WATERMELONS! We all love them! After all, they are one of the most beneficial as well as healthiest fruits for human beings, but is it healthy for our pets, especially bunnies? And can they eat it? Then the answer is yes! Luckily, they can have it but occasionally because the high level of sugar content in watermelon can cause damage to your bunny, so it is better to provide it in moderation and a limit. However, to some extent, it is lucrative for our bunny because it contains a large amount of water inside which helps the rabbit to stay hydrated. It’s also low in calories and can be a good source of vitamin C.
Furthermore, it must be comprehended that watermelon cannot be the primary diet of bunnies as they mainly depended upon hay, leafy greens, and measured amounts of pallets. Besides, bunnies rely on foods that are high in fiber to enhance their digestion as well as to reduce hairballs.
what can a rabbit eats:
Rabbit’s lives cannot only depend upon vegetables and fruits. They can be a treat or a reward but can never be a complete healthy diet for a bunny and since rabbits are herbivorous hence they must be fed upon green foods such as a balanced diet of hay, grass, and a small proportion of pallets.
Rabbit loves to eat 80-90% of the fresh hay every day. However, pallets are high in fiber and contain an even wider spread of nutrients in each pallet.
the favorite food of a rabbit:
Our childhood cartoons and stories suggest that carrots are the favorite food of a rabbit. However, that is not the case in reality. The tummy of a bunny is very sensitive and delicate, and that is why they like to eat foods that are fresh and healthy. However, the favorite food of bunnies can be a large amount of hay and a bucket with plenty of clean water.
benefits of watermelon:
There are numerous benefits and advantages of watermelon for human beings as it is refreshing in nature and have a high water level (92%) which helps you to keep yourself hydrated, the number of vitamins it consists of is as follows:
1: Vitamin A: 21% of daily intake.
2: Vitamin C: 18% of daily intake.
3: potassium: 5% of daily intake.
4: magnesium: 4% of daily intake.
Watermelon also has a small number of calories, only 46% calories per cup, the Vitamin C in watermelon helps you to keep your heart healthy.
As for rabbits, the benefits of watermelon are as follows:
- WATER LEVEL: Every living being needs to take a lot of water intake to stay healthy and hydrated and fortunately, watermelon is a fruit that is made up of 90% of water. Thus luckily we can say that a rabbit can eat it, it’ll keep its body hydrated as well as healthy.
- Vitamin A & Vitamin C: Vitamin A and C found in the watermelon along with magnesium adds an excellent benefit to the rabbit’s well-being, Vitamin A is great for rabbits because it strengthens its immune system.
- CHLORINE INTAKE: Chlorine that is also found in watermelon works to improve a rabbit’s slept and muscle functions.
- SUGAR LEVEL: just before you hop off to feed your bunny a slice of watermelon, always have an idea that how much amount you have to provide him because too much sweetness can lead to discomfort.
- MODERATION: Everything looks good when it is given in moderation, so one should always feed his bunny a watermelon occasionally and rarely.
amount of watermelon a rabbit can eat:
Yes, rabbits are allowed to eat watermelon, but it is not their desired or needed diet because they require foods that are high in fiber and have fewer calories. Meanwhile, watermelon carries a lot of calories and sugar content which can be dangerous for a rabbit.
Rabbits are very little, even smaller than a baby, and that is why the amount of food should be given in small proportions. Since fruits are provided as a treat to buns. Therefore, bunnies must be given watermelon in the following ways:
- Don’t feed watermelon every day, we recommend you to feed him 1 or 2 servings per week because too much sweetness or sugar level can cause damage to his bacterial equilibrium.
- one should not feed his rabbit more than a piece of more than 2 inches per week.
- one should never feed a languish watermelon to his bunny. Be sure that the watermelon is always fresh and green.
- Watermelon should always be 10% of your bunny’s diet to ensure they remain healthy and happy.
can a rabbit eat watermelon seeds or rind?
The digestive system of rabbits is not as vital to intake seeds of watermelon and therefore, one must clean the watermelon slices carefully before feeding them to their bunnies as they can get intestinal obstruction and a blockage in the intestines. However, the rinds of a watermelon is indeed a treat for rabbits as they enjoy it while eating, the rinds are full of more fiber, and less sugar, and due to this, it is safe for a bunny to chew it, and we even suggest you give them rind instead of the flesh part. Just ensure that the stricter greener outer part is easy for them to chew.
can rabbit eat watermelon leaves:
Usually, watermelon leaves and flowers are not poisonous for the rabbits at all, so yes they can eat them once in a while. However, wild rabbits like to munch on them while wandering around the cultivated area.
is watermelon safe for baby rabbits?
Baby rabbits are strictly prohibited to feed upon watermelon because the digestive system has not grown yet. Since they are small, so until the age of one, keep their diet healthy and straightforward.
However, you can provide baby rabbits all the greener foods such as hay, grass, and whatever they like, have to keep it simple so that their digestive system will stay in control, and till the age of at least four months don’t feed anything that gets harsh on them.
Feeding your rabbit watermelon as a reward is a good thing, but one must stay conscious of the size and age of their bunny and keep their diet accordingly.
drawbacks of watermelon for a rabbit:
In this world, the things that are having a lot of benefits indeed have some setbacks too! Since we know that a bunny can eat watermelon, and can have it once a while in small proportions, if sometimes provided in larger proportions due to lack of knowledge can lead to severe problems and those are:
- DRAWBACKS OF EXCESSIVE AMOUNT: Excessive consumption of watermelon may have a purgative effect. Watermelon should only be offered to adult rabbits that have a grown-up digestive tract. Offering a young bunny a watermelon is a significant risk in itself.
- CANNOT BE AN ALTERNATIVE: watermelon can only be provided as a treat or a reward to your rabbit but can never be a replacement for grains or pallets.
- DRAWBACKS OF PLENTY OF WATER: While the water level present in watermelon can keep your bunny hydrated if provided too much at once can lead to severe diseases like diarrhea.
- ALWAYS KEEP IN CONTROL: Have an eye on your bunny after feeding him watermelon and look for any signs of stool and if you couldn’t find one, feel free to let him enjoy his meal. It is better to provide them with a meal according to the needs of their bodies.
- SIDE-EFFECTS OF SUGAR LEVEL: A rabbit is a complete herbivorous animal, so your priority is to feed him greener foods such as hay and green grass which contain a lot of fiber and protein, unlike fruits which have a lot of sugar and calories. However, you can feed fruits to your bunny even now and then but in a selected manner.
conclusion:
Rabbits are sensitive animals, which need love and affection now and then, they are playful and are social, and love to stay in groups, in a crowded place. Being the owner it is our foremost duty to offer them security, to cater to their needs and wants, and to provide them proper healthy meals which include more fiber and less sugary content, and in this regard, you’re allowed to feed them watermelon. Still, just as a treat and reward and not as an alternative for their real meal, never take them away from grains otherwise they’re likely to get used to this beautiful fruit which has a lot of benefits as well as a lot of drawbacks for them.
To provide them with a standard diet, make sure to plan a balanced diet for your bunnies, something they will be happy to eat, meanwhile keeping their bodies