Unlike other pets, rabbits have many dietary rules. This is because rabbits are exotic animals that have a unique digestive tract. Frequently asked a question about rabbits’ diet is can rabbits eat strawberries. This is because many pictures or videos of adorable rabbits eating strawberries.
Though the main food of rabbits is not strawberry they look to enjoy eating strawberries. Therefore, most people tend to feed strawberries to their rabbits. However, can rabbits eat strawberries, you will get answers to your questions about it in this article.
Can Rabbits Eat Strawberries Safely?
The answer to the question can rabbits eat strawberries is YES. But you have to make sure you only give a small number of strawberries and don’t give them regularly.
In fact, strawberries are not poisonous to your beloved rabbit. In addition, strawberries are also good for your rabbit and your rabbit can digest strawberries.
However, if you give it in large quantities or often give fruits, your rabbit will have digestive problems. In addition, your rabbit also has a serious weight problem that will harm your rabbit.
Benefits of Strawberries for Rabbits
You now know the answer to the question about can rabbits eat strawberries. Then, you can feed them in very small amounts and not feed them every day. This is because strawberries also have benefits for your rabbit, and the benefits are:
1. Keep Your Rabbit From Dehydration
Strawberries have a lot of water content. This is because 91% of strawberries contain water. But that is the reason why rabbits should not eat a lot of strawberries. This is because rabbits cannot digest foods that contain a lot of water.
Then, this can cause your rabbit to release runny stools. If your rabbis release a lot of runny stools, it can certainly endanger your rabbits and cause death. So, even though you may feed them strawberries, you should not give too many strawberries to your rabbits.
2. Useful When The Rabbit Is Stressed
Strawberries contain lots of vitamin C but rabbits can produce vitamin C themselves. However, there is a suggestion that states that if your rabbit is stressed or anxious, it can benefit from fruits that are high in vitamin C.
However, you should know that consuming too much vitamin C in rabbits could cause kidney damage. Therefore, if you want to give vitamin C daily to your rabbit, you can consult a veterinarian.
3. Help Prevent Heart Disease
Strawberries contain high antioxidants, which are substances that can defend cells from free radicals. Therefore, it is no wonder strawberries are the top-ranked antioxidant fruit.
This can be seen from the red color of the strawberries. The red color on strawberries means that strawberries contain anthocyanin which functions to prevent heart disease in animals and humans.
Then, if you are still wondering about can rabbits eat strawberries, the answer is yes. Your rabbit can also eat strawberries to prevent heart disease. However, you must limit the supply of strawberries to your favorite rabbit.
4. Prevent Bladder Sludge
Strawberries have benefits for rabbits because strawberries contain magnesium. In addition, rabbits also need magnesium to prevent bladder sludge. Rabbits absorb all the calcium in them and to get rid of it, they only rely on urine excretion.
Symptoms if your rabbit has bladder sludge are that you can find blood in the urine, visible sediment, and frequent urination. Therefore, to prevent bladder sludge, your rabbit needs enough magnesium.
The Rules If You Want To Feed Strawberries or Fruits To Your Rabbit
You may feed strawberries to your rabbit. However, make sure you meet the rules of strawberry feeding on rabbits so they don’t endanger your rabbit. Follow the instructions below if you want to feed strawberries or other fruits to your rabbit:
1. Pay Attention To The Number of Strawberries
You should be able to limit the intake of strawberries in your rabbit. If you want to feed them strawberries, feed no more than two tablespoons of chopped strawberries.
Or, don’t feed a strawberry bigger than your thumb. One medium strawberry is enough for your rabbit. If you want your rabbit to stay healthy, you must obey this rule.
2. Avoid Eating Fruit Every Day
Rabbit’s daily food is not fruit, so avoid feeding fruit every day, including strawberries. If you feed your rabbit daily, your rabbit will be addicted to eating fruit. This will cause the rabbit to reject its main food, which is very good for its health.
Therefore, feed your rabbit a small amount of fruit or strawberries with infrequent frequency. Feed your rabbit hay and vegetables first before you feed them fruits. You can give fruit and strawberries as much as 5% to 10% of your rabbit’s daily diet.
However, you must provide a variety of fruits or vegetables that are safe for your rabbit. If you want to introduce new fruits to your rabbit, give them in small amounts and gradually.
Evaluate the response of your rabbit after you give new vegetables and fruits. You should stop giving it if your rabbit shows discomfort and takes out soft stool.
3. Feed Other Fruit Variations
You should feed a variety of fruits to your rabbit. So, your rabbit doesn’t just like certain types of food. This is certainly very dangerous for rabbits because they will not get complex nutrients.
In addition to strawberries, you can feed other fruits, such as blackberries, pears, peaches, melons, and plums. However, you must ensure that the fruit is of good quality.
Before you feed fruits to your rabbit, make sure you have taken all the stems and seeds. You also have to obey the rules of giving fruit to rabbits. Avoid feed fruits to your rabbits more than 2 tablespoons each day.
To sum up, can rabbits eat strawberries; the answer is of course yes. However, you must feed it in very small amounts and only as a treat. If your rabbit’s response is not good after you feed them strawberries, you should stop feeding them strawberries.