Rabbits are herbivores. They are bred both to obtain soft luxurious fur and healthy meat, and as pets. To obtain high-quality skins and dietary meat, rabbits must be fed a balanced meal rich in the necessary microelements and vitamins.

When watermelon crusts are included in the diet, animals receive the necessary nutrients, noticeably gain weight and are less likely to get sick. The fur becomes shiny and soft. In summer, pet owners are interested in the question: is it possible for rabbits to have watermelon peels?

Features of feeding rabbits with watermelon peels

Watermelon peels contain not only useful trace elements for rodents, but also a large amount of vitamins. The inclusion of watermelon crusts in the diet of rabbits has a beneficial effect on the development and growth of the animal. The pulp of watermelon is not as healthy, it contains a lot of water.

Important! If you feed rabbits with berry pulp, their muzzle gets wet and becomes sweet. This attracts different insects and causes dirt to stick, which negatively affects their health.

Can rabbits have watermelon peels

Watermelons are often treated with a variety of chemicals. If animals begin to actively eat them, they may have an upset stomach. Before you start feeding, rinse the peel well with warm boiled water. This will help clean the crusts and remove some of the chemicals.

Sour or old foods should not be given, as this can lead to the death of animals. It is not necessary to collect watermelon peels for future use in order to avoid stomach clogging and indigestion.

When feeding rabbits with watermelon rinds, it is advisable to first peel them off. It is it that contains a large number of harmful

Watermelon peel

Cut the crust into small pieces to make it easier for rodents to absorb. The pieces can be lightly dried to remove excess liquid.

It is recommended to feed the animals with melons and gourds no more than twice a week. The size of one serving should not exceed 50 grams per serving.

Important! If the owners give the treat to the pets for the first time, you need to start feeding with a small amount of food - about 10 grams. This will help prevent diarrhea from occurring.

What can you combine watermelon rind with when feeding? Since the crusts can clog the stomach of rodents, it is recommended to combine them with roughage. Cereals, hay and young plant stems are well suited for feeding. With the help of these feeds, undigested food is removed from the body, and this has a beneficial effect on the weak digestive system of rodents. Potatoes and carrots can be used as additives to the main roughage, alternating with watermelon rinds.

How can watermelon peels harm?

It is known that watermelons are grown using special substances to stimulate growth. Toxins can accumulate both in the skin and in the pulp of the crop. The delicate digestive system of animals may not be able to cope with chemicals up to death.

Watermelons may contain nitrates

Can rabbits be given bread

If the owners are worried about their pets and want to be sure of the safety of the food, you can purchase a special device that will determine the amount of nitrates in the bark of the berry.If the pulp of the watermelon contains a large number of white and yellow veins, it is possible that the berry has been exposed to chemical. processing, it is better not to use the peel from it.

Note! Do not give adult rabbits watermelons grown in early and mid-summer. The period of full maturation of the culture falls on the end of August and the beginning of September.

Before feeding, you need to look at the health of the pets. If rabbit droppings have a liquid consistency, then the inclusion of crusts in the diet should be temporarily canceled. The fact is that watermelons have a laxative effect and can cause the appearance or aggravation of diarrhea. In order to determine whether it is possible to give fresh watermelon peels to rabbits and rabbits, you need to pay attention to the natural secretions of the animals.

Can watermelons be fed to ornamental rabbits?

Decorative cousins ​​of rodents are distinguished by an even weaker digestive system. The rules for feeding thoroughbred pets are similar to those for animals from a farm or from a private backyard. In order to avoid health problems of decorative rodents, it is not recommended to feed the pulp of watermelon at all; it is necessary to give skins and tops of melons and gourds with caution. The volume of one serving should not exceed 10 grams, and should be fed no more than once a week.

Note! Rabbits up to four months old are prohibited from giving a watermelon. A completely fragile organism will not cope with this type of food, this will lead to death.

The owners of decorative rabbits should remember that watermelon peels are not the main food for rodents, but only a delicacy. Before feeding, you need to thoroughly wash the berries and take out all the seeds, then cut them into small pieces and you can safely treat your pets.

Can rabbits eat watermelon or melon?

As already mentioned, it is not recommended to give watermelon pulp to decorative fluffy animals, so as not to provoke digestive problems. Brethren who are bred for meat and fur are more suited to this type of food.

Melon is difficult to digest by the delicate digestive system of rabbits, because it does not contain the necessary fibers to help move food through the intestines. Therefore, melon crusts or pulp should be included in the diet in small portions. It is forbidden to feed rodents with rotten and spoiled fruits.

A combined diet will bring benefits to the body. Melons crusts and flesh can be fed to rabbits along with hay or fiber-containing foods. Melon crusts, like watermelon skins, must be thoroughly rinsed before feeding to remove any residual nitrates and chemical compounds.

Additional Information: melons of late varieties are less exposed to harmful toxins, so they are more useful and safe for rabbits, both fresh and when harvesting for the winter.

While the summer season lasts, it is useful to feed rodents with fresh crusts, but you can also prepare a product in reserve - freeze or dry for the winter. For harvesting melons and gourds, it is necessary to select late varieties.

In order for rabbits to fully develop and reproduce healthy offspring, their diet must be approached with all responsibility. The menu of fluffy animals should be varied, you should try to include food containing the necessary vitamins and trace elements in the diet. Then the pets will delight their owners with excellent health and numerous offspring.