Fruits are delicious, juicy foods that are naturally enjoyed by a wide range of animals. And if you are raising rabbits on a farm, or a homestead, or just enjoying several pet rabbits, you may be wondering if your bunnies can have fruits and, if so, what fruit can rabbits eat.
Fortunately, here at Hobby Farm Heaven, we are prepared to share with you all you need to know about electing and offering fruits for your mature bunnies, including questions like:
- What is a fruit?
- Can rabbits eat fruit?
- What are the best fruits for rabbits?
- What fruits aren’t good for rabbits?
- Can baby rabbits have fruits?
So read on and learn all risks, benefits, and best practices you need to know about fruits for rabbits.
Fruit Bunnies Can Eat
Merrium Webster defines a fruit as: The usually edible reproductive body of a seed plant, especially one having a sweet pulp associated with the seed.
This is a great definition, as it helps us realize that many foods we consider vegetables are actually fruits! Strawberries, cucumbers, oranges, and tomatoes are a few examples of true fruits, as they develop from a fertilized flower and contain seeds within.
So what does this mean for rabbits?
Well, another characteristic of fruits is that they usually contain high sugars along with different vitamins and minerals.
This ensures that passing mammals (like rabbits) will munch on them and later deposit the seeds held within in their fecal matter; a great way for plants to passively spread their seed and increase their population!
And mammals are more than happy to assist the plants in this way, after all, who turns down a sugary treat? However, this gets a little tricky when thinking of raising happy and healthy rabbits.
Because it is true that most fruits can and do boost the health of your rabbits. But it is also true that almost all fruits are high in sugars and lack the necessary high-fibers to be considered a regular part of a balanced diet for rabbits.

Can Rabbits Eat Fruits?
Rabbits are natural vegetarians that enjoy and require lots of high-in-fiber and low-in-sugar plant materials daily.
In fact, over thousands of years they have developed a highly specialized digestive process that involves hosting sensitive gut bacteria to help in the breakdown of their high-fiber diet.
Rabbits’ metabolism now depends upon this symbiotic relationship and if they eat a low-fiber diet or a high-sugar diet, rabbits quickly experience an imbalance in these gut bacteria which leads to stomach upset, digestive issues, bad eating habits, diarrhea and defecation problems, and even deadly GI stasis.
Because rabbits must maintain healthy gut bacteria for good health, the the best diet for rabbits consists of the following:
- Unlimited hay (75% to 80% hay)
- Quality pellets (10% to 15%)
- Leafy greens, vegetables, and treats (5% to 10%)
Unlimited hay affords them all the high-fibers they need, quality pellets ensure proper nutrition, and infrequent treats (such as fruits) act as valuable vitamin and mineral boosts if offered in moderation.
How Much Fruit Can Rabbits Eat?
Ensuring that fruits comprise no more than 5-10% of your rabbit’s diet means offering them 1-2 fruits options per week or incorporating a very small amount of any given fruit daily.
The best rule to follow is no more than 1 teaspoon of sweet fruit per 2lbs of your mature rabbit’s weight per day.
What Are The Best Fruits for Rabbits?
There are many fruits to choose from when offering your rabbits a natural treat.
It is important to note that not all fruits are safe for bunnies. Due to rabbits’ increased system sensitivity and the large range of natural (but sometimes harmful) compounds that are found within plants.
To make sure you offer your bunnies only the best fruits, we will go through rabbit-safe fruit options as well as all fruits you should be wary of or avoid.
What Fruit Can Rabbits Eat Daily
Any of the following Safe Fruits For Rabbits may be eaten daily in small amounts by your rabbit.
If your rabbit seems to have an undesirable reaction to the daily fruit, then stop feeding the fruit to your rabbit. When your rabbit is not longer experiencing the undesirable reaction, you can try daily feeding of the fruit again, but in smaller portions.
Good Fruits For Rabbits
The safest fruits for rabbits are those without questionable or poisonous parts. These fruits are chock full of great vitamins, minerals, and compounds that strengthen the health of your rabbit when offered in moderation.

Cranberries
Can rabbits eat cranberries? Yes, cranberries are a great fruit option for mature rabbits.
This fruit contains more than four natural antioxidants, such as A-type proanthocyanidins and ursolic acid, which exhibit incredible anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties.
Cranberries are also up to 90% water and offer rabbit’s almost as many fibers as sugars. Without doubt, these fruits are a great treat for mature rabbits.
Zucchini
Adult rabbits can eat all parts of the zucchini plant and fruit in moderation.
This low-sugar fruit contains carotenoids, amino acids, and tons of minerals that your bunny will benefit from. Learn more about the health benefits and guidelines to offering zucchini squash to your rabbit in our Can Rabbits Eat Zucchini post!
Strawberries
Juicy strawberries are another rabbit-safe fruit. Bunnies can and will eat strawberries and strawberries tops without issues! These red berries offer calcium, iron, magnesium and vitamin C to adult rabbits, nutrients that work to increase bone health and boost the immune system.

Cucumber
Rabbits can eat all parts of the cucumber plant, including the juicy, crunchy fruit. Why is cucumber good for rabbits? Because it is 95% water and on hot summer days a few slices of cucumber can help your bunny stay happy and hydrated.
Blueberries
Blueberries are antioxidant packed snack for adult rabbits.
They contain contain the highest number of anthocyanins of any other fruit, with the majority of these concentrated in the skin of the blueberry. Antioxidants serve as natural anti-inflammatories and antimicrobials!
Mature rabbits are sure to benefit from small amounts of these superfood berries, but never forget that they do not provide enough fiber and contain too many sugars to be a main part of your bunnies’ diets.
Kiwi
Kiwi is a more exotic fruit that is also rabbit-safe. The nutritional benefits of kiwi for rabbits include vitamins C, E, and K as well as potassium, magnesium, and copper.
However, kiwi contains only 3g of fiber and must be offered as an infrequent treat for adult rabbits. And yes, you can also offer kiwi skin to rabbits, as it is a source of fiber!
Yellow Squash
Although yellow squash is often treated as a vegetable, it is actually a fruit of the squash plant!
Thats right, yellow squash is a rabbit-safe fruit that can offer unique nutrition to your rabbits as it contains beta-carotene which guards against oxidative stress and supports healthy growth, and folate which assists in cellular division.
So if you’re looing for a low-sugar treat for rabbits, offer them some fresh yellow squash!
Blackberries
Blackberries are an easy favorite for rabbits. They contain four vitamins, two types of omega fatty acids, and three essential minerals. Blackberries are, without a doubt, a powerful nutritional punch for mature bunnies.
However, blackberries are a fruit especially high in sugars and must not be overfed to rabbits.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a watery fruit that is rabbit-safe. Does pumpkin have nutritional value? Yes! This fruit is high in Vitamins E, C, and A, and contains multiple antioxidants for your rabbit.
Be aware that while you can offer your rabbit the flesh of pumpkin, we do not recommend feeding pumpkin seeds or pumpkin stem to rabbits.
Bell Pepper
Bell peppers are tasty and crunchy fruits of the bell pepper plant that all adult rabbits can enjoy.
Now each different color of bell pepper contains slightly different nutritional components, but across the board, a bell pepper offers rabbits essential vitamins and minerals including niacin, magnesium, and potassium.
In addition, all parts of the bell pepper plant and fruit can be eaten by rabbits, just don’t get them mixed up with hot spicy peppers!
Other Fruits For Rabbits
There are more fruits that you can offer your bunnies, however some, like the ones mentioned below, contain potentially problematic compounds or characteristics.

Oranges
Oranges’ nutritional value for rabbits is centered on the amount of Vitamin C and calcium they contain. Rabbits can actually make their own vitamin C (although oranges as a treat can support nursing does), and bunnies sometimes have trouble getting rid of excess calcium.
For this reason, and because oranges are very high in sugar, it is always best to err on the side of caution when offering oranges to your rabbits.
Red Tomato
The red tomato fruit is an A-Okay option for adult bunnies. The mature red fruit contains vitamins and essential nutrients that they will enjoy.
However, the green parts of the tomato plant and green tomatoes can be toxic to rabbits and tomato seeds, in large amounts, are not healthy for rabbits. These are a tricky fruit so be sure to follow our best-practices for feeding tomatoes to rabbits!
Mangos
Feeding mangoes to rabbits as a treat is okay. Mango fruit is nontoxic and high in antioxidants and minerals. However, mango is extremely high in sugars and the mango skin contains urushiol, the chemical and active ingredient in poison ivy.
While urushiol does not usually affect rabbits, we recommend removing the skin or offering just a bit to your bunny to see how they react.
Pineapple
Due to its high sugar content and acidic properties, this tropical fruit should be eaten sparingly by your bunnies.
We recommend offering no more than 4-5 fingertip size pieces of pineapple to mature bunnies once a week. Remember to never offer the spikey pineapple skin to your rabbits or any canned or juiced pineapple variations, as they contain much more sugar than is safe for bunnies to ingest.
Pineapple is a fruit treat that is best saved for special occasions and best best behavior!
Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is a sugary treat that can be offered to your adult rabbits on a limited basis. It contains several beneficial minerals, vitamins and antioxidants for your bunnies.
Cantaloupe rind is also very high in natural sugar, so only limited amounts of clean rind may be offered to your rabbit. And finally, cantaloupe seeds are not recommended for your rabbits.
Watermelon
The perfect summer fruit that you can share (in moderation) with your bunny is watermelon. Watermelon is fairly high in lycopene which is a key antioxidant that reduces the risk of several serious diseases and is 92% water!
Note that watermelon seeds are not recommended for bunnies. We suggest choosing a seedless watermelon, or plucking the seeds out, before feeding watermelon to your rabbit.

Grapes
Grapes are a sugary and watery fruit that rabbits can eat. They contain very beneficial antioxidants like beta-carotene and quercetin. Both the flesh and skin of grapes are rabbit-safe, although the grape seed is not recommended for rabbits.
Make sure to opt for seedless grapes or remove the seeds before offering your bunny this fruit!
Peaches
Due to their low fiber and very high sugar content, peaches are not the most ideal food for rabbits, and I wouldn’t even go so far as to say they are healthy for rabbits.
Caution: peach pits do contain cyanide compounds and must never be offered to your bunnies!
Apples
Apples are a great healthy treat for your adult rabbits!
But don’t let your bunnies’ enthusiasm for eating them lead you to offer them too much, as stomach issues could result.
Note that apples seeds do contain cyanide compounds and shouldn’t be offered willingly to bunnies. However, ingesting a few apple seeds won’t harm your rabbit.
What Fruit Can Rabbit Not Eat
In the entire collection of fruits out there, you are bound to come across some that should not be fed to rabbits. Here, we highlight a few of the most common cases.
Corn
Why shouldn’t rabbits eat corn? Because each corn kernel has a husk that the rabbit can not digest.
Therefore, corn is more likely to lead to blockages and other digestive tract problems for rabbits. To learn more about this, read our article Can Rabbits Eat Corn?
Figs
Even though fig fruits pack some essential nutrients, given their very high sugar content and low fiber content of figs, figs are not actually that healthy for rabbits.
In addtion, fig trees naturally contain tannic acids and white sap that contains two potentially dangerous compounds: Psoralen and Bergapten.
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 or pets.
Pits and Seeds Poisonous to Rabbits
There are some fruits from trees that contain seeds with trace amounts of poisons in them. A perfect example is the cyanide found within apples.
All fruits from plants related to apples also contain poison and/or cyanide, which can be metabolized into the deadly hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and kill animals.
Be aware of this while thinking of rabbit-safe fruits and make sure to steer clear of the seeds of these particular fruits.
- Peaches
- Pears
- Apricots
- Cherries
- Plums
How To Feed Fruits To Rabbits
Now that you have a general understanding of safe and unsafe fruits for rabbits, let’s go over the best way to prepare and feed fruits to rabbits.
Follow these steps when preparing fruits for your mature rabbits:
- Choose only fully ripe, whole fruits. Avoid aging or insect eaten fruits.
- Inspect the fruit well and wash it in cool water, removing any residual dirt and potential pesticides.
- Cut the fruit up into small, bite size pieces to reduce choking hazard and to make it easier for your rabbit to enjoy it.
How to feed fruits to rabbits:
- Place 2-3 pieces of washed and cut fruit into a clean bowl.
- Place this bowl in the hutch or house of your rabbit.
- Allow your rabbit to enjoy the nutritious fruit.
- Be sure to remove the feeding bowl and any excess fruit later in the day.
Fruit Bunnies Can Eat – Concerns And Risks
Parasites in Fruits for Rabbits
Any fruit can host parasites, so it is extremely important to:
- Inspect the fruit well and remove any bugs, slugs, or insect eggs on the outer skin and/or peel the fruit.
- Inspect the fruit to make sure there are no bite or bore marks going into the flesh before offering it to your rabbits.
Pesticides On Fruits For Bunnies
Unless you offer your rabbit your own home-grown pesticide free fruits, it is very important to wash all fruits well in cool water before offering them to your bunny to remove any residual pesticides.
Can Rabbits Eat Moldy Fruit
Over ripened fruits refers to any fruit that is starting to smell abnormal, wilt, change color abnormally, or is rotted. Avoid giving your bunnies over ripened fruits as they can cause illnesses and digestive issues.
How Much Fruit Can Rabbits Eat – Overfeeding Rabbits
Overfeeding your rabbit on fruits is dangerous business.
Remember, your mature rabbits require a high-in-fiber diet due to their highly specialized stomach and digestive system.
It is important to only offer your rabbits fruits as a treat and/or dietary supplement, sticking to only 5-10% of their diet.
Too much sugary fruits will negate any benefits and instead cause harmful imbalances and stomach upsets in your bunnies.
Can Rabbits Eat Dried Fruit
Technically, yes, mature rabbits can eat dried fruit.
However, dried fruits contain 0% water and are usually much higher in sugars than their fresh counterparts.
For this reason, we do not recommend offering dried fruit to rabbits. Instead, stick with juicy, fresh fruits.

Can Rabbits Eat Frozen Fruit
Yes, mature rabbits can eat frozen fruit. In fact, small pieces of frozen fruit can be a refreshing treat on a hot day.
Make sure to cut the fruit up before freezing and offering it to your bunnies to reduce choking hazard!
Can Rabbits Eat Canned Fruit
No, never feed canned fruit to rabbits.
Canned fruits are slightly heated in the process and usually have added sugars. This not only changes the chemical composition of the fruit and its nutritional value, but also makes canned fruit much too sugary for rabbits to safely consume.
Can Rabbits Eat Fruit Cocktail
If the fruit cocktail is from a can, then we strongly recommend against it. Again, canned fruits are often too sugary for rabbits to safely eat.
If the fruit cocktail is “home-made” with fresh fruit, then your rabbit may have a small amount.
Can Rabbits Eat Fruit Cup
No, most fruit cups found in the supermarket have added sugars and are not the best treat for your bunnies.
If the fruit cup clearly indicates that that no sugars have been added, then your rabbit may have a small amount of fruit cup.
Can Rabbits Eat Cooked Fruit
No, never offer rabbits cooked fruit. Rabbits have evolved to eat and digest raw plant materials. Subsequently, we follow a basic rule: never feed cooked food to rabbits.

Can Baby Rabbits Have Fruit
No, we never recommend feeding baby rabbits fruit.
This may seem surprising as we just learned about many rabbit-safe fruits that are chock full of beneficial antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
However, only rabbits who have reached at least 12 weeks (or more for some acidic and very sugar fruits) can enjoy these treats.
Why can’t baby rabbits have fruit? Because any rabbit less than 12 weeks old is in a critical period of internal development.
The GI tract of immature or baby rabbits is extremely particular and cannot properly digest or metabolize sugary fruits.
As such, it is very important to wait until your rabbit reaches at least 12 weeks of age before offering them any fruit. Even then, it is a best practice to start with one or two pieces of any given rabbit-safe fruit within a 24 hour period. This allows you to observe your newly mature rabbit’s behavior and reaction to each fruit.
With this method, you will also learn which fruits your rabbits like and which they don’t!
This slow introduction will help you integrate fruit treats in a slow and manageable way, with less risk for stomach and digestive upset.
Final Thoughts On Fruit Bunnies Can Eat
Offering your rabbits fruits is a natural way to enrich their diets with minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that they don’t normally get in hay and pellets.
But even the best fruits for rabbits contain a lot of sugar and should always be offered in moderation to mature bunnies. Fruits can also get tricky when it comes to pits and seeds, so always check if a fruit and its seeds are rabbit safe before offering them to your bunny.
Fortunately, here at Hobby Farm Heaven, we offer you a lot of knowledge on what fruits rabbits can eat as well as other healthy rabbit treat options.
We want your rabbit raising experience to be enjoyable and safe, so be sure to check in with us about all your bunny questions for successful rabbit raising!
Finally, for the big picture regarding what food rabbits and bunnies can eat, you can go to this post: What Can Rabbits Eat?