Transfixed by the question, “can rabbits eat dragon fruit“? Guess what: you’re certainly NOT alone!
A seasonal summer fruit, dragon fruit is a tropical fruit known for its vibrant red skin and sweet pulp, dietary fiber, a superb source of vitamin C, and plenty of nutrition.
You know the best part: you can feed your pet rabbit dragon fruit as an occasional treat for a healthy diet, but only the flesh and fruit seeds!
But don’t toil and tumble at figuring it all out ― INSTEAD, scroll to learn more…
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways:
- Your rabbit may eat dragon fruit ― but only the flesh and seeds.
- Do not feed this fruit to the babies (more on this later!)
- Health benefits are vast (source of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins!)
Is It Safe For Rabbits To Eat Dragon Fruit?
The dragon fruit is safe for rabbits to eat, and so are the seeds.
On the other hand, the skin is too harsh and not edible enough ― And given the high risk of choking, please do not feed this part to your rabbit!
Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit for Rabbits
Dragon fruit contains essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. All these nutrients are loaded with the essentials to keep your rabbit healthy and happy.
Let me discuss a bit of the scientific stuff. A serving of 3.5 ounces or 100 g (around 21 teaspoons) of dragon fruit has the following:
- Calories: 60
- Protein: 1.2 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbs: 13 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Vitamin C: 3% of the RDI
- Iron: 4% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 10% of the RDI
The above data is from Healthline [1]
Now I will discuss some more shiny benefits ― scroll on:
1. Improve Digestion
Rabbits require plenty of fiber to ensure their digestive system is healthy.
Lucky for you, dragon fruit is a good source of fiber.
Fiber helps promote regular bowel movement (less constipation), which helps move food through the digestive system smoothly.
2. Strengthens the Immune System
The body’s ability to fight off infection is determined by several factors and the quality of the rabbit’s diet.
The carotenoids and vitamin C in dragon fruit will help strengthen the immune system and prevent infection.
When you combine powerful antioxidants with vitamin C and carotenoids, you will get the ultimate double takedown: FEWER free radicals and MORE white blood cells for your rabbit.
Thanks to dragon fruit, this is possible.
3. Helps Prevent Cell Damage
Don’t tell me you don’t like this one on the sticker of your favorite summer snack!
Dragon fruit is vibrant in color, which means its rich in antioxidants. Interestingly, antioxidants are vital for the body as it helps fight free radicals.
The word “free” sounds very gracious. But don’t be fooled: free radicals are everything but gracious. This molecule is responsible for many chronic health conditions [2] and will damage your rabbit’s cells and make them sick.
Now, I will discuss some common causes of free radicals to watch out for: wrong food, cigarette smoke, and radiation exposure.
On the contrary, getting your rabbit to eat food rich in antioxidants will help fight free radicals in their body, making them healthier, happier, and more vibrant. So feed wisely!
Can Baby Rabbits Eat Dragon Fruit?
Answering the question “can rabbit eat dragon fruit” can only get you so far if you’re talking about adult rabbits. “What about the babies?” you may wonder.
You should not feed your baby rabbits dragon fruit. This fruit contains too much sugar content and could cause serious health issues.
Instead, here are some guidelines for how you can feed them and when:
- 3 to 4 weeks old – mother’s milk, nibbles of alfalfa, and pellets
- 4 to 7 weeks – mother’s milk, a handful of alfalfa, and pellets
- 7 weeks to 7 months – unlimited pellets, unlimited amount of hay
Once they are at least 12 weeks old, you can introduce dragon fruit to their diet (in moderation only).
Of course, give them just a tiny amount of dragon fruit (not the skin!) and see how they react.
This test is for you to gauge if they have any allergic reactions. If they do, stop feeding the fruit to them.
If the baby rabbit seems to eat the fruit without issues, you can feed them a small piece once a week.
Can Rabbits Eat Dragon Fruit Skin and Seeds?
I don’t recommend that you feed the skin to your rabbit! Here is why: Your rabbit will struggle to digest it.
Also, the dragon fruit skin has a bitter taste, which the rabbits dislike.
As for the seeds of the dragon fruit, it’s small and edible.
Feel free to feed them the seeds if you want. Because of the time and the size of the seeds, your challenge will be too big.
But don’t despair! Try this solution instead: combine the flesh of the dragon fruit with the seeds for a delicious snack.
How To Feed Dragon Fruit To Rabbits?
To feed your rabbit dragon fruit, ripen the fruit before feeding them. Ripe dragon fruit will become red with flesh that will appear red or white.
Follow these instructions below to prepare and feed dragon fruit to your rabbits:
- Cut the dragon fruit in halves.
- Scoop out the flesh from the fruit.
- Cut the flesh into smaller pieces. You can slice them or cut them into cubes.
- Place the fruit’s flesh onto their feeding bowl and give them to the rabbits.
Remember: do everything in moderation and pay attention to how your rabbit behaves when spicing up their meals.
Don’t forget to check our guide on the best rabbit foods for having multiple choices of foods to feed your rabbits.
FAQs
How much dragon fruit to feed rabbits?
Dragon fruit should only make up 10% of the rabbit’s overall diet. The rest should come from hays which should make up the bulk of their diet and be available to them at all times.
What will happen if rabbits overeat dragon fruit?
Since this fruit has high sugar and water content, your rabbit may be at risk for experiencing health issues such as weight gain, diabetes, and vitamin deficiencies [3].
So watch their intake and ensure they don’t get too much!
Conclusion
Open sesame! You’ve now mastered the basics of “can rabbits eat dragon fruit” and proved an incredible undertaking.
To recap:
A balanced diet, dragon fruit is a tropical fruit that can ― if used in moderation ― prove an excellent treat for rabbits.
Be wary, though, of feeding your rabbit the skin!
A little caveat: always check for adverse reactions such as obesity and odd behavior. Their responses are your compass and will tell you what they prefer to eat.
So, did you ever feed dragon fruits to your bunny? Let us know in the comments section!
Resources:
- Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE. What Is Dragon Fruit and Does It Have Health Benefits? [Internet]. Healthline. Healthline Media; 2019. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dragon-fruit
- Lobo V, Patil A, Phatak A, Chandra N. Free radicals, Antioxidants and Functional foods: Impact on Human Health. Pharmacognosy Reviews [Internet]. 2010;4:118–26. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/
- Brennan D. How Much Fruit Is Too Much? [Internet]. WebMD. 2021. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/diet/how-much-fruit-is-too-much.
Andreea is a very passionate content creator and her purpose is to provide you with the most interesting articles, while constantly discovering new facts. She’s been freelance writing for the past five years and has created numerous articles and educational materials while managing her own mom blog.
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