Can Rabbits Eat Eggplant ? (Eggplant Leaves)

Rabbits love to eat eggplants, and they find them very delicious. Eggplants are rich in vitamins, minerals, and many other nutrients. Eggplants are among the favorite vegetables of rabbits, and they want to eat them more often. Rabbits get bored while eating the same food daily; therefore, we should add healthy food items like fruits and vegetables into their diets. In today’s blog, we will discuss whether we can feed eggplants to our bunnies and also about the related pros and cons of providing them with eggplant.

Can rabbits eat eggplant? Yes, rabbits can eat eggplants in moderate amounts. You can feed a small slice or a tablespoon of eggplant twice a week. Overfeeding eggplants to rabbits can cause diarrhea, stomach pain, and vomiting. Always provide fresh eggplants to rabbits and never feed leaves and tops of eggplants to your bunnies.

Table of Contents

Health Benefits Of Feeding Eggplant To Rabbit?

Eggplants are a great source of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that are good for rabbits. Not only these eggplants are low in calories and fat, but they contain essential minerals like calcium and iron that are best for the rabbit’s health.

Eggplants contain antioxidants like flavonoids, which can help protect your bunny’s cells from damage caused by free radicals.
Eggplants are also high in fiber which aids to promote good digestion and keeps your rabbit feeling full for longer.
Eggplants also contain Vitamins C and K, which help boost immunity, improve bone health and reduce inflammation in rabbits.

How Many Eggplants Can A Rabbit Bunny?

Mature adult rabbits should not consume more than a single thin slice of eggplant per two pounds of body weight twice a week. Since eggplants contain high amounts of oxalic acid, which binds with calcium and makes it difficult to absorb in your rabbit’s digestive system and can lead to several health issues.

That’s why it would be best if you only feed eggplant to your bunnies as an occasional treat. Additionally, eggplant is high in carbohydrates and can cause bloating or stomach upset if you overfeed. Eggplant contains vitamins, minerals, and other compounds that can benefit rabbits if you serve them in moderate amounts.

Some research shows that If your rabbit has diabetes Mellitus, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia, then after feeding eggplants to them, there have been significant improvements in their health. Moreover, eggplants are also very beneficial for rabbits as they contain medical properties like they are anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic.

What Varieties Of Eggplant Fruits Are Good For Rabbits

Following are the varieties of eggplants that you can safely serve to your bunnies;

Rosa Bianca
Thai eggplant
Chinese eggplant
Globe eggplant (American eggplant)
Green Apple eggplant
Indian eggplant
Fairy Tale eggplant
Italian eggplant
Japanese eggplant
White eggplant
Filipino eggplant
Graffiti eggplant
Rosa Bianca eggplant

Can Rabbits Eat Eggplant Leaves And Stems?

Eggplant leaves and stems are not as safe for rabbits to eat as the leaves and stems of other vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and others. Rabbits should avoid eating eggplant leaves and stems due to the toxic substances present in them. Eggplant leaves and stems contain a substance called solanine, which is poisonous for the health of rabbits if eaten in large amounts. Rabbits can eat thyme with eggplant leaves as it will be healthy combination for them.

The amount of solanine in eggplant depends upon the age of the eggplant. For Example older eggplants contain higher concentrations of solanine and glycoalkaloid , which makes them extremely dangerous for rabbits when eaten in any form either raw or cooked.

On the other hand, the completely mature eggplant has less amount of solanine than the older one. Overeating solanine can lead to serious health problems, including gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea and vomiting.

Nutritional Status Of Eggplant

100 grams of raw eggplant contain the following amount of nutrients;

Nutrients	Amount
Energy	25 kcal
Fibers	3 g
Protein	0.98 g
Fats	0.18 g
Sugar	3.53 g
Carbs	5.88 g
Vitamin E	0.3 mg
Vitamin C	2.2 mg
Calcium	9 mg
Iron	0.23 mg
Magnesium	14 mg
Potassium	229 mg

Best Way to Feed Eggplant for Rabbits

Here are some of the best ways to feed eggplant to rabbits to provide an excellent nutritional diet so that they can stay healthy;

First, ensure you have chosen an organic eggplant from the store or your own garden so that your rabbit cannot eat harmful chemicals or pesticides.
Ensure that you are only serving small amounts of eggplant to your loving pets or as treats. Too much can cause digestive issues in rabbits due to its high fiber content.
It would be best to feed eggplant in moderate amounts, no more than a tiny slice twice a week, to an adult rabbit.
Make sure the eggplant is fresh and you have washed them thoroughly.
Cut the eggplant into bite-sized pieces before serving, so it doesn’t cause a choking hazard for your furry friend.
You can also serve eggplants in combination with other vegetables like carrots, spinach, Parsley, Cabbage, collard green, green beans, etc.

Is Eggplant Toxic To Rabbits?

Eggplants are not toxic for your rabbits as long as you serve a moderate amount to them. However, eggplants contain alkaloids which can affect the health of your bunny badly if they eat them in large amounts. If you feed a moderate amount of eggplant to rabbits then it will be very beneficial as it is high in antioxidants and fiber.

Eggplants also contain oxalates which can bind to calcium and form crystals in your rabbit’s kidneys and bladder if they overeat eggplants. Moreover, always start with small amounts because some rabbits may be allergic to eggplants.

Is Skin Part Of The Eggplant Fruits Are Safe To Rabbits?

Yes, you can serve eggplant skin to your rabbit but in a moderate amount. The eggplant skin provides health benefits such as good digestion, stronger bones and teeth, and healthier fur due to its high fiber content present in eggplants. It is important to understand that eggplants contain solanine which is a naturally-occurring toxin that can be harmful to your bunny if eaten in large amounts. Make sure that you have washed the eggplants properly in order to remove pests from their surface. Rabbits should only eat a small amount of eggplant skin twice a week.

FAQ

Can Baby Rabbits Eat Eggplant?

No, baby rabbits can not eat eggplants until three months of age. Rabbits have very delicate and weak digestive systems and are not able to digest any kind of solid foods such as fruits and vegetables.

You can feed small amounts of eggplants only to adult rabbits twice a week. You must not serve any part of eggplant to your baby rabbit because eating such types of foods as eggplants may lead to severe health issues in them. However, after three months, you can occasionally provide them with a small amount of eggplant.

Can Rabbits Eat Cooked Eggplant?

Rabbits cannot eat cooked eggplant because cooked eggplants are not suitable for the health of bunnies as their digestive system cannot digest cooked foods in a good way. If you serve cooked foods like cooked eggplants to your rabbits it may lead to indigestion, bloating, and diarrhea.

Moreover, cooked vegetables lose most of their nutrients during the cooking process and the rabbits face difficulty in chewing them and hence leading to indigestion.
It is essential for rabbits that we should not give them any form of cooked food as their stomach cannot digest it. It would be best if you feed them raw and fresh vegetables or eggplants and make sure to wash them as there can be some harmful bacteria on their surfaces.

Conclusion

Rabbits can eat eggplants as long as you give them in moderation, and as part of a balanced diet, eggplant can be a healthy treat for rabbits. Eggplant contains many essential vitamins and minerals beneficial for rabbit health, including vitamin C, manganese, dietary fiber, folate, magnesium, potassium, and iron. You can feed a thin slice of eggplants two times a week to your rabbits. Always provide fresh eggplants instead of cooked and dried ones, and never feed to bunnies younger than three months.