Can Rabbits Eat Pomegranate? Here’s Why.

Last Updated on March 3, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

Pomegranates are safe to be given to rabbits as long as your rabbit is at least 7 months old and you’re limiting the amount you give to 1-2 times per week.

Following this rule would ensure that your rabbit wouldn’t develop 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 pomegranates:

Do rabbits like eating pomegranates?

Your rabbits would gobble up pomegranates if you gave them some.

Rabbits are suckers for anything sweet.

In fact, they will often overfeed on sugary treats like pomegranates if you let them have as much as they want.

Here’s a video of a pomegranate being eaten by a rabbit:

In my case, both my rabbits (Tyr and Freya) love to eat pomegranates.

Is pomegranate safe to be eaten by rabbits?

Pomegranates are safe for rabbits as long as they are given in moderation and are old enough to eat treats (7 months old).

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.

You should also stop giving pomegranates to your rabbits if they are having any digestive problems.

What are the benefits of feeding pomegranates to rabbits?

To properly understand the benefits of feeding pomegranates to your rabbits, you can use the nutrient constrain calculator below, which shows the different nutrients your rabbits are getting whenever you feed them pomegranates.

It also shows if the amount you’re giving is within the safe nutritional range:

As you can see from the nutrient constrain calculator above, pomegranates contain small amounts of nutrients per 100 grams.

But, as an occasional treat, it’s perfectly fine to have this low in nutrients because you should never rely on treats to meet any of your rabbit’s nutritional requirements anyway.

Is pomegranate good for rabbits?

Pomegranates contain small amounts of vitamin E, B6, copper, niacin, fiber, choline, protein, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.

All of which are necessary and beneficial to your rabbit’s health if fed in moderation.

How much pomegranate can a rabbit eat?

The proper amount of pomegranate you should give your rabbits would depend on their current weight and age.

You can use this nutrient constraint calculator in order to determine the proper amount of pomegranates (treats) to give your rabbits:

If you currently have no idea of your rabbit’s weight, here’s a table that shows the average weight of rabbits based on their breed and how much pomegranate to give:

At what age can rabbits eat pomegranates?

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

Another important factor when deciding how much pomegranate to give your rabbits is their age.

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

When should you not feed pomegranates to rabbits?

Gist:

If you suspect that your rabbit is having digestive problems, stop feeding them treats like pomegranates.

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Rabbits that are having digestive problems should only be fed hay.

Remove any other food from their diet except hay.

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

But you should still bring your rabbit to a rabbit-savvy veterinarian if they are having digestive problems.

Risk of overfeeding pomegranates to rabbits.

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

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

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

Conclusion

Rabbits can eat pomegranates but only in small amounts, or 1-2 times per week.

You should also wait until your rabbit is at least 7 months old before giving him any sugary treats like pomegranates.

This would ensure that your rabbit wouldn’t develop digestive problems because young rabbits are more susceptible to them.