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| Safe? | Yes, as a treat |
| How much | Half to one small strawberry for a 2 kg (4.4 lb) rabbit |
| How often | Once or twice a week |
| Best served | Fresh, washed, green top on |
| Watch out for | Soft droppings, weight gain, sugary strawberry products |
Are strawberries safe for rabbits?
Yes. Strawberries appear on the treat lists of Burgess, the RSPCA, PDSA and VetPartners, and the House Rabbit Society lists berries of any type as a fruit. The Rabbit Welfare Association lists strawberries under fruit for occasional treats only. The limit is sugar. Woodgreen points out that fruit is high in sugar and a common cause of loose droppings in rabbits, and Burgess warns that too much fruit can lead to obesity.
How much strawberry can a rabbit have?
The House Rabbit Society caps all fruit at about 1 teaspoon per 900 g (2 lb) of body weight a day. For a 2 kg (4.4 lb) rabbit that is about 2 teaspoons, roughly half to one small strawberry. Burgess suggests once or twice a week. We follow Burgess: the daily cap is a ceiling, and a rabbit that gets fruit every day tends to start leaving its hay.
How to serve strawberries
- Wash it well. Strawberries are often sprayed, and soil sticks to the seeds on the skin.
- Leave the top on. The green leafy top is safe and adds a little fibre.
- Cut it small. Halve or quarter it. Give a quarter the first time.
- Check droppings. Over the next day, droppings should stay round and dry.
Which parts and forms are safe?
| Part or form | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Fresh berry, with its tiny seeds | Yes, as a treat |
| Green top | Yes |
| Leaves from the plant | Yes, a healthier treat |
| Frozen, thawed and plain | Yes, same amount |
| Dried strawberries | No, concentrated sugar |
| Jam, yoghurt, strawberry sweets or treats | No |
Who should skip strawberries?
PDSA says treats should be avoided in overweight rabbits. Leave fruit out for young rabbits, and for any rabbit with soft or sticky droppings.
What to offer instead
Blueberries are a similar small treat. Watermelon and grapes follow the same rules. See our rabbit safe food list, the rabbit diet guide and our rabbit care guide.
Strawberries and rabbits: questions
Can rabbits eat strawberry leaves?
Yes, and they are a better treat than the fruit. Woodgreen suggests strawberry, blackberry and raspberry leaves as a healthier treat, and the Rabbit Welfare Association lists strawberry greens among safe wild plants. Use fresh, unsprayed leaves, and offer a few at a time.
Can rabbits eat strawberry tops?
Yes. The green leafy top (calyx) on a washed strawberry is safe and less sugary than the berry. You can leave it on the piece you give, or offer just the tops as a low-sugar extra.
Can rabbits eat dried or frozen strawberries?
Frozen strawberries, fully thawed and plain, are fine in the same small amount. Dried strawberries are not a good idea: drying packs the sugar into a much smaller piece, and many have added sugar. Fresh is best.
Can baby rabbits eat strawberries?
Not yet. Fruit is the last food to add, after a young rabbit is eating hay and a range of leafy greens without any soft droppings. Under about six months old, we would leave sweet treats out completely.
