Can Rabbits Eat Blueberries? Fun Food Facts For Your Furry Friend

Owing to the nutritional benefits of blueberries and how healthy they are for us humans, it is reasonable for you to believe they are good for rabbits too, but are they?

Rabbits, or as they are also known as bunnies, are herbivorous mammals found all over the world except for Antarctica and make great pets. Blueberries, on the other hand, are most commonly found in Canada, Poland, and the United States, so there will be instances when you will wonder can rabbits eat blueberries?

Rabbits or bunnies come from the family Leporidae, rabbits and hares comprise this family with over 60 species of mammals. There are various species of rabbits found all over the world, some of them include the pygmy rabbit, the European rabbit, Amami rabbit, volcano rabbit, brush rabbit, and many more species as well. It is important that you understand the difference between your pet rabbit and a hare as both of them might seem similar but they do have their differences. First of all, hares are not domestic animals, they are found in the wild along with wild rabbits. Hares have longer hind legs and ears. They also require less attention right as soon as they are born, unlike rabbits that are born with hair on their bodies and fairly good vision. Rabbits, on the other hand, especially domesticated rabbits and not wild rabbits, are born with no fur and need more care and attention. Moving on to whether you should feed blueberries to your rabbit or not, well, blueberries are pretty healthy and have a good nutritional content but they come with their own set of rules when being eaten by a rabbit. A rabbit's diet does not include blueberries by default but you can give your rabbit blueberries at times. Let us take a closer look at if we can feed blueberries to rabbits, and what are the things to keep in mind.

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Can rabbits eat frozen blueberries?

Before we discuss fresh and frozen blueberries, you must know that rabbits can eat blueberries, and it is absolutely safe to feed your rabbit blueberries but in moderation. Interestingly, you do not need to force bunnies to eat blueberries as they love fruits like blueberries and are drawn towards them just by their smell. Rabbits cannot survive only on a specific kind of food and need a balanced diet composed of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and enough water as well to maintain proper body functioning.

There are a total of three kinds of blueberries you can feed your rabbit. These are frozen, dried, and fresh. Of all three types of these blueberries, it is best to opt for fresh blueberries as they have the highest nutritional content in comparison to frozen and dried ones. Some people often observe that their rabbits prefer to eat blueberries when they are frozen, especially during the summer. It is because frozen ones seem more soothing owing to their temperature but they are significantly lower in terms of nutrition. On the other hand, some owners think that the small size of dried blueberries will contain a lower amount of sugar than is present in fresh and frozen blueberries, but in reality, it is only the water content that is reduced in dried blueberries as the sugar content remains the same. Whether it is blueberries or any other fruit or vegetables, always feed them to your rabbit when they are fresh. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables improve your rabbit's health and they have a number of other health benefits as well.

Although you can feed fresh berries to your rabbit, it must be in a controlled manner. You can include berries in your rabbit's diet only as an occasional treat due to their high sugar content. Rabbits can eat around one to three blueberries a day, two times per week as occasional treats. Eating berries on a regular basis could harm your rabbit's health and could also lead to an unfavorable increase in its body weight due to high amounts of sugar. Moreover, the age and size of a rabbit also play a key role in deciding the number of berries a rabbit can eat at a time. Older rabbits that are larger in size can be fed more than younger ones as the former has larger muscles and a better digestive system to accommodate the higher calorific content of blueberries in its diet.

Can wild rabbits eat blueberries?

Rabbits that live in the wild, although belonging to the same family as domesticated rabbits, have adopted a different diet from their other species due to years of living in jungles or forests. Wild rabbits prefer to eat leafy greens, plants, hay and grass. These rabbits naturally do not eat a lot of fruits like blueberries, instead, they opt for their stems and leaves.

Although wild rabbits can eat blueberries, they would prefer going for their stalks and leaves. It has been observed that the diet of rabbits living in jungles largely consists of blueberry leaves found on blueberry plants and their stems. As an additional benefit, blueberry stems and stalks also act as a toy for rabbits. They keep on chewing the stem and it is a source of entertainment for them. Domesticated rabbits, as well as wild rabbits, can eat blueberries although the latter might not prefer them the way the former does. However, rabbits does not suffer from any health issues if they do eat blueberries.

Dwarf rabbits too, like wild and domestic rabbits, can eat blueberries but once again, only as occasional treats. The high sugar content in a blueberry is harmful to all kinds of rabbits. Feeding blueberries in excessive amounts can have a number of adverse effects including weight gain, digestive issues, and excessive sugar levels in the body. Other than blueberries, some of the other fruits dwarf rabbits can eat include nectarine, orange, grapes, banana, and several other fruits.

Are blueberries toxic to rabbits?

There are some foods that are good for humans but can be toxic for rabbits. Rabbits are strictly herbivores, and as their digestive system is quite different from ours, there are some foods that should not be given to rabbits. Fortunately, a blueberry is not one of these. On the other hand, a rabbit's diet can benefit from an occasional blueberry treat owing to its vitamin content.

The nutritional content of a blueberry is not toxic or even slightly harmful for rabbits but blueberries can still mess with the health of rabbits if they are fed in excess amounts. Any fruit or vegetables when fed in excess ultimately prove to be harmful. A blueberry is a fruit that can only be included as a treat in a rabbit's diet. Although it is not necessary for rabbits to eat blueberries, their vitamin content is too good to be ignored. Blueberries are quite high in vitamin C and vitamin K along with antioxidants. Rabbits need vitamin C for the formation of their skin, scar tissues, repair of bone, teeth, and cartilage.

At the same time, excess vitamin C in rabbits can lead to abdominal issues which is why it is essential to regulate the number of blueberries you are feeding to your rabbit per week. Rabbits also need vitamin K in order to keep their blood clotting, the absence of vitamin K could result in a cut continuing to bleed for a long period of time. At the same time, excess vitamin K can affect a rabbit's kidney. Both vitamin C and K are good for rabbits and provide health benefits but only when consumed in the recommended quantity. Blueberries comprise 4% protein, 91% carbohydrates, but also 5% fats. It is the fat content in blueberries due to which you should give your rabbit blueberries in a limited quantity.

What fruits are safe for rabbits?

Television and other media forms have always portrayed an image of rabbits either consuming carrots or lettuce leaves. In reality, a rabbit's diet needs much more than just a couple of greens, a piece of fruit once in a while, and an occasional treat. It must comprise a healthy diet for a rabbit and at the same time keep its weight in check. Feeding only a single piece of fruit such as blueberries to rabbits is not fair. Even though blueberries are safe for rabbits, animals enjoy a change once in a while.

There are various other fruits that can be included in a rabbit's diet keeping in mind its delicate digestive system. Feeding rabbits fruits such as orange, apples (without seeds), papaya, cherries (without seeds), plums, watermelon, and pineapple are a great option, but only as a treat limited to once or twice a week.

Some food items which can be a part of your rabbit's staple diet are hay, cucumber, zucchini, carrots, radish tops, wheatgrass, bell peppers, and bok choy. These greens are undoubtedly an indispensable part of a rabbit's diet as they provide it with its required amount of vitamins and minerals.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked learning about can rabbits eat blueberries then why not take a look at Flemish giant rabbit lifespan or fox paw print?