Can Rabbits Eat Plums? Here’s Why.

Last Updated on March 1, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

Starting at 7 months old, you can give your rabbits plums 1-2 times per week. Sticking to this rule would ensure that your rabbit wouldn’t develop digestive problems.

Young rabbits or rabbits that are less than 7 months old are more susceptible to digestive problems when fed sugary treats.

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

Do rabbits like eating plums?

I’ve asked several of my friends who have pet rabbits if they’ve ever fed plums to their pets.

All of them reported giving plums to their rabbits without causing any problems.

They even reported that their rabbits loved the taste of plums and would immediately gobble them up.

In my case, both of my rabbits (Tyr and Freya) loved plums and would get excited whenever they smelt them.

Are plums safe to be eaten by rabbits?

Plums are safe to be eaten by rabbits if you stick to the rules I mentioned.

Only give plums to your rabbit if they are at least 7 months old and only give small amounts 1-2 times per week.

By doing this, you would considerably lessen the chances of your rabbits developing any digestive problems given that they’re eating their required fiber (hay) for the day.

What are the benefits of feeding plums to rabbits?

To properly understand the benefits of feeding plums to your rabbits, you can use the nutrient constrain calculator below.

It will show you the different nutrients your rabbits are getting whenever you feed them plums and if the amount you’re giving is within the safe nutritional range.

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

As you can see from the nutrient constraint calculator above, plums constrain very little nutrition per 100 grams.

But, as an occasional treat, it’s perfectly fine to have this low in nutrients.

You should never rely on treats to meet any of your rabbit’s nutritional requirements anyway.

Is plums good for rabbits?

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

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

All of which are essential to keeping your rabbits healthy as long as you only give them in small amounts.

How many plums can a rabbit eat?

The proper amount of plums would depend on your rabbit’s age and weight.

You can use the diet portion calculator to determine the proper amount of plums (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 plums to give:

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

Another important variable when deciding how many plums to give your rabbits is their age:

When can rabbits start eating plums?

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

When should you not feed plums to rabbits?

Gist:

Do not give plums to rabbits that are having digestive or dental problems or rabbits that are less than 7 months old.

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Plums have a lot of sugar in them. Giving plums to rabbits that are having digestive or dental problems could exacerbate the problems.

The proper protocol whenever you notice or suspect that your rabbits are having digestive problems is to remove any other food from their diet except hay.

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

Also, rabbits that are less than 7 months old should not be given plums, or any treats for that matter.

Young rabbits are susceptible to digestive problems.

That’s why they should only stick to a high-fiber diet.

Risk of overfeeding plums to rabbits.

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

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

While plums 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 plums that you can give to your rabbits one to two times per week as a treat:

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Conclusion

Plums are safe to be given to rabbits that are at least 7 months old.

You should also limit the amount you give your rabbits to 1-2 times per week in small amounts.

The amount of plums you give your rabbit would depend on their current weight and age.

You can use the diet portion calculator above to determine the proper amount of plums (treats) to give your rabbits.