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| Safe? | Flesh yes, as a treat |
| How much | 1 cherry for a 2 kg (4.4 lb) rabbit; 2 for a rabbit over 3 kg (6.6 lb) |
| How often | Once a week |
| Best served | Fresh, ripe, washed, stone and stalk removed, halved |
| Watch out for | Stones, stalks, leaves, glace or tinned cherries |
Are cherries safe for rabbits?
The flesh is. The House Rabbit Society (HRS) lists "cherries (any variety, without the pits)" among fruits rabbits can eat, which covers sweet and sour cherries alike. The RSPCA lists "fruit seeds/pits" among foods to avoid. Cherry stones are small enough to swallow and, like other stone fruit kernels, contain harmful compounds; the stalks and leaves come from the same tree. Cherries are also sugary, and the Rabbit Welfare Association counts fruit as a treat for that reason. Our rabbit diet guide shows where treats fit.
How many cherries can a rabbit have?
The HRS limit for all fruit is about 1 teaspoon per 900 g (2 lb) of body weight a day, and the Rabbit Welfare Association suggests fruit once or twice a week. One stoned cherry is roughly 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of flesh, and the ceiling for a 2 kg (4.4 lb) rabbit is about 2 teaspoons, so one cherry once a week is right. A big rabbit over 3 kg (6.6 lb) can have two; give a dwarf rabbit half of one.
How to prepare cherries
- Wash them. Rinse under cold water.
- Pull off the stalks. Bin them with any leaves.
- Take out every stone. Cut each cherry in half and lift the stone out, or use a cherry stoner, then check the halves.
- Serve the halves. One cherry's worth, two for a big rabbit, and clear away anything left after an hour.
Stones, leaves, dried and glace cherries
| Part or form | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Fresh flesh, sweet or sour | Yes, small amounts |
| Stones (pits) | No: the RSPCA says avoid fruit pits |
| Stalks, leaves, twigs, blossom | No |
| Dried cherries | No: concentrated sugar |
| Glace, cocktail, tinned cherries, cherry pie filling | No: sugar syrup and colouring |
Who should skip cherries?
Leave them out for rabbits under about 12 weeks, overweight rabbits and any rabbit with soft droppings. If preparing cherries one by one feels fiddly, choose a stoneless fruit instead.
What to offer instead
A couple of blueberries or half a strawberry gives the same red-fruit treat with no stone to worry about. Peaches follow the same stone-out rule. See what rabbits can eat and our rabbit care guide.
Cherries and rabbits: questions
My rabbit ate a cherry stone. What should I do?
Ring your vet for advice. The RSPCA lists fruit pits among foods to avoid, and cherry stones contain harmful compounds. Tell the vet how many and your rabbit's weight, and watch for drooling, breathing changes, eating less or fewer droppings over the next day.
Can rabbits eat cherry leaves or twigs?
No. Cherry leaves and twigs come from the same tree as the stones and are not on the Rabbit Welfare Association safe list. Rake up fallen leaves and prunings if your rabbit has a run near a cherry tree.
Can rabbits eat dried or glace cherries?
No. Dried cherries are concentrated sugar, and glace and cocktail cherries are soaked in sugar syrup with colouring. Only fresh cherries, stoned and halved, are suitable, one at a time, or two for a big rabbit.
