Choosing the right fruit treats for your rabbits can be hard, especially when many fruits contain harsh acids, high sugars, and other potentially harmful compounds for your rabbit’s sensitive digestive system.
And this is just the case with figs: No, rabbits should not eat figs due to their dangerously high sugar content. Rabbits can not have figs. To be clear, bunnies can not eat figs.
Neither fig fruits nor the branches or leaves of the fig tree are safe for rabbits, so keep all parts of the fig plant away from your bunnies!
Figs For Rabbits: Too Much Sugar
Figs are the soft, drop-shaped “fruit” of the common fig tree (Ficus carica) that is native to mediterranean countries.
What we know as the “fruit” isn’t actually a fruit in the botanical sense (but for our purposes in this post we will continue to call it a fruit) but an inflorescence of flowers that blossom and seed inside an edible, bulbous stem.
This stem matures into a yummy, dark purple to black, soft skinned treat filled with hundreds of tiny seeds. The skin of the fruit may also be several shades of tan or brown in color.
The fig fruit is known for its unique flavor and boasts some impressive quantities of potassium and sugars.
| Nutrient | Quantity Per 100 g Serving |
| Water | 79.1 g |
| Fiber | 2.9 g |
| Sugar | 16.3 g |
| Protein | 0.75 g |
| Potassium | 232 mg |
| Calcium | 35 mg |
| Magnesium | 17 mg |
As you see, figs also offer small quantities of various vitamins and micronutrients, but any benefit of these is greatly overshadowed by the high sugar content of these fruits.
Are Figs Healthy For Rabbits
As stated above, even though figs pack some essential nutrients, given their very high sugar content and low fiber content of figs, figs are not actually that healthy for rabbits.
Feeding your rabbits figs can easily:
- Harm a rabbit’s digestive process
- Result in painful bloating or constipation
- Encourage the development of bad eating habits and/or sugar addictions
- Lead to teeth decay
This is why we do not offer this tasty fruit treat to our rabbits, opting instead for less sugary fruit treats such as cranberries.
Can Bunnies Eat Figs Everyday
No, we never recommend offering your rabbits figs everyday.
If you do choose to give your rabbits a bit of fig, we recommend limiting each bunny to no more than half a fig fruit once a week.
As we’ve mentioned in previous posts about rabbit treats like dragon fruit, treat food items 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 measured, 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.
The Fig Plant For Rabbits: Yes or No
While some parts of plants are edible, others can be dangerous for consumption; such is the case with the common fig tree, whose leaves and stems are best kept away from hungry rabbit mouths.
Can Bunnies Chew Fig Branches
No, do not offer the branches of any fig tree or bush to your rabbits!
Fig trees naturally contain tannic acids, which are harsh compounds for a rabbit’s digestive system to break down, as well as a white sap within their branches that contains two potentially dangerous compounds: Psoralen and Bergapten.
Psoralen is a photosensitive (reacts to light) compound and Bergapten can assist in photosynthesis.
While these two compounds are essential for the fig tree’s growth and development, they can be very detrimental and even toxic if ingested by homestead animals, pets, or young children.
Can Rabbits Eat Fig Leaves
Your bunnies cannot eat fig leaves either, as the leaves contain the dangerous sap and can result in serious gastrointestinal issues that can prove deadly in immunocompromised, weak, or young rabbits.
If your rabbit has eaten or bitten into just a small bit of fig branches or leaves, observe them and take them into your local vet if they seem to react badly; sometimes small amounts just result in mouth irritation and nothing more.
However, if your rabbit has eaten a few mouthfuls of fig tree branches, twigs, or leaves, call your vet immediately for expert assistance.
Can Rabbits Have Dried Figs
We never recommend offering your bunnies dried figs.
This dried fruit will be harder for your bunny to digest as it contains zero water and usually has more sugar content than in its fresh and raw form.
Offering dried fig to your bunny will only increase their risk of indigestion and/ or development of bad eating habits.
Can Baby Bunnies Eat Figs
Baby or immature rabbits (those less than 12 weeks) are at an even higher risk of experiencing gut imbalance, digestive blockages, and fatal reactions due to eating fig fruit or the fig plant than adult rabbits.
This is because baby rabbits do not yet have the gut bacterias nor digestive capacity to metabolize high sugar foods or complex compounds.
Never feed fig fruits or parts of the fig tree to baby or immature bunnies.
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Can Bunnies Have Figs
What Foods Are Poisonous To Rabbits?
There are a number of plant foods that are toxic to rabbits and should never be offered to them, including onion and potato plants.
Read more about these dangerous foods in our post Are Lilies Poisonous To Rabbits?
Can Rabbits Eat Blueberries?
Yes, blueberries are a rabbit-safe fruit that your bunnies can enjoy. Learn more about the health benefits of these blue fruits and how to best feed them to your rabbits in our Blueberries For Rabbits post.
Can Pets Eat Figs?
Figs are very sugary fruits and are best kept away from all pet or homestead animals, or at the least offered in very small (half to quarter size) amounts on a very infrequent basis.
Final Thoughts On Can Rabbits Eat Figs
Just because rabbits are strict herbivores doesn’t mean all plant materials, fruits, and foodstuffs are safe for bunnies to consume!
So before offering your rabbits fruit treats, check to make sure they are a Rabbit Safe Fruit and how to best prepare them for your furry friends.
Can Rabbits have figs? No, figs are too sweet for rabbits!