Keeping rabbits at home is becoming an increasingly popular activity, especially for those people who live in private and country houses.
To grow healthy and productive individuals, you should pay particular attention to diet.
Consider its important part - vegetables and fruits.
The benefits of fruits and vegetables for rabbits
In general, for the health and happy life of pets is enough to give him hay, water and food. The introduction of fresh food in the diet will allow animals to get more vitamins and minerals.
Such foods can normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as stimulate the rapid growth of muscle tissue. If you make in the diet and more berries, then this food will strengthen the immune system, improve appetite, and also allow you to clear the intestines from clogs.
Did you know? The smallest breed of rabbits is called Little Idaho, or pygmy rabbit. The weight of an adult individual reaches a maximum of 450 grams, and the length ranges from 22 to 35 centimeters.
What to give from vegetables
It is necessary to understand that rabbits are not pigs who will be able to eat everything in a row, and this will benefit them. The stomach and intestines of these animals are very sensitive, so it is important to understand the question of which products can be administered and which ones should not be. 
Rabbits can also be given to root vegetables
What can
So, to include in the diet of adults can the following vegetables:
- all types of cabbage (except cabbage);
- zucchini;
- squash;
- carrot;
- pumpkin;
- green peas;
- corn;
- artichokes;
- tomatoes;
- cucumbers;
- radish.
Important! Before introducing new foods into nutrition, it is very important to find out how they were grown. All ingredients must be natural, without the use of chemicals, and always fresh.
What can not
There are a number of vegetables that are strictly forbidden to give to rabbits:
- potatoes. This product is harmful to pet health. It can be given only to special meat breeds, so that they gain muscle mass more quickly;
- White cabbage. It causes severe swelling of the intestines, which can lead to irreversible effects.
Rabbits with pleasure eat Peking cabbageWhat to give from fruits and berries
The introduction of fruit in the diet is as important as the introduction of vegetables.
Did you know? Rabbit lifespan in the wild - about a year, while a domestic rabbit can live for 8 if properly cared for.-12 years.
What can
Experts recommend giving the rabbits the following fruits:
- apples;
- bananas;
- melon;
- kiwi;
- pears;
- watermelons;
- Strawberry.
From the apples should remove bonesWhat can not
There are fruits and berries that are not recommended for pets. These include:
- stale, which have already begun to deteriorate;
- stone fruit varieties;
- apple bones (before giving an apple, it should be cleaned of internal bones);
- melon unpeeled from internal elements;
- unpeeled fruits and berries.
Important! If fruits and berries have stains that indicate deterioration, such marks should be cut out and only then can this food be included in the rabbit menu. At the same time, they should be observed: if their state of health worsens or the body simply does not take these products, then they should be excluded from the diet completely.
Giving rabbit citrus fruits is not recommended, with the exception of seasonal mandarins. They can be given in portions 1 slice every 3 days.
Rules for the inclusion of new products in the rabbit diet
Before including in the diet of new products it is necessary to understand that rabbits eat in small portions, but often enough. You should also consider the sensitivity of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, all new vegetables and fruits should be introduced gradually.
Find out if rabbits can be given beetroot, fish oil, burdock, wormwood, nettle, bran, cereals, bread.
Such products should not form the basis of the diet, which means that they should be given as a treat, and begin to enter in the breaks between the main components of the menu and the grass. It is necessary to closely monitor the behavior and well-being of animals after the introduction of each new product into the diet.
Precautionary measures
Before introducing new products, you should familiarize yourself with the basic precautions to avoid unpleasant consequences:
- it is strictly forbidden to introduce eared vegetables and fruits into the diet, unless the individuals have reached 4 months of age;
- it is important to mix products with each other so that pets do not get used to the monotonous menu;
- to save the power of the little animals, all the components of the menu must be cut into small pieces, then the rabbits will have to spend less effort on chewing;
- All products should be thoroughly washed, wiped dry with paper napkins or towels and only then given to pets.
Learn how to feed rabbits in winter, what not to give to rabbits, what to do when bloating, diarrhea, constipation in rabbits.From the foregoing, it can be concluded that the nutrition of domestic animals should be given a lot of attention, because they are very sensitive to food. That is why it is necessary to take care of the always fresh and natural components of the diet of rabbits.
What fruits and vegetables to feed rabbits: video
