Can Rabbits Eat Apples

 

“An apple a day keeps you away from the doctor”, this saying is true for humans but is it also true for animals? Apples are edible fruits eaten by both humans and animals, it contains a lot of vitamins flavonoid and anti-oxidant which are beneficial to both, so yes, this saying is true for both man and animal 

Can rabbits eat apples

Rabbits are herbivores which means they do not eat meat, their diet incudes grass hay which should take up a majority of their diet, vegetables and fresh fruits which should serve as occasional treat for the rabbit.

Yes, your pet bunny can eat apples, apples contain a lot of fibers, vitamins and flavonoid which are very beneficial to the health of the rabbit, green and red apples can be eaten by rabbits but apples should however serve as an occasional treat as too much vitamins can be a threat to the health of the rabbit and the high sugar content is also not good for the rabbit.

Apples should be served to rabbits with its skin, do not peel off the skin as the skin contains most of its fibers, vitamins and flavonoid, the seeds however should be carefully picked out as it contains toxics such as cyanide which is very harmful to the rabbit health and can lead to possible death of your pet, Apples contains high quantity of water and this helps to keep the rabbit hydrated

Nutritional benefits of apple for rabbits

Apples are rich in fibers, vitamins, anti-oxidant, flavonoid potassium which are very good for the health of the rabbit and these are mostly contained in the skin of the fruit

Dietary Fiber

fiber is found in the skin of the apple; this is a very important component of rabbit’s diet and should take up about 35% of its diet. Dietary fibers are important for maintaining gut motility, the digestive system of rabbits is sensitive so it needs a lot of fiber to aid in gut motility if not the system will clog this could lead to constipation which could be very fetal for the rabbit, fibers plays a crucial role in preventing digestive disease and death caused by gastrointestinal complications, fibers  also helps wear down the teeth of your pet bunny as their teeth never stop growing and long teeth can lead to breathing difficulties as it affects your pet bunny nasal cavities and the sharp edge of the teeth can cause pains. Fibers are good source of energy and they aid in maintenance of healthy weight by preventing obesity

Vitamins    

Apples contains vitamin C Vitamin B6, both of which are beneficial to the health of the rabbit but they can make these vitamins themselves endogenously and too much of these vitamins can pose a threat to their health

Vitamin c are importance for the management of stress like in extremely hot weather, they are also anti-oxidant which aids in the prevention of cancer, improves immunity and also helps in inducing anti-inflammatory properties. vitamin C can however be made in the liver of the rabbit and too much exogenous supply of this vitamin can lead to kidney stone and this can be a very painful condition for your pet

Vitamin B6 is important for healthy growth and also helps to improve cell blood cell and nervous system, deficiency of his vitamin leads to stunted growth and development of unhealthy fur and you know a healthy fur makes for quality cuddling time with your pet hence the importance of vitamin b6 in their diet, in severe deficiency, mild anemia and paralytic collapse  occurs

Rabbits can also meet their vitamin B6 requirement through a process known as coprophagy, this process involve the consumption of soft feces excreted by the animal and this is carried out when the animal is alone and it is a very normal behavior

potassium 

Rabbits needs potassium for maximum growth, for muscular growth, for maintenance of body fluid, deficiency of this mineral leads to muscles weakness, paralysis and respiratory distress. Apple also contains calcium which is very important for the development of strong bones and teeth 

Water

Water is an important requirement for Rabbits, it aids in digestion and also helps to keep the animal hydrated especially in hot weather, Rabbit’s water requirement differs depending on temperature. Apples contains high water content and this helps keep the rabbit hydrated and also aids in digestion   

Health risk of feeding apples to Rabbits

Apples are delicious and healthy treat for your pet bunny but there is definitely some health risk associated with feeding the rabbit apples frequently and in excess 

Apples are sweet, which means they have high sugar content which can lead to tooth decay, obesity, diabetes and digestive diseases, the digestive system of the rabbits are sensitive and can easily be upset by too much sugar

Apples contains vitamin C and rabbit also have the ability to make its own vitamin C endogenously in its liver, apple intake should therefore be monitored as too much of vitamin C can lead to kidney failure

The core and seed of the fruit should be avoided as they contain poisonous substances which can pose serious health issues such as stomach upset, diarrhea, vomiting, reduction in heart rate and in severe cases it leads to death, the stem and leaves of the fruit equally contains poisonous substances. It is therefore very important for seed and core of the fruit to be picked out before serving it to the rabbit

How should the rabbit be served apples?

Both green and red apples can be eaten by the rabbit , it depends on the pet bunny as some   might prefer one type over the other, apples should however be an occasional treat , eaten once a week , unmoderated and overconsumption of the fruit can cause health challenges and leads to refusal to eat other foods which are very important 

Apples should be washed, sliced, a whole apple should not be served to the rabbit, seeds should be carefully picked out and the core of the fruit should be picked off before serving the fruit to your pet. The rabbit diet should however consist of basically hay, about 80% of the rabbit diet should consist of hay, over 15% should consist of fresh vegetables, pallets and a bit of fresh fruit and less than 5% as treat for a healthy cuddly pet bunny and fresh water is also very important.