Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin? [How Much Is Safe, Dangers and Benefits]
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Pumpkins are a symbol of fall and are not available all year round, but numerous rabbit owners enjoy this seasonal fruit. Can rabbits eat pumpkin along with their owners? Here is everything essential.
Contents
- Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
- Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Flesh?
- How Much Pumpkin Can Rabbits Eat?
- How Often Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
- Can Baby Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
- Can Young Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
- Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Vines?
- Pumpkin Nutrition and Benefits For Rabbits
- Precautions With Pumpkin
- Can House Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
- Can Wild Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
- Can Rabbits Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Puree?
- Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Pie?
- Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Combined With Other Snacks?
Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
Rabbits can eat pumpkins of all colors and shapes with the skin, flesh, fibrous strands, and seeds. Other parts of a pumpkin plant, such as leaves and stems, are eatable by rabbits. Baby rabbits and young rabbits under the age of 7 months should not be consuming pumpkins.
When it comes to serving snacks to your rabbits, you need to be careful of the amounts, how often you should feed them, and which parts of the plant are safe for rabbits.
Answers to these and many other related questions you can find in the post below.
Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Flesh?
Rabbits can eat raw pumpkin flesh from all pumpkin types, and this part is usually the rabbit’s favorite part of the pumpkin fruit.
The orange, Jack-o-lantern pumpkin type is one of the most common types of squash found in Americans’ homes but also in homes worldwide.
This type of winter squash is being cut in various shapes before Halloween. If you have a rabbit and wonder whether you can feed them parts of a pumpkin you’re about to throw away after curving, you are in luck.
However, there are numerous types of “pumpkins,” or so we call them pumpkin, but they are, in fact, winter squashes.
Some are considered decorative, and it’s hard to cut them. That does not mean rabbits can’t eat their flesh.
How Much Pumpkin Can Rabbits Eat?
Pumpkin is botanically a fruit, and as such is should be only a snack for rabbits.
Recommended serving amount of pumpkin flesh is as follows…
1 teaspoon per every 2 lbs. (0,91 kg) of rabbit’s body weight
Serving Amount For Individual Rabbit Body Weight
Find the serving size for individual rabbit weight in the table below, ranging from 1 to 15 lbs. Very few rabbits weigh above this weight.
| Bodyweight in lbs. and kg | Serving amounts in teaspoons |
| 1 lbs. (0,45 kg) | ½ |
| 2 lbs. (0,91 kg) | 1 |
| 3 lbs. (1,36 kg) | 1½ |
| 4 lbs. (1,81 kg ) | 2 |
| 5 lbs. (2,27 kg) | 2½ |
| Body weight in lbs. and kg | Serving amounts in teaspoons |
| 6 lbs. (2,72 kg) | 3 |
| 7 lbs. (3,18 kg) | 3½ |
| 8 lbs. (3,63 kg) | 4 |
| 9 lbs. (4,08 kg) | 4½ |
| 10 lbs. (4,54 kg) | 5 |
| Body weight in lbs. and kg | Serving amounts in teaspoons |
| 11 lbs. (4,99 kg) | 5½ |
| 12 lbs. (5,44 kg) | 6 |
| 13 lbs. (5,90 kg) | 6½ |
| 14 lbs. (6,35 kg) | 7 |
| 15 lbs. (6,80 kg) | 7½ |
Your rabbit’s weight might be between the measurements in the tables above, which is okay; all you need to do is follow the closest body weight to your rabbit’s body weight.
As examples…
| Body weight in lbs. and kg | Serving amounts in teaspoons |
| 10,3 lbs. (4,63 kg) | 5 (the closest serving is for a rabbit weighing 10 lbs) |
| 8,7 lbs. (3,91 kg) | 4½ (the closest serving is for a rabbit weighing 9 lbs.) |
Feeding Pumpkin For The First Time
When introducing pumpkin to a rabbit for the very first time, it’s recommended to feed only the tiny piece once a week, for a few weeks.
Regardless of a rabbit’s age, owners should give only a tiny piece to a rabbit.
It also recommended feeding a pumpkin to a rabbit separately from other snacks; perhaps feed only the pumpkin that day.
When introducing a new food, it’s easier to monitor how is rabbit’s digestive system is adjusting to one type of new food, such as a pumpkin.
In case a rabbit develops digestive issues such as bloating and diarrhea (soft stool), you would know which food caused the reaction.
How Often Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
Ideally, rabbits should eat pumpkins no more than 2 times a week.
Even though pumpkin is a great, healthy snack, feeding one type of snack every day is generally not recommended.
Rabbits should eat a variety of fruits to get different nutrients from them.
For that reason is advisable to incorporate pumpkin with other types of healthy snacks.
Can Baby Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
It’s not supported ever to feed baby rabbits pumpkin or any part of a pumpkin plant as they have a sensitive digestive system in a baby stage.
A baby rabbit’s GI tract couldn’t process a pumpkin, and feeding this fruit could cause serious harm.
Until the baby rabbits pass the baby stage, owners should avoid feeding pumpkins.
Can Young Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
Rabbits can start eating pumpkin when they are about 7 months old.
It’s important to introduce a pumpkin with a small piece the first few times, ensuring the rabbit’s digestive system tolerates it.
After few weeks, if there are no signs of digestive issues, the rabbit can start eating recommended serving amount of pumpkin.
Before the young rabbit ever starts eating pumpkin, leafy-green vegetables should be a regular part of its diet.
Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Vines?
Before answering whether rabbits can eat a pumpkin vine, it’s helpful to know what the vine actually is.
A pumpkin vine is a plantwith long stems (three types of stems) that spread along different terrain (such as soil) or climb a support structure.
Pumpkin fruit, stems, leaves, and flowers are all part of a pumpkin vine, and rabbits can safely eat all of them.
Let’s find out more about each part of the pumpkin vine…
Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Stems?
Rabbits can eat pumpkin stems. Not all rabbits will gladly eat them, though.
After the season, cut as many stems from the plant as you want and dry them.
It’s a great way to have additional rabbit food in the next few months.
Also, use stems after pruning your pumpkin during the season, and dry them each time. Your rabbits will be thankful.
Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Leaves?
Rabbits can safely eat pumpkin leaves fresh or dry, and it is a good source of green leafy food.
Feeding pumpkin leaves to rabbits once a week provides a great source of minerals and vitamins.
Avoid feeding leaves often due to high calcium content.
Nutrients In Pumpkin Leaves
Leaves are full of nutrients, and here is the list of them:
Minerals…
- Calcium
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Copper
- Manganese
Vitamins…
- vitamin A
- vitamin C
- vitamin B
- vitamin B1
- vitamin B3
- vitamin B6
- vitamin B9
Pumpkin leaves are a good source of protein and are low in fat.
If you have a pumpkin vine in your yard, you are familiar with the number of leaves growing on this plant.
All these leaves could provide an additional free food source for rabbits.
Rabbits might like smaller leaves more as they are tender, but they will eat all sizes of pumpkin leaves. Use the leaves to feed your rabbits and to cut your feed bill.
- After the pumpkin season is over, dry the rest of the leaves along with stems and store them for later.
- Lay each leaf flat and let it dry in the sun for a few days, flipping them halfway.
- The stem takes a longer time to dry than the leaf.
- After they are dry, carefully store them in a breathable bag, such as a potato or onion bag.
This way, your rabbit can enjoy eating pumpkin leaves for months to come.
Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Peel (Skin)?
If you were wondering can rabbits eat pumpkin skin or a peel, you are not alone.
With all the plant varieties, it’s hard to know if peels are eatable by rabbits or not.
Truth be told, pumpkin skin is nutritionally dense and contains more nutrients than the flesh itself.
Minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants are concentrated in this part of the pumpkin.
Rabbits can eat pumpkin peels of all colors and shapes. Some of them are softer than others, but if your rabbits enjoy peels, let them gnaw on them.
Please ensure that the skin doesn’t contain mold as some of them do; if it does, don’t feed that pumpkin to your rabbit.
Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Seeds?
Pumpkin seeds can be fed to your rabbit safely. Seeds contain beneficial nutrients.
Seeds are also high in calories and fat, as 100 g contains 127 calories and 21,43 g of fat, so feeding only a few are recommended.
Pumpkin seeds contain a fair amount of fiber, protein, calcium, iron but no sugar, which is a great combination of helpful nutrients.
Some owners give ground pumpkin seeds to their rabbits because the whole pumpkin seed is a choking hazard, but it’s unnecessary.
Next time you feed pumpkin to your rabbit, you can safely cut a piece that contains the inner part, including seeds.
Pumpkin Nutrition and Benefits For Rabbits
Pumpkins are winter nutrient powerhouses packed with all kinds of nutrients beneficial for rabbits’ health.
There are many types of pumpkins, and the nutrition data is similar in each type.
Here are nutrients found in a pumpkin…
| Nutritional element | Value in 100g |
| Calories | 26 |
| Water | 91,6 g |
| Sugar | 2,76g |
| Fiber | 0,5g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Fat | 0,1g |
| Minerals | Value in 100g |
| Calcium | 21 mg |
| Iron | 0,8 mg |
| Magnesium | 12 mg |
| Phosphorus | 44 mg |
| Potassium | 340 mg |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
| Zinc | 0,32 mg |
| Copper | 0,12 mg |
| Manganese | 0,12 mg |
| Selenium | 0,3 µg |
| Vitamins | Value in 100g |
| Vitamin A | 426 µg |
| Vitamin C | 9 mg |
| Vitamin E | 1,06 mg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0,05 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0,11 mg |
| Vitamin B3 | 0,6 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0,06 mg |
| Vitamin B9 | 16 µg |
Precautions With Pumpkin
Although the pumpkin plant and its fruit are eatable for rabbits, there is still useful info about some pumpkin precautions.
Sugar
Pumpkin is not loaded with sugar like some other rabbit food, but it still contains a fair amount.
When fed to rabbits in a higher amount, sugar can have adverse effects on rabbit’s health over time.
Overfeeding on sugar can cause digestive issues, weight gain, and potentially obesity.
Calcium
While calcium is beneficial to rabbits as it’s good for bone and teeth health, it can also cause health issues if feeding it too much.
Younger rabbits need calcium for their development, but older rabbits can develop health issues if consuming too much of this mineral.
One of the common issues with too much calcium intake is a urinary tract problem called sludgy urine.
Mold
Some pumpkins can be moldy, especially on the spot where the pumpkin was lying on the soil.
Mold is dangerous for rabbits as it can cause digestive and respiratory issues. Never feed rabbit pumpkin that has mold on it.
Pesticides
Pesticides are common chemicals in pumpkin production, especially on big pumpkin fields.
Fungicides and insecticides are common pesticides found on non-organically grown pumpkins.
Always wash the leaves and the skin before feeding it to your rabbit, and when you have a chance, feed organic pumpkin.
Can House Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
House rabbits can indeed eat pumpkin and its parts.
House rabbits have the same digestive system as non-house rabbits.
Just because a rabbit doesn’t live outside, it does not mean it can’t enjoy the sweetness of a pumpkin.
Please follow the recommended serving amounts when feeding a pumpkin to your house rabbit.
If feeding the house rabbit pumpkin for the first time, introduce it slowly, one small piece once a week without any other snack that day.
Continue doing so for a few weeks until you are sure its body is used to digesting the pumpkin.
Can Wild Rabbits Eat Pumpkin?
Wild rabbits can and do eat different types of pumpkins they can find around the farms and gardens.
If available in the area, wild rabbits don’t necessarily prefer pumpkin (including leaves, stems, and flowers) over other vegetables and fruits.
It’s hard for rabbits to chew on the hard pumpkin skin, but wild rabbits might go and eat the flesh of the fruit that is broken and already opened.
Can Rabbits Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Puree?
Pumpkin puree is cooked pumpkin flesh processed into the puree.
Cooked and processed foods such as pumpkin puree are not recommended to be a part of the rabbit diet as their digestive system is adjusted to process raw food.
Store-bought pumpkin puree, in many cases, contains extra sugars, spices, and chemicals that are harmful to rabbits.
Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Pie?
Rabbits cannot eat pumpkin pie. Any processed food, including the one that contains pumpkin, is not a healthy food for rabbits.
Pumpkin pie contains sugar, flour, and other ingredients, such as spices that are not beneficial but harmful to rabbits.
Can Rabbits Eat Pumpkin Combined With Other Snacks?
Rabbits can eat pumpkin and other snacks together as long as all snacks’ total amount exceeds recommended serving per day.
Some suggestions of fruits that can be combined with pumpkin include:
- banana
- watermelon
- strawberry
- blackberry
- blueberry
- pear
- tomato
- cucumber
Here are examples of serving amounts when combining some of these fruits with pumpkin either at the same time or as separate snacks.
Two fruits together
| Rabbit’s body weight in lbs. | Total serving in teaspoons per day | Suggested serving of pumpkin | Suggested serving of banana |
| 4 lbs. | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Three fruits combined
| Rabbit’s body weight in lbs. | Total serving in teaspoons per day | Suggested serving of pumpkin | Suggested serving of banana | Suggested serving of blueberry |
| 6 lbs. | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Feeding rabbits combined fruits is easy, as long as the total amount a day is not surpassed.
