When the summer season arrives, it is common for our refrigerators to be filled with watery and refreshing fruits that help combat high temperatures. One of the most common is the watermelon, an ancient fruit whose origin dates back to the Nile Valley about 3,500 years ago.
The good reputation of this fruit means that, with the arrival of good weather, many keepers wonder if rabbits can eat watermelonIf this is your case, do not hesitate to join us in the following article on our site, in which we will solve all the doubts you may have about watermelon in the diet of rabbits.
Is watermelon good for rabbits?
Before explaining whether watermelon is a good fruit for rabbits, it is important that we make an important point about their diet. Rabbits are herbivorous animals whose diet must be based on three fundamental elements:
- Hay (80%).
- I think (5%).
- Fresh food (15%).
The fresh food fraction must be made up mainly of green leafy vegetables. However, on an occasional basis, a small amount of fruit may be offered.
Specifically, watermelon is one of the fruits that rabbits can consume, since it provides certain nutritional benefits and does not contain any compound that is toxic to your body. In addition, rabbits are usually great lovers of this fruit, being a sweet and refreshing snack that they rarely reject.
However, just because you enjoy the taste of this fruit doesn't mean you can consume it regularly or in large quantities.
In the next sections, we will explain the form, quantity and frequency with which watermelon should be administered to rabbits, so that our pets can benefit from its properties without suffering any damage to their he alth.
Don't hesitate to take a look at the following article on Recommended Fruits and Vegetables for Rabbits on our site.
Benefits of watermelon for rabbits
Watermelon is a very refreshing fruit, rich in water and s altsIn fact, it is the fruit with the highest water content (95% of its weight). For this reason, including it in the diet of rabbits helps keep the animals well hydrated (especially on very hot summer days) and favors the proper functioning of the urinary system.
The fact that it contains so much water means that it provides very little energy This implies that including watermelon in the diet of rabbits does not lead to a notable increase in the energy value of their ration, which is a great advantage for maintaining stable body condition in these animals.
In general, it is low in nutrients, although it contains measurable amounts of vitamins A and C, and minerals such as calcium and potassium. The most notable aspect of its nutritional composition is its content of carotenoids, among which highlights lycopene, a compound with a high antioxidant capacity.
Finally, among the benefits of watermelon, it is worth mentioning its appreciated flavor. It is a delicacy that few rabbits reject, therefore, it is one of the fruits that can use as a reward to train rabbits. Use small pieces of watermelon as a reward will be a great incentive to learn new tricks and commands.
You may be interested in the following post on How to train a rabbit?
How to give my rabbit watermelon?
When offering the watermelon, it is common for some questions to arise among the caregivers. Is watermelon rind good for rabbits? Can rabbits eat watermelon seeds? To clear up doubts, we are going to solve each of these questions in detail.
Although people are used to consuming only the pulp of the watermelon, rabbits can take advantage of both the pulp and the rind In fact, the shell has a high fiber content, which is an essential nutrient in the diet of rabbits. It is always advisable to offer the pulp together with the corresponding part of the shell. So yes, rabbits can eat the rind of watermelon.
In contrast, watermelon seeds are not suitable for rabbits, since they are difficult to digest and can cause a bowel impaction. Therefore, if we offer watermelons with black or brown seeds (called diploid watermelons), it is important to remove all the seeds from the portion before giving it to our pet.
Finally, we must point out that the watermelon should only be offered fresh and at room temperature,it is not recommended to offer it frozen or directly removed from the refrigerator.
Dose of watermelon for rabbits
Fruits in general should represent a very small fraction in the diet of rabbits, since their high sugar content can have dire consequences for your he alth.
Therefore, watermelon and other fruit should be offered in moderation. The he althiest way to include this fruit in the diet of rabbits is sporadically, every one or two weeks A cube about 3 cm x 3 cm (including pulp and skin) will be enough to satisfy a medium-sized rabbit, without causing any negative effects to its he alth.
Side effects and contraindications of watermelon for rabbits
As we have explained in this article, watermelon is a suitable fruit for rabbits, however, when it is provided inappropriately it can cause a series of damages to their he alth:
- Proliferation of harmful bacteria in your intestinal tract: due to its easily digestible sugar content. It can also cause a buildup of gas in the digestive tract (bloat).
- Cause major imbalances in your diet: Its flavor and juiciness mean that this fruit is usually more palatable than dry food (hay and I think), being able to make them reject the latter if they are given the possibility of choosing, when dry food must constitute the bulk of their diet.
- The seeds can cause intestinal impaction: therefore, it is important to remove them before offering this fruit to rabbits.
Also, although it is generally a suitable fruit for rabbits, there are certain situations in which its administration can be counterproductive:
- Food allergies or intolerances.
- Diarrheic processes.
