Can rabbits be fed raw and boiled potatoes?
Planning the diet of pets is an extremely important point on which the health and development of pets depends. The article is devoted to the nutrition of rabbits, namely: the benefits and harms of potatoes, including peeling and tops.
Can rabbits be given potatoes
Potato is useful in that it contains vitamins, as well as minerals that the body needs. The important thing is what part and in what form is fed to the animal. The properties of each variation are discussed below.
Raw
It is worth remembering that the root crop is rich in starch, which in its original form is poorly absorbed, causing dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, therefore it should be excluded from the diet of young animals under 4 months of age, as well as females during lactation (to avoid blockage of the milk ducts) .
Read also about whether it is possible to give rabbits corn, euphorbia, apples, quinoa.
For other groups of animals, the proportion of potatoes should not exceed 10% of the total. Before serving, it is important to wash the potatoes, peel them and cut into small pieces.
Boiled
After heat treatment, potatoes are considered a complete component of the diet. In this form, the starch contained in the vegetable is easily absorbed, contributing to a set of live weight. Based on this, the portion of the root crop is calculated according to the activity of the animal: for cell keeping without walking - no more than 50-70 g / day (if the rabbits move a lot, the dose can be increased to 80-100 g / day).
Potato tops
It is not recommended to feed the green part of the vegetable to rabbits, since harmful substances accumulate in it after spraying with chemicals. The tops and potato seedlings contain solanine, which causes intoxication of the body. It should be completely excluded from the diet, preventing poisoning and death of the livestock.
Peeling potatoes
As for potato waste, they are introduced into the diet of rabbits both raw and boiled.
When using cleaning, keep in mind the following:
- wash the cleanings well;
- do not give the peel of immature, frozen and rotten vegetables.
How to feed potatoes to rabbits
When adding vegetables to the diet, remember that in the wild this product is not eaten by rabbits and should be used as an addition to the main menu.
Young growth
The root crop can be given from 4 months of age, introduced into the diet in small doses and carefully monitor the reaction of the animal to a new ingredient. It is recommended to limit the use of boiled vegetables, which are easier to digest.
Learn how to feed little rabbits at home.
Adults
When feeding rabbits with boiled potatoes, it is recommended to prepare wet mixes (by mixing crushed vegetables and crushed concentrates:
- wheat;
- oats;
- maize;
- barley;
- peas;
- legumes.
Feeding the rabbit with other products
A balanced diet is the key to good health, fertility and productivity. When approaching the issue of breeding rabbits, you should familiarize yourself with the list of useful products and those that are contraindicated.
Which may be useful
The omnivorousness of rabbits allows you to diversify their diet, using a wide range of products - from vegetables from the refrigerator to specialized mixtures.
- Green food - freshly cut grasses, alfalfa, peas, sainfoin, a mixture of vetch and barley, garden tops (except for tomato and potato);
- Coarse food - hay, straw, twigs;
- Juicy food - beets, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, zucchini, feed watermelon, Jerusalem artichoke;
- Concentrates - grain (corn, barley, wheat, oats) and animal feed.
What can not be fed
Watch what gets into the animal feeder. For example, juicy cabbage in large quantities causes bloating and indigestion; some plants are completely poisonous and lead to severe poisoning.
- Green food - buttercup, hemlock, lily of the valley, hellebore, bleached, celandine;
- Coarse fodder - branches elderberry, buckthorn, broomberry, bird cherry, Ledum, cherry, apricot, peach, cherry, plum, as well as branches of wolfberry;
- Juicy food - cabbage, turnip, rutabaga, beets, limit, exclude fruits;
- Concentrates - cotton cake;
- Toxic plants - cyclut, mustard, colza, digitalis, dope, euphorbia.
Useful Rabbit Feeding Tips
When organizing pet feeding, consider the following recommendations:
- ensure that there is constant access to food and water;
- to form a diet in such a way that the share of feed containing fiber accounts for up to 2/3 of the total volume;
- observe the sequence of feed: first, concentrates, then juicy, green and rough;
- introduce a new component within a week, gradually bringing the dose to normal;
- use only high-quality feed;
- distribute food to the feeders, avoiding being trampled.