Can Rabbits Eat Peaches? What you need to know.

Last Updated on March 9, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

Peaches are safe to be fed to rabbits as long as your rabbit is more than 7 months old, the seeds are removed, and you only give them in moderation or as an occasional treat.

You can safely give your rabbits 11–22 grams of peach per 1 kg of body weight, 2 times per week. Also, make sure that your rabbit is eating enough fiber (hay).

Contrary to popular beliefs, sugar and starch are not the causes of digestive distress in rabbits, but the lack of fiber in their diet.

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

Do rabbits like eating peaches?

Yes, rabbits are suckers for sweet treats like peaches. Just like my babies (Tyr and Freya), your rabbits would gladly eat the whole peach if you allowed them to (Don’t allow them!).

Are peaches safe to be eaten by rabbits?

Yes, peaches are safe to be eaten by rabbits. Just make sure that you remove the seeds because they contain trace amounts of cyanide.

Also, make sure that your rabbit is not eating peaches in lieu of hay. If your rabbit is eating large amounts of peaches instead of hay, they might not get their required fiber for the day.

This in turn could lead to dangerous digestive distress, especially for young rabbits whose guts are underdeveloped.

What are the benefits of feeding peaches to rabbits?

Gist:

Peaches contain small amounts of vitamin A, E, niacin, choline, and potassium.

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To know the benefits of feeding peaches to rabbits, first let’s take a look at the nutritional content of 100 grams of peaches and compare it to the nutrient constrain for rabbits.

You can use this calculator below to see what vitamins and minerals your rabbit is getting when you feed them peaches. You can click on the blue icon beside the nutrient to see the benefits and deficiency of each nutrient:

As you can see from the nutrient calculator above, peaches contain very little nutrients per 100 grams. But, when it comes to treats, it’s actually much better to have very little nutrients because treats should only account for 1% of your rabbit’s diet.

You should never rely on treats to meet your rabbit’s nutritional requirements because almost all treats don’t have enough fiber in them, which is the most important part of your rabbit’s diet.

How many peaches can a rabbit eat?

The amount of allowed peaches to give to your rabbits would depend on their age and weight. You can use this diet portion calculator below to determine how many treats you should give your rabbits based on their age:

If you currently have no way of weighing your rabbits, here’s a good estimate of how much peaches you should give your rabbits based on their breed:

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

• Adult or fully grown rabbits: Rabbits that are more than 7 months old can be given the normal amount of treats indicated above.
• Young or growing rabbits: Rabbits that are less than 7 months old should not be given any peaches because their gut is susceptible to digestive distress.
• Pregnant or lactating rabbits: Pregnant or lactating rabbits should focus on eating highly nutritious diets that are specifically made for pregnant does. Feeding them treats could be detrimental to their kit’s health.

When should you not feed peaches to rabbits?

Gist:

Don’t feed peaches to rabbits that are having digestive problems.

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The proper protocol for rabbits that are having digestive problems is to eliminate any other food except hay. This includes veggies, treats, and pellets.

Feeding your rabbits sweet treats like peaches when their gut is already compromised could lead to an overgrowth of bacteria that could exacerbate the problem.

You should bring your rabbit to a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis because most forms of digestive distress are fatal to rabbits if left untreated.

Risk of overfeeding peaches to rabbits.

While peaches are safe to be given to rabbits in small amounts, feeding your rabbits excessive amounts of peaches can lead to one or more of these conditions:

• Obesity: Due to the high sugar content of peaches, your rabbits might develop obesity when you regularly feed large amounts of peaches to your rabbits. Obesity can also lead to other problems like “poopy butt” (see uneaten caecotrophs) because obese rabbits wouldn’t be able to reach their bottom to eat the caecotrophs.
• Dental problems: Dental problems are also possible because peaches have a lot of sugar in them. Rabbits that eat peaches in lieu of hay would also suffer from dental problems because they wouldn’t be able to properly grind their teeth on hard food like hay.
• Gastrointestinal stasis: GI stasis is also possible when a rabbit is eating peaches in lieu of hay because of the lack of fiber in their diet.
• Soft uneaten caecotrophs: Soft uneaten caecotrophs or “poopy butt” are also possible when a rabbit is eating large amounts of sugary treats like peaches due to the lack of fiber in them.
• Diarrhea: Diarrhea is also possible when a rabbit is fed large amounts of peaches too fast. Any new food you introduce to your rabbits should be done slowly.

Healthy alternatives to peaches.

Although peaches are already safe to be given as an occasional treat to rabbits, we still need to give our pet rabbits a variety of options when it comes to their diet, just like what wild rabbits eat.

Here are some healthy alternatives to peaches that you can safely give to your rabbits:

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Conclusion

You can safely give 11-22 grams of peaches per 1 kg of body weight two times per week to rabbits that are at least 7 months old.

Just make sure that you remove the pits because they contain trace amounts of cyanide, which is highly toxic to rabbits, even in small amounts. You should also never feed the leaves and branches of peach as it also contains cyanide just like the pits.