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You can give zucchini to rabbits from 1.5-2 months. First, a small amount is introduced into the diet, then increased to the daily norm of 150-200 g. Moreover, zucchini is mixed with other vegetables, for example, pumpkin or carrots. The diet should be varied - this will improve the condition of the animals, which will have a good effect on their health, wool, and also the taste of the meat.
Do rabbits eat zucchini?
Rabbits are not only allowed, but should be given zucchini. This is a succulent food that, along with pumpkin, carrots, cabbage and other vegetables, should be included in the regular diet.
Thanks to this, the animal’s body is saturated with vitamins and minerals, and the menu becomes more varied. You can give raw zucchini to both agricultural and decorative rabbits.
Vegetables are especially important during these stages:
- The period is from 2 to 6 months when animals are actively growing.
- During pregnancy and feeding new offspring by females.
- At puberty, males mate, when they are characterized by maximum activity.
Experienced breeders note that thanks to the inclusion of vegetables in the regular diet during this period, the rabbits’ immunity is strengthened, and the meat becomes more tasty. This is explained by the fact that the body receives a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals, which improves metabolic processes in cells.
Thus, it is possible to introduce zucchini into the permanent menu. But you should take into account at what age it is best to do this and during what periods of development. It is also important what vegetables to combine zucchini with and how many times a week to give them. The answers to all these questions can be found below.
Benefits of zucchini for rabbits
It is useful for rabbits to be given both the pulp and the peel of zucchini. Plants contain quite a lot of useful substances, including:
- vitamins B, K;
- ascorbic acid (C);
- nicotinamide (PP);
- magnesium;
- zinc;
- molybdenum;
- chromium;
- cobalt;
- selenium;
- phosphorus;
- copper;
- potassium and other components.
Thanks to its rich vitamin and mineral composition, zucchini provides great benefits for rabbits
Vegetables contain dietary fiber (fiber). Thanks to this, raw zucchini can provide decorative and other rabbits with great benefits:
- strengthening the immune system;
- increased endurance, including to the weather;
- stimulation of hematopoiesis;
- improving the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
- increasing the absorption of microelements, including iron;
- strengthening the walls of blood vessels;
- protecting cells from destruction by free radicals;
- stimulating tissue repair processes.
How to give zucchini to rabbits
In order for the vegetable to provide maximum benefit, it is important to understand how to feed decorative and other rabbits with zucchini, i.e. at what age should it be introduced into the diet and in what form.There are several general rules that are important to always follow:
- Accustom the rabbits to the new food gradually. First, prepare the puree in small quantities, then chop the pulp without the peel. Only after this is it permissible to feed the animals vegetables with peel.
- Thoroughly rinse the fruits from dirt and soil.
- It is advisable to mix the pulp with corn silage.
- Do not give zucchini on a daily basis - you need to ensure that the diet is varied. Introduce into the diet only 2-3 times a week.
- Make sure that animals always have access to clean water and change it daily.
At what age can you feed
You can introduce zucchini into complementary foods from 6-8 weeks, i.e. from the age of 1.5-2 months. At this point, the rabbits’ digestive system is largely formed, so they can accept raw vegetables and succulent food.
Is it possible to give raw zucchini to rabbits?
Vegetables should only be given to animals in raw form. It is enough to simply clean them of dirt and wash them under running water. There is no need to cut off the zucchini peel - it will also be quite useful for rabbits. If the fruits are slightly unripe, they can be added to complementary foods. Overripe specimens with formed seeds can also be given to animals. If the rabbits are small, the peel and hard seeds should be removed.
Is it possible to give zucchini tops to rabbits?
Feeding rabbits zucchini leaves is not only possible, but also necessary, since it is a healthy supplement. It also contains vitamins, dietary fiber and other valuable components.
Before use, the tops are washed, crushed and infused for several minutes in boiling water.
During feeding, it is recommended to do the following:
- Rinse the greens.
- Finely chop it with a sharp knife.
- Fill with hot water.
- Let stand for 15 minutes.
- Drain the water and let the greens cool.
- Mix with main feed, such as potatoes or bran.
The mixture can be fed to rabbits several times a week. Juicy food should be alternated with each other, combining different products, for example, carrots, pumpkin and others.
Is it possible to give zucchini with pumpkin?
This combination is considered one of the most successful, since the mixture of vegetables serves as a good vitamin and mineral base. Zucchini is given fresh, since after heat treatment many beneficial substances are destroyed.
As for pumpkin, it can be boiled and then turned into puree. In this form, it is especially useful for rabbits under three months of age. Adult animals can also be fed raw vegetables. They are also recommended to give them pumpkin seeds. This is an excellent remedy for the prevention of worms.
Thanks to the constant inclusion of pumpkin in the diet, it is possible to improve the quality of the coat. In addition, it enriches the body with vitamins and stimulates digestion. Pumpkin is also useful for pregnant females for the synthesis of milk and increasing the viability of offspring.
Vegetables are also used when fattening rabbits. This period coincides with the harvest (from September to October). Moreover, farmers use not only the fruits themselves, but also the tops. First you need to rinse it with water, chop it, pour boiling water over it and let it stand for 10 minutes. It is better to give the leaves gradually, starting with small quantities.
Harm and contraindications
It is important to follow the daily dosage of zucchini.For adult rabbits – no more than 200 g per day. Moreover, this is the total daily amount of succulent feed. The composition should contain not only zucchini, but at least one other component, for example, carrots, pumpkin or potatoes.
To avoid dangerous consequences, it is permissible to give zucchini no more than 2-3 times a week.
If you regularly violate the dosage or introduce complementary foods to rabbits that are too small, you may experience:
- indigestion;
- bloating;
- poor weight gain due to low digestibility.
To prevent such phenomena, it is recommended to gradually introduce vegetables into a regular diet. Zucchini has no contraindications. However, in case of digestive disorders, for example, when recovering from an illness, it is not worth adding them to the menu temporarily.
Conclusion
Giving rabbits zucchini is not only possible, but also necessary. Vegetables nourish the body well, enrich it with vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber, which improves digestion. However, they need to be introduced into the diet gradually, monitoring the well-being of the animals. This is especially important in the case of small rabbits.
