Tomatoes For Rabbits: Feeding Guide, Nutrition & Facts

Foddering new food in your pet can be exciting because, finally, the rabbit can try various tastes aside from their regular food like timothy hay, alfalfa grass, and rabbit pellets. One of the foods you might have thought of offering your pet is tomato.

However, the question is, can your rabbit safely eat this fruit?

The answer is yes; rabbits can eat tomatoes but with restrictions.

Although you might just want to avoid giving it to your pet because some parts of the tomatoes can be toxic in their body. For example, the seeds and the leaves are harmful to rabbits because of their toxic content. But if you still plan on adding it to their meal, always remember to remove the seeds and leaves to avoid minor health problems.

In this article, you will know the benefits of feeding vegetables like tomatoes to rabbits. Also, about the feeding guide when introducing new foods to their diet. If you want to know more about this, keep on reading.

Tomatoes and Rabbit

Most people think that tomato is a type of vegetable because of their taste and texture. Unlike other fruits, tomatoes doest have the sweetness and other factors of regular fruit. But according to some reports, tomatoes are fruits but can also be considered veggies. In other words, it can either be fruits or vegetables.

This veggie is commonly red and has a sour taste to it. But there is various type of tomatoes around the world here is the list of types of tomatoes that you can see in the market:

Cherry Tomatoes
Roma Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Green Tomatoes

Feeding Guide

As a rabbit owner, one of the priorities that you should always remember is planning your pet’s diet well because this will help your rabbit build a good lifestyle and healthy body. According to Supreme Pet Foods, a fiber diet is the most recommended meal for rabbits because it helps promote good digestive function for your pet.

But at some point in their lives, they will probably get tired if they eat the same food daily. That is why it’s not a bad idea to occasionally add fruits and veggies to their food bowls or give it to them as a reward treat. Moreover, it can also be an alternative source of other nutrients your rabbit’s body needs.

However, before adding new food to their diet, you must remember some reminders to feed your rabbit veggies like tomatoes.

Wash the Tomatoes

Remember to wash any fruits and vegetables you offer your rabbit unless they come from your own backyard and are organic. Most of the manufactured food today is grown with pesticides, so most likely, the skin of the tomato will have bits of a spray of that toxic chemical. Once your rabbit consumes the pesticide, it can cause a risk to their health.

Cut into Small Pieces

You don’t want to give your pet whole tomatoes because they will not just have a hard time eating them, but the seeds and leaves that have not been removed will disrupt their digestive system. When you cut the veggie in small dice, it will be easier to remove the seeds, making it a suitable snack for your pet without you having to worry about side effects.

Conduct a Proper Transition of Food

Each time you add new food to their diet, conduct a proper transition with your pet to let them gradually absorb the nutrients and the food. You can do this by adding small cut pieces along with their regular meal. And as days go by, add the measurement to the right amount of veggies your rabbit can consume.

Key Takeaways

Tomatoes are a safe food for your rabbit to eat. It can be classified as either fruits or vegetables.
Rabbit cannot digest the tomatoes’ leaves and seed because it contains toxic content that can lead to minor digestive issues for them.
There are different types of tomatoes that you can buy in the market that are safe for your rabbit; cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, and green tomatoes. Remember to foder your rabbit with a small amount to not upset their stomach.
Wash the veggies before giving them to your rabbit because they can contain excess pesticides that most farmers use to eliminate pests. This chemical can be harmful to their body.
Conduct a proper transition when introducing new food to your rabbit to let them adjust to the nutrients and content of the food.