Oranges are sugary fruit, and many of us like eating this juicy fruit. But how good are oranges for rabbits? I know that oranges are very nutritious fruit and rich in Vitamin C. Do your pet rabbits need Vitamin C?
In this post, you will know feeding how much orange will not make your rabbits sick.
- Can rabbits eat oranges?;
- How much orange is suitable for rabbits?;
- How to feed oranges to rabbits?;
- Can rabbits eat orange peel?
- Can rabbits eat orange branches and leaves?
- Can baby rabbits eat oranges?
Also, I discussed why feeding orange to pet rabbits is unnecessary, and it is best to avoid treating rabbits with oranges.
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Can rabbits eat oranges?
Rabbits can eat oranges but in moderation. Feeding excessive oranges to pet rabbits can affect their health in multiple ways.
Oranges are a sugary and juicy fruit. Orange contains high-level sugar, and thus it can be given to rabbits as a treat.
Due to the sugar in orange, your pet rabbits will eat oranges. A rabbit’s delicate digestive system will be unable to process excessive sugar in its digestive system.
Therefore your pet rabbits will gain weight. An overweight rabbit is not a healthy rabbit.
Understand this if you give oranges to your pet rabbit every day, your rabbit will eventually gain a lot of weight and show reluctance to move.
An overweight rabbit is a sick rabbit.
So serve oranges to your rabbits in moderation. It would be better if you don’t serve oranges to our rabbits at all.
So the point here is that oranges are not poisonous for rabbits, but too much orange can be fatal.
High sugar content in oranges is not the only problem for rabbits. Oranges are acidic fruit. Rabbits are delicate small pets. Too much acid in their diet is harmful.
Rabbits’ digestive system produces adequate acid that is essential for their digestive system. More acid in their stomach will bring about stomach and mouth ulcers in rabbits.
But eating oranges in moderation also has health benefits for rabbits. Oranges contain fiber and rich in Vitamin C.
But in no way can orange provide rabbits with adequate fibers for their diet. A rabbit’s diet must contain hay and green grass. A rabbit will get most of the required fiber in its diet from feeding hay and dry grass.
So oranges are not a meal replacement for rabbits, but it is only a treat. Treat them oranges only once in a while.
Lastly, I want to tell about the benefits of Vitamin C from oranges for rabbits. We know orange is an excellent source of Vitamin C for the human being.
But do you think rabbits need Vitamin C as much as we do?
Rabbits produce essential Vitamin C in their body. They don’t need more than that. If you provide rabbits with more Vitamin C than necessary, it will do no good to your rabbits.
Thus the Vitamin C from orange is least useful for rabbits. In reality, they don’t need Vitamin C from any other source.
The only purpose of treating rabbits with oranges is to give them a variation in their taste bud. A variation in the taste bud keeps a rabbit happy and healthy.
How much orange is suitable for rabbits?
I mentioned that you have to treat orange to rabbits in moderation. But how much orange is moderate for rabbits?
Give oranges to rabbits only once a week. Noe more than once a week.
Giving oranges more than once a week to rabbits can cause two kinds of problems for you.
Oranges are sugary treats. If your rabbits eat sugary food frequently, they will be less interested in eating other food with dull taste.
Your rabbits will be used to sweet food and might avoid eating hay or grass, which is crucial for their well-being.
Secondly, serving oranges to your rabbits more than once a week can cause issues with their health. If your rabbit is sick, you will have to take them to a vet for treatment. Treating a rabbit is quite expensive in most places.
To keep your rabbits healthy and lively, serve them oranges only once a week.
Now the question is would you serve them a whole orange?
A rabbit must not feast on a whole orange. When you serve oranges to your pet rabbits, the orange size must not be more than the size of your rabbit’s paw.
More than that can alter your rabbit’s good health.
Likewise, feeding oranges twice a week to your rabbits can have adverse effects on their health.
How to feed oranges to rabbits?
By now, you already know how many oranges are suitable for your rabbits.
Feed them and more orange than the size of a rabbit’s paw only once a week.
So it’s a no-brainer that you have to peel the orange skin and slice an orange carpel into a smaller size to serve it to your pet rabbit.
One more thing is that when you introduce orange to your rabbit’s diet, you must monitor your rabbit’s behavior for the next 24 hours.
Typically, once a rabbit eats anything unusual, it will have soft stools.
So, if your rabbit eats orange for the first time, it will likely have soft stool within 24 hours.
If the orange did not have any adverse effect on the rabbit’s digestive system, then the rabbit’s poop will become normal before 24 hours pass.
What if your rabbit still defecates soft stools after 24 hours? Then it would be best if you visited a vet soon.
Soft stools more than 24 hours also mean that your pet rabbit’s stomach didn’t react well to oranges, and it is best never to give them orange again.
It is always good to check your pet rabbit’s stools after introducing any new food to identify how the rabbit’s digestive system reacted to the food.
Can rabbits eat orange peel?
Orange peels contain a higher level of fiber than orange flesh. However, orange peels may have harmful pesticides on the surface. If you feed orange peels to your rabbits, your rabbits might like it, but the pesticides on the surface of the orange peel can be fatal for your rabbits.
Your rabbits will likely enjoy eating orange peels as orange peels also contain a high sugar level.
Nevertheless, too much sugar for your rabbit is not good. Similarly, pesticides can harm your rabbit very much.
Hence it is best to avoid giving orange peels to your pet rabbits.
If you want to give orange peels to rabbits, you must ensure that the orange is organic and pesticide-free.
If your oranges are not organic, then don’t give orange peels to your pet rabbits.
Can rabbits eat orange branches and leaves?
Orange branches and leaves are a better option for your rabbits than oranges.
Oranges are a sugary and yummy treat for your rabbits. On the contrary, orange leaves and branches are fiber-enriched and less sugary for your rabbits.
Thus your rabbits might not enjoy chewing on orange leaves and branches as much as eating oranges, but it is healthier for them.
You can feed your rabbit’s orange leaves and branches to bring variation in their diet.
Though orange leaves and stems are better than oranges, it is best to give them moderately. Remember that a rabbit’s diet must contain mostly hay and dry grass.
Can baby rabbits eat oranges?
Baby rabbits must not eat anything other than mother’s milk. Providing a baby rabbit with anything other than their mother’s milk is unnecessary.
All the essential minerals and nutrition for a baby rabbit’s growth are available in their mother’s milk.
Thus, it is unnecessary to feed oranges to baby rabbits, which can also be fatal for delicate baby rabbits.
Not only orange, do not give any other fruit or vegetable to baby rabbits until they are 12 weeks old. Once baby rabbits are 12 weeks old, only serve them fruits and vegetables recommended by the veterinary.
Lastly, introduce orange to adult rabbits meaning don’t give an orange to any rabbit younger than seven months.
