Have you seen a picture of vampire bunnies? They’re rumored to eat flesh, but what they’re actually eating is usually strawberries or raspberries. Technically they could still be vampire buns, but they’d have to be vegetarian ones. PS: If you’re disappointed there are no vampire bunnies, you may be slightly cheered by the fact that flesh eating honeybees are a real thing. Seriously, Google it. They’re very metal. So, do you like strawberries? Want to try feeding your pet some? Well, go right ahead! Strawberries are safe for rabbits, although only as treats. Rabbits generally rather like strawberries, because they’re sweet, and bunnies love sweet food. I mean, who doesn’t? So go ahead and give your bun some strawberry, and take a pic of him looking like a furry vegan vampire
Rabbits can eat strawberries, but in small quantities
As we mentioned above, strawberries should only be given as treats, and in moderate amounts. They’re high in sugar, and sugar can be fattening and also a little hard to digest. Sadly, strawberries have next to no nutritional value for rabbits. So you can give your pet the occasional strawberry, but don’t make this a regular occurrence. Bunnies can be given up to 2 tablespoons of chopped strawberries in one go, and you shouldn’t give them the fruit oftener than once every week or two. That’s because they need variation in their diet, and giving them too much of one fruit, or giving it too often, can cause problems. If your pet is new to strawberries, give them a very small amount initially, maybe half a tablespoon. After that watch them for a couple days to see if they have gas pain, bloating or diarrhea. If they do, avoid giving them strawberries in the future. Also remember that baby rabbits and juveniles shouldn’t be given fruits at all, because their digestive systems are extremely fragile and can’t digest sugar
Treats can be good in some respects, they can be used for training, to reward good behavior, or just as tasty food when you want to spoil it a little. We like a little junk food every now and then, and so does your pet. However, just as too much junk food can damage our health, too many treats can hurt your pet. The primary diet for rabbits should be hay, pellets and leafy greens. Some leafy greens such as iceberg lettuce, however, are NOT safe! Read our article here for more details on the subject
How to feed your rabbit strawberry
Before giving your pet any fruits or vegetables, always wash them thoroughly. This is important because although supermarket produce isn’t generally dirty, it does often have preservatives applied to extend its shelf life. Plus, when the fruits were grown they may have been sprayed with insecticide or had contact with the soil, which is sometimes treated with chemical fertilizers. Often just running them under water isn’t enough, you need to soak the fruits in water for a while and then rub them gently. If you can, always try to buy organic produce. It’s pesticide free and the fertilizer used is organic, so they’re much less likely to harm your bunny. Strawberries grow inches from the ground, however, so organic fruits would also require washing. Once the fruit is washed and clean, cut it into small, bite-sized pieces, bite-sized for the bunny, that is. Rabbits, like humans, get excited when given tasty food, and can bite off very big pieces which would pose a choking risk. It’s not super risky, but it doesn’t hurt to be safe
Can rabbits eat strawberry leaves and seeds?
Do you know someone who grows strawberries? Lucky! Strawberries grow readily and bear lots of fruit in their first couple years. If someone you know grows them and can spare some leaves for your bun, by all means get them! Strawberry leaves are 100% safe for rabbits to eat, and bunnies LOVE eating them. The stems are also safe. Avoid giving your bunny strawberry crowns and roots, however, as they may have remnants of soil and bacteria on them. If you get entire strawberry plants handed over, just grab a pair of scissors and cut the leaves off. You don’t have to be super careful because the crowns aren’t toxic as such, just careful enough. Do you know where a strawberry’s seeds are? On the outside! The little yellow/brown ‘pips’ you see on the surface are actually seeds. Strawberries are interestingly the only fruit to have its seeds on the outside. And they definitely are seeds, trust me, I’ve germinated them! So can rabbits eat strawberry seeds? Yup! Strawberry seeds are small enough to not pose any risk, and they don’t contain any harmful compounds. They’re so small, in fact, that most pet websites don’t even mention them
Conclusion: Strawberries are safe for rabbits, although they should be given sparingly, in small amounts. Cut the fruit into small pieces before giving to your pet. Strawberry leaves, stems and seeds are safe, but avoid giving your bunny strawberry crowns or roots. Seeds should usually be avoded, but strawberry seeds are so small that they won’t pose any choking hazard for the rabbit
Remember to contact your local veterinarian or rabbit breeder if you have questions or concerns regarding your rabbits diet or general health. There are also online veterinarians that you can ask questions about your pets for free, like for example on the mainpage of the site PetCoach. You can also find others by Googling search terms like online veterinarian and ask a veterinarian
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