Can Rabbits Eat Peanuts?

Have you ever wondered if it is safe to give peanuts to your rabbit? Most humans would be very happy to receive some peanuts as a treat. However, there are lots of reasons that peanuts are not a safe or fun treat to give to your rabbit. 

There are plenty of safer options for treats you can give to your rabbit. It is a good idea to avoid peanuts and replace them with something that rabbits will love.  In fact, as a general rule, rabbits should avoid eating seeds and nuts.

Why Can’t Rabbits Eat Peanuts?

It is not a good idea to give peanuts to a rabbit.

Peanuts are bad for rabbits in a few different ways. Peanuts are very high in fat content and they contain lots of calcium. Both of these things can be harmful to rabbits. 

Rabbits do not have a very strong digestive system when it comes to digesting fat. They don’t need to! Their digestive system isn’t designed to handle large quantities of fat because their natural diet should consist of hay, fresh fruits and vegetables. In other words, because there are no high fat foods in their normal diet, their digestive systems have not developed to handle high fat foods.

Even the peanut shells, which may seem to be okay for rabbits, aren’t okay. They simply have too much fiber and cellulose and can cause digestive tract issues for bunnies.

Some treats that lie outside of these food groups can be given to rabbits in very small quantities, but peanuts should not be included in this group. 

How Often Can Rabbits Eat Peanuts?

The answer to this question is pretty obvious at this stage. Peanuts are never safe for rabbits to eat in any quantity. There are plenty of other foods that you can give to your bunny that are just as enjoyable as peanuts.

Can Rabbits Eat Peanut Butter?

Peanuts are bad for your bunny and can make them very sick. Even though peanuts are nutritious for humans, they are not good for rabbits.

Peanut butter is even worse than peanuts for your rabbit. It has added fat and sugar content and it can be very dangerous, and even lethal, if you feed this to your rabbit.

Can Peanuts Make My Rabbit Sick?

Peanuts have the potential to make your rabbit very sick. They can do this in many different ways. 

Peanuts can cause gas, bloating, indigestion, and diarrhea in rabbits. They can also cause GI stasis, which is a condition that can be deadly.  

Peanuts are also a choking hazard for many rabbits. The texture of the peanut is very different from anything else that the rabbit will eat, so it can be difficult for them to chew.

Can Rabbits Eat Peanut Plant Hay?

Peanut plant hay is the only way that any peanut product is safe for your rabbit to eat. Peanut plant hay is legume hay. It is recommended that you give this hay to rabbits who are pregnant, nursing or underweight.

There are lots of different types of hay, and the best choices are timothy hay or legume hays. Legume hay, or peanut hay offers less nutritional value than other hay. It also contains too much fiber and not enough calcium. 

What Should You Feed Your Rabbit?

Peanuts are definitely not something that you should feed to your rabbit. There are plenty of other things that you can feed your rabbit aside from peanuts. 

Rabbits thrive on a diet that mainly consists of fresh hay. If your rabbit does not get enough hay, their digestive system will fail. If this happens, they will experience a deadly condition that is known as G.I stasis. 

If you want your rabbit to be in good health, you should feed your rabbit the following: 

• Rabbit food. You should choose rabbit food that is nutritionally complete. Ensure that you check the label of the food to identify whether the bunny will get the correct amount or not. 
• It is good to give your rabbit around a tablespoon of seeds too. Sometimes, this is included with the rabbit’s food. This can come in the form of sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. 
• Hay. You will want to give your rabbit plenty of fresh rabbit hay. They should have access to this all of the time, as it prevents them from feeling bored or stressed. Hay is also good for your rabbit’s teeth.
• You should include a bunny salad in their diet. This would normally include a cup of green veggies for every two pounds that your rabbit weighs. 
• You can also add a small amount of colorful fruit. This should be no more than a teaspoon of fruit for every two pounds of your rabbit’s body weight. 

Your bunny should always have something available to chew on in order to ensure that your rabbit’s dental health is good. These can be hay cubes, softwood sticks or coconut shells. 

Rabbit’s teeth never stop growing, and these items are key to ensuring that they don’t grow too big.

What Should You Give Your Rabbit To Drink?

You should also make sure that your rabbit has plenty of water to drink. You will need to keep your rabbit’s drinking bottle filled up with fresh water. Make sure that you rinse this bottle daily. 

What Snacks Can You Give To Your Rabbit?

Rabbits like eating snacks like basil, beet, kale, romaine lettuce, rocket, spinach, kale and many other things.

There are many other natural veggies, fruit and herbs that rabbits will enjoy. You can try out all of these different things to see which one your rabbit will prefer.

Video: Can Rabbits Eat Peanuts?

This video meticulously goes through all the reasons that bunnies cannot eat peanuts, including the shells.

Final Thoughts 

It is not safe for rabbits to eat peanuts. They can cause very serious problems if they are fed to your rabbit. There are plenty of other things that you can feed your rabbit to replace peanuts, so there is no need to give your rabbit peanuts.