Bananas are sweet, mouth-watering and healthy – for humans. But can rabbits eat bananas? Chances are your fluffy pet will adore these treats because these are a sweet delight.
Yes, you can feed your rabbit bananas. But don’t overdo it because they’re packed with sugar and they’re mushy, which can affect your rabbit’s digestive system. Even banana peel is considered safe, but the portion of the peel should be smaller and offered rarer than the actual fruit.
PROS
Bananas contain:
Fibres
Potassium
Vitamin C
Vitamin B6
Magnesium
Antioxidants
CONS
Bananas are rich in sugar
Bananas are high in calories
Bananas pack a lot of starch
How Many Bananas Can I Give My Rabbit? Tips and Recommendations
Your rabbit’s diet should consist mainly of fresh, quality hay, such as timothy hay for adults and alfalfa hay for baby rabbits, with the addition of pellets.
Fruits and veggies should be about 15% of your rabbit‘s daily diet. The rule of thumb is one tablespoon of these treats for every two pounds of the bunny’s bodyweight.
Bananas should only be a small part of that tablespoon of fruits and veggies because they’re extremely sweet.
If you have a dwarf rabbit, one slice of banana per day should be enough, while bigger breeds can safely deal with two slices per day.
Introduce bananas into your rabbit’s diet gradually. Start with half a slice and watch for any adverse effects. If your rabbit gets watery diarrhoea, becomes lethargic or refuses food, ring your vet asap.
Don’t give baby rabbits bananas. Your bunny should be at least three months old before receiving any fruits and veggies.
It’s not mandatory to offer peels and leaves. Although these aren’t toxic, banana peels especially could cause blockages in your rabbit’s intestinal tract. It’s important to cut them up horizontally and not overdo it. Just a nail-sized bite of peel is enough for your bunny.
If you’re giving your rabbit banana peels or leaves, wash them carefully to get rid of any toxic pesticides.
Choose unripe bananas over ripe ones. Unripe bananas have more pectins that improve your rabbit’s digestion, the same amounts of vitamins and minerals, plus they pack less sugar.