Can Rabbits Eat Plums and Prunes?

Plums are fruits that belong to genus Prunus with the common varieties being the Damson, Greengage, Mirabelle, Victoria, Yellowgage, and Satsuma. The cherries, apricots, nectarines, peaches, and almonds all belong to this genus.

Plums are nutritious with several health benefits. Some of the nutrients they contain include carbs, fiber, sugars, vitamin A, C, K, potassium, polyphenol antioxidants such as anthocyanins, copper, manganese among others. 

They work as good antioxidants, their fiber will help lower blood sugar, are good for your heart, among many other benefits. Being sweet and nutritious, you might want to know whether you can give these fruits to your bunnies.

Is giving your bunnies plums ok?

Yes. Rabbits can eat plums without pits. They will enjoy eating them since they have a tooth for sweet foods. However, like other fruits that rabbits eat including mangoes, melons, apples, cherries, berries, and so on, you should give them as occasional treats.

Besides being served as occasional treats, you need to give them small amounts. A teaspoon is enough for a rabbit weighing about two pounds. Also, vary the types of treats you offer them to include other fruits and non-leafy vegetables such as carrots, bell peppers, celery, zucchinis, cucumbers and so on.

Giving your rabbit’s a lot of plums or any other fruit or food that has high amounts of sugar and carbohydrates may cause stomach upsets, diarrhea, bloating, gas and other problems. They are lagomorphs whose digestive system is not adapted to digest foods with high sugar or carbohydrates.

Also, expect your bunnies to add weight and become obese. Obesity in rabbits often shortens their lifespan as well as make them unable to groom so well.

Can rabbits eat prunes?

Prunes are nothing other than dried plums, and yes, rabbits can eat prunes. They are not toxic or poisonous. However, we do not recommend giving them dried fruits as they have a higher amount of sugar, almost three times the fresh ones.

If you must give them, do so in tiny amounts and rarely. Also, you need to ensure the prunes do not have their pits.

Are plum skin, leaves, and twigs safe?

They can eat plums with their skin. However, do not give your bunnies twigs, leaves or wood from plum as they are poisonous. As Rabbit.life notes, “wood and leaves from the trees that have fruits with pits like peach, apricot, plum, cherry are bad and should be avoided unless the wood is completely dry.” 

Instead, give them twigs, leaves or wood from fruits with multiple seeds such as pears, grapes, apples and so on.

How to give them plums?

As with all treats and fresh foods, you need to begin by giving them a small amount and monitor how their tummy will react to them after a day. The fruits should be washed under running water to get rid of any traces of herbicides, pesticides or insecticides.

Do not give any fruits or vegetables to any bunny that is less than three months or replace their regular diet with this treat.

You can use logic toys when giving them plum treats, or use them when training them such as to use their littering boxes, or as they are playing to help grow a bond with you.

Conclusion

Your rabbit’s diet should always be about 80% hay with Small Pet Select 2nd Cutting "Perfect Blend" Timothy Hay Pet Food one of the most recommended. 5% of your rabbit diet should be high fiber pellets, while the remainder should be fresh foods. The bulk of your fresh foods should be the rabbit-safe leafy greens.

Do not forget to give them unlimited access to clean, freshwater. Water bottles, bowls or automatic waterers will be helpful when giving them water.