Can Rabbits Eat Peanuts? (Peanut Butter, Peanut Shell)

Rabbits love to eat peanuts as they are very crunchy. Peanuts are legumes that are rich in fats, proteins, and fibers. Due to the nutritional status of peanuts, it is not beneficial for our health. Rabbits can eat anything we serve them, but we should be cautious about the type of food we are serving them. Rabbits have sensitive stomachs and need fiber-rich food that can run through their digestive system smoothly. This article is about whether peanuts are safe for rabbits to feed them or not.

Can rabbits eat peanuts? Peanuts are not safe for your bunny’s health as they are rich in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, carbs, phosphorous and fibers. It won’t hurt their health if your bunnies eat one or two peanuts occasionally. Eating more peanuts can lead to choking issues, GI stasis, and weight gain. Never serve any form of peanut to your baby bunnies because it can harm your rabbit.

Why Are Peanuts Bad for Rabbits?

Rabbits often enjoy eating snacks like peanuts, corn, and others, but you should not give peanuts even as a treat. It is because peanuts contain high-fat levels, which can lead to various health problems for rabbits such as bloating, diarrhea, and GI stasis if eaten in large quantities.

It is not just the fat content but peanuts also contain other nutrients like protein, aflatoxins, and carbs that can cause digestive issues in rabbits if eaten regularly and in large amounts. Peanuts may seem like tasty snacks for bunnies, but it is best to avoid giving your loving bunny these nuts as part of their regular diet. If you want to give food as treats to your rabbit, try something healthy such as hay, fruits, and vegetables instead of peanuts, peanut oil, peanut butter, etc.

Can Rabbits Eat Peanut Butter?

No, rabbits should not eat peanut butter because it has more carbs and various additives that make it unhealthy. Rabbits are herbivores, so their meal should consist mainly of hay, fruits, vegetables, and small amounts of pellets. 

Peanut butter is high in fat and salt, which can lead to obesity and other health issues if your rabbit eats it in large quantities. Additionally, peanuts are considered a treat food, so they should not eat more than an occasional diet. If you feed too much peanut butter, it could cause intestinal blockages due to its high-fat content.

Do Rabbits Like Dry Roasted Peanuts?

Yes, rabbits like to eat dry roasted peanuts, they have less fat and calories because they are not made in oil, and you should only give them to rabbits as an occasional treat. But these snacks are also rich in salts that can cause severe health issues like dehydration, bloating, and diarrhea.

To stay healthy, rabbits need a balanced diet that is low in protein, sugar, fat, and calcium and high in fibers. If you feed too many dry-roasted peanuts to your rabbits then it could lead to obesity or even pancreatitis, which could be fatal for your pet bunny. Rabbits should avoid eating any types of nuts including peanuts and processed foods like noodles or pasta as they are not suitable for their health system.

Risk Of Overfeeding Peanuts To Rabbits

You should not feed peanuts to your bunnies due to the following health issues;

Aflatoxin poisoning

Peanuts contain a small number of aflatoxins that are very toxic to the health of your rabbits if they eat them in large amounts. Aflatoxin poisoning shows the following symptoms in your bunny;

• Loss of appetite
• Reduced weight gain
• Jaundice
• High mortality
• Diarrhea
• Anorexia
• Depression

Diarrhea

Feeding unhealthy or unsuitable foods like peanuts to your rabbits may cause diarrhea in them.

Weight Gain

The high fat and calories present in peanuts is enough to make your bunny obese.

Fatty liver disease

High-fat content can lead to lipidosis or fatty liver disease in rabbits and the symptoms of which may include;

• Anorexia
• Weight loss
• Dehydration
• Depression
• Lethargy

GI Stasis

Rabbits can get GI stasis(slow passage of food) when they overeat peanuts which are very low in fibers, and it shows the following symptoms;

• Depression
• Silent behavior
• Anorexia
• Bruxism

Dehydration

If your rabbit eats too many peanuts, he may develop dehydration because of their high salt and less water content.

Can Bunnies Eat Peanut Shells?

Yes, rabbits can eat peanut shells as an occasional treat, but it has no significant nutritional value for bunnies’ and it also has no positive impact on the health of rabbits. The low fiber content in peanuts can develop GI distress in bunnies. Moreover, rabbits cannot digest peanuts or their shells completely, so overeating these shells can cause digestive blockages or internal injuries. 

Overeating peanut shells can also lead to a condition known as gastrointestinal stasis( a condition in which the food passes through the GI tract slowly). It would be best if you do not feed rabbits with peanut shells as a precautionary measure. Hard foods like nuts and corns are bad food option for rabbit, if you want to read about corn read, “Can rabbits eat corns” from the same source.

Nutritional status of peanuts(Vitamins And Minerals)

100 grams of raw peanut contain the following amount of nutrients

Nutrients	Amount
Energy	570 kcal
Carbs	21 g
Sugar	0 g
Dietary fibers	9 g
Fats	48 g
Protein	25 g
Vitamin E	6.6 mg
Vitamin B6	0.3 mg
Calcium	62 mg
Iron	2 mg
Sodium	6 mg
Phosphorous	336 mg

Are Rabbits Allowed To Eat Peanut Plant Hay?

Yes, rabbits can have moderate amounts of peanut plant hay as a part of a healthy diet. Peanut plant hay is rich in those nutrients that are very beneficial for rabbit health. It has a sweet taste and is high in energy, protein, fiber, calcium, and other essential nutrients. Peanut plant hay can provide valuable nutrition if you feed them as an occasional treat.

The fiber content in peanut plant hay helps to keep the digestive systems of rabbits running smoothly as well as vitamins and minerals present in this hay is also very beneficial for rabbits’ good health. However, you should not feed too much peanut plant hay as it contains a high amount of sugar which can lead to obesity.

Can Rabbits Eat Boiled Peanuts?

Before feeding your rabbit boiled peanuts, it is essential to understand the associated risks;

• High-fat content in boiled peanuts can make your bunny obese. 
• Boiled peanuts contain high levels of salt and other spices that can harm bunnies. 
• Due to the great number of calories in boiled peanuts, it can lead to GI(gastro-intestinal) stasis in rabbits.
• Rabbits have sensitive digestive systems, and cooked foods can cause stomach upset or even lead to more severe health problems like diabetes and urinary tract infections. 
• Some rabbits may have an allergic reaction when they eat boiled peanuts due to their high-fat content. 

Therefore it is best to avoid feeding your rabbit boiled peanuts.

Can Rabbits Eat Salted Peanuts?

No rabbits should not eat salted peanuts, as they are roasted in oil and can cause many health issues, such as;

• First, they are made in butter or oil, which is very unhealthy as it contains a lot of fat, making it very challenging for rabbits’ stomachs to digest.
• Second, they have salt that can cause dehydration and disturbance of electrolyte balance in bunnies. It can also develop metabolic disorders, such as seizures and organ failure.
• Third, it also increases the risk of obesity due to high calories and fat content.

Therefore, keep your bunny away from these roasted peanuts.

FAQ

Conclusion

It would be best if you do not serve peanuts to rabbits more often because they contain extra carbs, proteins, and fats which can be fatal for your rabbits if they eat them in more amounts. Rabbits need a diet low in carbs, fats, and protein and high in fibers hence peanuts do not suit the nutritional requirement of rabbits. Eating one or two peanuts occasionally is not bad for your rabbits but overfeeding results in obesity, GI stasis, diarrhea, and bloating.