sure that your rabbit is old enough before giving guava, because young rabbits (less than 7 months) have a sensitivity to sugary treats that could lead to dangerous digestive distress.