Dragon fruit is a fleshy fruit from a cactus plant that is native to Central and South Americas.
It is well known for its bright red or yellow skin and spotty flesh, and usually fills North American supermarkets in summer.
If you’ve read our other posts on some fruits, like oranges, you’ll know that rabbits can nibble every once in a while on sweet fruit treats. But what about dragon fruit?
Can rabbits have dragon fruit?
Yes, mature rabbits can eat dragon fruit as it is a non-toxic fruit, packed with nutrients and some fiber that your rabbits will enjoy. In this post, we will take a better look at just what dragon fruit provides for your rabbits as well as the best way to offer it to them, so read on!
This Post Covers All There Is To Know About Feeding Rabbits Dragon Fruit
Dragon Fruit For Rabbits
If you’ve been wondering, “Can my rabbit eat dragon fruit?” you’ll be happy to hear that any mature bunny rabbit can nibble on dragon fruit without issue. This fruit is non-toxic and even offers some great vitamins and minerals for your rabbit!
Nutritional Value of Dragon Fruit For Rabbits
Dragon fruit is a very juicy fruit, with high water content, which provides 2g of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 12g of sugar per 6oz serving. In addition, dragon fruit contains the following minerals and vitamins:
| Vitamin or Mineral | Benefits |
| Vitamin A | Essential for healthy growth and immune system |
| Vitamin C | Boosts immune system and aids in recovery |
| Iron | Used to make blood proteins |
| Calcium | Helps develop strong bones, teeth and nails |
In addition, dragon fruit contains lots of antioxidants and prebiotics. Without doubt, the vitamins and minerals in dragon fruit make it a strong option for your mature rabbits. However, keep in mind that this sweetness can come at a price!
As we’ve mentioned in previous posts about rabbit treats like mangos, sugary treats fall outside the range of providing rabbits with the high fiber and low sugar diet that is natural, and necessary, for them.
Remember that the best diet for rabbits is high quality hay and pellets. Take a look at our post about How Much Hay to Feed Rabbits to help build a better understanding of how to best feed your bunnies.
Rabbits are highly functionable on a high fiber diet, but if low fiber/high sugar foods are eaten too often, then your bunny can suffer from:
- Imbalanced Gut Bacteria
Rabbits maintain a specific stomach pH, which prevents bacterial growth. Adding lots of sugar can encourage pH imbalance and subsequent stomach issues.
- Teeth Decay
High sugar diets encourage teeth decay and teeth rot in rabbits, which will cause other bacterial and mouth issues.
- Overall Malnutrition and Bad Habits
If your rabbit is eating high sugar foods it can develop sugar addictions and is likely to become obese while learning to refuse healthy, nutritional foods like hay and pellets.
Now all of these issues are unlikely to occur if you feed your rabbit a moderate amount of dragon fruit as a treat. Just remember, sweet treats are given in small portions and only once or twice a week!
Can Rabbits Eat Dragon Fruit Skin?
Yes, mature rabbits can eat the skin and flesh of dragon fruit. While we humans normally don’t eat the skin because it is tough and made up of fibers that are harder for us to digest, your mature rabbit will enjoy the fibery addition to their sweet fruit treat.
Can Rabbits Eat Dragon Fruit Seeds?
Dragon fruit seeds are tiny little black dots embedded in the white flesh of the fruit. Dragon fruit seeds are harmless and can be eaten by mature rabbits without issues.
Can Baby Rabbits Eat Dragon Fruit?
No, do not feed baby rabbits dragon fruit. Rabbits less than 12 weeks old do not have a fully developed digestive and GI tract and cannot eat exotic or high sugar foods.
You can begin feeding your rabbit dragon fruit as a treat when they reach 12 weeks old. At this point, their stomach and digestive tract is ready to process and pass small quantities of natural fruit treats.
To introduce dragon fruit to your mature rabbit, offer it a small piece of fruit and observe its reaction. Even if everything seems okay, we recommend waiting a full 24 hours before offering more, to ensure all your bunnies behavior and fecal matter is normal.
If your mature rabbit seems to exhibit discomfort, abnormal behavior, or soft stool do not feed it more dragon fruit!
You can try this process again in two or more weeks. If the rabbit exhibits discomfort, abnormal behavior, or soft stool a second time after eating some dragon fruit, then you should not feed dragon fruit to your rabbit.
Remember, rabbits have delicate digestive systems. If you follow the rule of never feeding your baby rabbit treats or exotic foods, you will raise healthy and happy bunnies!
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Can Bunnies Eat Dragon Fruit?
What Fruits Are Bunnies Allowed To Eat?
There are many great, rabbit-safe fruits to choose from when thinking of offering your mature bunnies a treat. For more ideas on rabbit-safe fruits, check out our post on Fruits Rabbits Can Eat.
What Should Not Be Eaten By Rabbits?
Avoid any and all cooked or processed foods, as well as any pet unsafe foods such as lilies when thinking about foods and plants for you rabbits.
Here’s a nice video a bunny eating dragon fruit!
Final Thoughts on Can Rabbits Eat Dragon Fruit
Don’t be afraid to spice up your mature rabbit’s high-fiber diet with a few sweet, natural fruit treats like dragon fruit.
Just remember to wash all fruits and skins before feeding them to your rabbit and practice moderation when offering dragon fruit to rabbits, as it contains lots of sugars!
Finally, each rabbit is different, so don’t be surprised if one or two of your furry friends just don’t like dragon fruit. If this is the case, simply try different rabbit-safe fruits until you find a treat for every one of your bunnies.
For great information on feeding fruits to your rabbits and the big picture on bunnies eating fruit, you can click on this post: Fruits Rabbits Can Eat