Beginning rabbit breeders do not know whether it is possible to give pumpkin or sunflower seeds to rabbits. This valuable food is allowed to be included in the diet of pets. Seeds are given no more than once a week and no more than a handful. Feeding this product too often can lead to obesity and liver problems. Meal or cake is safer and healthier for animals.
Is it possible to give rabbits seeds?
You can diversify your rabbits' diet with foods such as seeds. Typically, these animals are fed grain or mixed feed, dried grass, vegetables and fruits. Sunflower or pumpkin seeds are a kind of treat for rabbits, and not a mandatory food. They should be introduced into the diet of animals gradually, taking into account the dosage - no more than a handful per week.
Sunflower
Sunflower seeds are rich in amino acids, vitamins and minerals, proteins and carbohydrates, but most of all they contain fat. It is for this reason that their frequent consumption can lead to obesity and eating disorders. Animals are given raw and slightly dried seeds, but in no case fried or salted.
Animals adore sunflower kernels, but this food provokes the outflow of bile, loading the liver and gall bladder. You can feed animals seeds, but be careful. The huge amount of vegetable oils contained in the kernels can lead to indigestion, diarrhea and serious liver problems.
Sunflower is useful for animals, but only in minimal doses. This is a treat that animals are unlikely to refuse. However, the body's reaction to sunflower seeds can be unpredictable.
Sometimes, after eating several kernels, animals begin to develop diarrhea, cough, swelling, and foam at the mouth. Some animals suffer from intolerance to this product. If rabbits are allergic to sunflower seeds, then it is recommended to exclude this food from their diet.
Pumpkins
Pumpkin seeds are rich in fats and proteins, and they also contain many different vitamins and minerals, as well as amino acids. This healthy food can be given to animals, but only in minimal doses. The seeds should be slightly dried, but not fried or salted.
Pumpkin kernels improve the appearance of rabbits: their fur becomes fluffy and shiny. Animals gain weight better and their bones become stronger.Eating this food strengthens the animals’ immunity, normalizes the digestive system, and helps remove worms from the body.
Cake and sunflower meal
A product such as cake can be sunflower, soybean, flaxseed or rapeseed. It is used as food for many domestic animals. The cake is formed by pressing, squeezing and repeated crushing of seeds. This product is low in fat (5-10 percent).
Cake is included in many feed mixtures and is an excellent protein supplement. This product contains fiber, which improves the digestion process. It is recommended to give cake (flaxseed or sunflower) to animals as dry food daily.
Sunflower meal is obtained by extracting fat from seeds. This product comes in the form of granules or flakes. Meal consists of only 2 percent fat, but it contains a lot of protein and fiber. The product has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of animals. Included in animal feed. Meal is a useful supplement for daily feeding.
Nuances of feeding
Sunflower and pumpkin seeds are gradually introduced into the diet of rabbits. This food can be given to young animals separated from their mother once a week. Meal and cake are components of many feed mixtures. The animals are fed compound feed daily.
At what age can you
Sunflower or pumpkin seeds can be given to domestic and decorative rabbits from the second month of life. If young rabbits live in the same cage with their mother, it is impossible to accustom them to new food. It is better to first separate the young animals from the female rabbit, and then introduce various new foods into their diet.
Important! Old and fat rabbits should not be fed pumpkin or sunflower seeds.For such animals, small quantities of meal or cake are healthier.
How to give
It is customary to feed rabbits 3 times a day. Dry food (seeds, cake, meal) is given to animals in the morning and evening. It is better to feed the animals in the first half of the day, and then observe their condition. Animals need to be accustomed to new food gradually. At the very beginning, the animals are treated to 5-10 pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Over time, the dose is increased to a handful (50 grams), but no more. Pumpkin or sunflower seeds are given to animals only once a week, not more often. Pets can eat meal or cake daily, but not more than 30-50 grams. When feeding dry food, it is advisable to place a container of water in the cage for drinking.
Contraindications and harm
Any new food should be introduced into the diet of young rabbits with caution. Typically, animals react normally to a product such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Some rabbits may experience allergic reactions after eating the kernels. Animals often vilify when they try something new for the first time. In this case, it is better to stop feeding the animals this food for a while. After a month, the attempt can be repeated, but only in the minimum dosage. For the first time - no more than 5-10 cores.
Important! The seeds do not need to be peeled. The main thing is that they are slightly dried. You should always remember that eating sunflower or pumpkin seeds too often can lead to obesity and liver problems.
Meal or cake can be given to young and old animals daily, but not more than 30-50 grams per day. This food will not lead to obesity, but it can cause stomach upset in animals. The fact is that cake (meal) is often of poor quality.If stored poorly, such a product quickly deteriorates and can cause deterioration in the well-being and even death of rabbits. Before feeding animals this food, it must be thoroughly inspected. It is prohibited to eat low-quality products.
