Rabbits love to eat all types of greens, hay, and fruits. These fluffy creatures would eat as much as possible and whatever they could. Rabbits hardly notice what is beneficial for them and what is not.
As a pet owner, it is your job to ensure that your rabbit eats what is safe. You can only ensure that if you question everything before introducing it to your bunny. So, can rabbits eat apricots?
Yes, rabbits can eat apricots in moderation. As fruits contain a high sugar content, you should feed your bunny fruits as a treat once a week. Plus, rabbits can only eat the fruit and skin of apricots. The leaves, stems, and seeds are off-limits, as apricots are stone fruits.
Apricots can be very beneficial for your precious pet if fed with care. Fruits are a great way to keep your rabbit’s life exciting. However, stone fruits are tricky to feed. They contain some aspects that can be poisonous for your pet. Keep on reading to know more about your bunny and apricots!
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Nutritional Value of Apricots for Your Bunny Rabbit
Before getting into how much or how less you should feed apricots to your precious pet, you must know what it can provide your bunny. As a pet parent, you should feed your rabbit things that can benefit it the most. Always weigh the pros and cons before introducing food to your furry friend.
Here are some benefits apricots can bring to your bunny’s life:
Rich In Vitamin A And Beta Carotene
Rabbits are fragile creatures and have a poor vision from the beginning. As your rabbit grows older, its eyesight will deteriorate even further.
The vitamin A and beta carotene in apricots help your bunny improve its eyesight. Vitamin A and beta carotene are also responsible for healthy fur and a robust immune system.
High in Potassium
Bunnies have sensitive bodily functions and are prone to many diseases. The most common illness your rabbit can succumb to is kidney and bladder stones.
The potassium in apricots can prevent these stones from forming in your precious bunny’s organs. It will also help in maintaining solid nerves and better muscle contraction.
Anthocyanin and Flavonoid
These rare nutrients go a long way in helping your furry baby maintain health. Anthocyanin and flavonoids increase the strength of your rabbit’s immune system, help fight inflammation, and prevent allergies.
They also act as antioxidants, help regulate blood pressure, and prevent cancer cell formation and cardiovascular diseases.
A Good Amount Of Vitamin C
Apricots have a rich amount of vitamin C. Your precious furry bunny rabbit has fragile bones that need extra help to stay strong. Apricots help maintain healthy bones and prevent scurvy.
Fiber
Your rabbit needs an excellent fiber intake for a well-working digestive system. Bunnies are prone to various digestive issues that can be avoided by eating apricots. An apricot a week will help your rabbit have a healthy bowel movement and maintain glucose and cholesterol levels in its blood.
Health Benefits of Apricots for Your Rabbit
Apart from nutritional benefits, apricots have plenty of health benefits for your furry friend. Here are a few:
Keeps Your Rabbit Hydrated
Every rabbit is different. Some rabbits love drinking water, others not so much. Apricots are a great way to ensure your bunny rabbit stays hydrated and fresh.
Water intake is essential for your pet, especially during hot weather. As a pet owner, keep an eye on your bunny for dehydration and prevent it before it worsens.
Prevents Illnesses
With vitamin C and antioxidant properties, apricots can benefit your precious furry friend by preventing diseases. It helps boost your bunny’s immune system, ensuring a healthy and longer life.
Reduces Inflammation
Apricots help reduce joint pain and swelling by preventing inflammation in your poor bunny’s body. Furthermore, apricots can help fight scurvy and its symptoms.
How Much Apricot Can You Feed Your Bunny?
Fruits contain a high sugar content, so it is best to give them to your furry bunny in very little quantity. Fruits should be given to your pet as a treat and never as a whole meal.
Give one teaspoon of apricot for every two pounds of your bunny’s weight. Only feed apricot to your bunny once a week in a meal. Avoid repeating it on the same day or week, as it can cause digestive issues to your poor bunny.
Furthermore, you can only feed apricots to bunnies that are twelve weeks old or older. Baby rabbits do not have strongly developed digestive systems that can break down complex sugars.
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How To Feed Apricots To Your Rabbit?
Before feeding apricots to your rabbit, you should keep a few things in your mind:
- Try to buy organic apricots from trusted farms.
- If you cannot get organic apricots, buy them from your local store and wash them with plenty of water.
- Remove all the pesticide and insect repellent from the fruit.
- Check the apricot for bugs, worms, or mold.
- Do not feed your rabbit any apricot that is rotten or wilted.
- Chop the apricot into smaller pieces and remove the seed.
- Give it half the amount mentioned above when introducing an apricot to your furry friend for the first time. Keep a keen eye on your rabbit’s behavior and health for the next 24 hours to check for any allergic reactions.
Can Rabbits Eat Apricot Leaves and Stems?
Bunnies are grazing animals and love to eat everything that grows in the ground. Usually, all stems and leaves are safe for a bunny rabbit. However, any stone fruit plant is dangerous and poisonous for your precious pet rabbit.
The stems and leaves of an apricot plant contain arsenic that is poisonous to rabbits. If eaten, it can cause severe digestive diseases and can result in fatality.
If you notice your rabbit has eaten any part of an apricot plant other than the fleshy fruit, call your vet immediately and book an appointment.
What Happens When Your Rabbit Overeats Apricots?
Bunnies require a balanced diet to stay healthy and have a long life. If you overfeed anything to your rabbit, it will create an imbalance of nutrients and cause problems for your bunny.
Your precious rabbit’s daily diet should contain 80-90% hay, 10-15% greens, and 5-10% fruits or flowers as a treat. Anything that disrupts these portions is a bad idea.
You should be extra cautious when feeding your bunny fruits due to their high sugar content. As you feed your rabbit apricots, remember what can go wrong if you overfeed your bunny. Here are a bunch of things that can go wrong if you overfeed apricots to your furry friend:
Obesity
Fruits are sugary foods and can cause excessive weight gain. Feeding your precious rabbit too many apricots can result in obesity. An obese bunny has difficulty hopping and grooming itself, resulting in different diseases.
Diabetes
Due to the high sugar content, your bunny can develop diabetes. Type two diabetes can be lethal for your poor fragile bunny rabbit.
Tooth Decay
Rabbits love to chew as it helps them trim their ever-growing teeth constantly. However, fruits are soft and sugary. Apricots will not help your rabbit maintain healthy teeth due to their texture and sugar content.
Hyperactivity
Rabbits are active creatures and love to hop, run and zoom around. With excessive sugar in their blood, rabbits can go into overdrive and become hyperactive. It can be harmful to their muscles and fragile bones.
Diarrhea
If your bunny eats too many apricots, it can upset its stomach. When feeding an apricot to your rabbit, notice its stool. If your rabbit’s fecal matter is too watery, stop feeding it apricot.
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Harms Kidneys And Liver
Digesting complex sugars can cause strain on your precious furry friend’s kidneys and liver. A rabbit’s body cannot break down heavy sugars.
Fatty Liver Disease
Apricots can harm your rabbit in more ways than one. The excessive sugar content can cause saturated fats to accumulate in your rabbit’s liver, causing it to become sick.
If you notice any of the diseases mentioned above in your rabbit, stop giving it an apricot and contact your vet.
While you wait for your vet’s appointment, keep your bunny calm. You must stroke its head and pet its fur to make your rabbit feel loved. Bunnies are highly emotional creatures and get anxious when they are physically sick.
Final Word
As a pet owner, you must research every food in depth before feeding it to your precious furry baby. These voiceless creatures depend on you for a healthy life.
Always weigh the good and bad aspects of a vegetable or a fruit before introducing it to your bunny. Never stop being cautious when it comes to your bunny’s safety and health.
Love your rabbit with all your heart, and give it attention, care, and lots of snuggles. After all, that is all they need to have a long and wonderful life.