Does Your Rabbit Have a Sweet Tooth? Rabbit Treats Will Satisfy It

You’re sitting on your couch and you’re suddenly hit with a craving. Oh gosh, you don’t even know exactly what you want to eat but you do know that whatever it is, it needs to be sweet.

Uh oh, that dreaded sweet tooth is back. It creeps up on you every few days or so and it’s usually at night time when you’re watching your favorite show. Your rabbit is snuggled up next to you and you start to think, do rabbits ever have this type of craving? Not just a craving for rabbit food, but a "sweet tooth" craving. If they do, what can you do to help satisfy this sweet tooth of your furry friend?

You know you can’t share a spoonful of your ice cream sundae with them because that would be way too much sugar and unnatural ingredients to digest. Even if your little friend looks interested in your sweet tooth food and maybe they acted like they enjoyed that little drop they licked up after it dripped off your spoon, don't feed it to them. Human sweet food is not safe for your pet rabbit.

While it may be tempting, never give your rabbit your sweets. This includes any type of candy, cake, ice cream, etc. Even if it’s homemade, the majority of the ingredients in your food are not safe for a rabbit to digest. Even if you are questioning "why does my rabbit eat everything and seem to like it," don't give them that food. They may act like they love it but it's not healthy for them.

Rabbit Food That Will Satisfy Their Sweet Tooth

You can give your rabbit natural ‘sweet’ snacks that are fruits or vegetables or DIY rabbit treats made from rabbit approved ingredients such as:

• Apple (not the pips - they are poisonous!)
• Apricot
• Banana (high in potassium)
• Blackberries (and leaves – excellent astringent properties)
• Blueberries
• Cherries (not the pits and plant - they contain cyanide and are therefore poisonous!)
• Grapes
• Kiwi Fruit
• Mango
• Melon
• Nectarines
• Papaya
• Peaches
• Pears
• Pineapple
• Plums
• Raspberries (and leaves – excellent astringent properties)
• Strawberries (and leaves)
• Tomatoes (NOT the leaves)

While foods like these may not satisfy our sweet tooth as humans, it will work for rabbits. Your rabbit is used to eating Timothy Hay, Orchard Grass, or Mountain Grass as their main food so any extra foods, such as fruit, are a treat and serve as a way to satisfy their sweet tooth.

It's also important that you give your rabbit a range of vegetables, even if they may not seem interested at first. You'll eventually find veggies that they love just as much and because they are lower in sugar they can have a higher amount of them on a daily basis.

How Much Fruit To Give Your Rabbit

It's important that you never feed your rabbit too much fruit. While it is natural and safe for your rabbit to eat, too much of it can harm them. Their little bodies cannot handle a large amount of sugar so make sure to monitor the portions you feed your rabbit.

The safe amount to give them varies based on age and weight:

• Rabbits under 7 months should not be fed fruits of any kind.
• Rabbits between 7 months and 1 year should be given no more than 1-2 ounces (2-4 tablespoons) per every six pounds of body weight daily.
• Rabbits over a year should be given a max of 2 tablespoons per every six pounds of body weight daily.

You'll need to measure it out for them on a daily basis because they will continue to eat whatever is set in front of them, especially if it’s something as yummy as raspberries. You don’t want the end result of giving into their craving to be a trip to the vet!

Now you know that you can satisfy your rabbit's sweet tooth, what's the first thing you're going to feed them? Let us know in the comment section below what treats are your rabbit's favorite!

While giving your rabbit treats in moderation is fine, learn the best type of rabbit food (HAY!) to consistently be feeding your pet based on their age by downloading our Hay is for Rabbits eBook below. You'll learn all about the different types of hay, health benefits, and more!