Can Rabbits Eat Radishes?

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can rabbits eat radishes

Radishes are crispy and have a pleasant flavor, and are often quite popular amongst people, who mostly prefer to eat the vegetable raw in salads. But can rabbits eat radishes? The answer is yes, rabbits can eat radishes!

Rabbits Like Veggies And Fruits

Rabbits love most vegetables and fruits and these can be added in small quantities to the rabbit’s daily diet. The major chunk of your rabbit’s daily meal will comprise hay or fresh grass. However, you can add up to three fresh vegetables in small portions daily. You must also be careful to introduce one new vegetable at a time and observe your pet for at least a week before introducing the next new food. The vegetables must be of high quality and always fresh.

 

Use Small Quantities Of Radishes

You must feed your rabbit radishes only in small quantities at a time. This is because overfeeding radishes may lead to excess bloating and gas for your pet and this can cause quite serious discomfort to it.

Your rabbit may or may not enjoy radishes. Most likely it would prefer other vegetables instead.

Rabbits Love Grass And Hay

Rabbits in the wild thrive on dry or fresh grass. They like to nibble nearly all throughout the day. Rabbits also eat fresh fruits and vegetables, plant leaves and the bark of trees in small quantities. They also need water! Rabbits in captivity should also be fed a similar diet as their digestive systems are designed accordingly to process this food. If you are providing sufficient quantities of fresh grass or hay, and clean water, your rabbit should remain healthy and strong. Supplement this with fresh vegetables or fruits. It is also extremely important to feed it good quality rabbit pellets daily.  80% of the meal should comprise grass or hay, while 20% can be other things.

Things To Watch Out For

Most times when you look at your rabbit, it is likely to be nibbling away at some thing or the other. The reason is that rabbits simply love food! Your rabbit probably enjoys fresh fruits and vegetables and will surely enjoy the radishes.

You do need to be very careful to use only good quality, fresh radishes and avoid using left over radishes from your salad, particularly if you’ve used dressings or salt. You also need to ensure that you wash them very carefully as most vegetables in grocery stores still have pesticide residue on them. Rabbits have very delicate digestive systems and even small amounts of chemicals can make them ill. Never use plants, vegetables or fruits from the road side.

The rule of thumb is that if you are in doubt, skip it. Rabbits will eat anything because of their strong taste buds, even things that are poisonous; therefore, it is your responsibility to protect your pet from harmful things. Rabbits in the wild have stronger digestive systems and a keener sense about what they should or should not eat. However, pet rabbits are usually not that clever about what they eat.

Can Rabbits Eat Radishes – The Benefits

Yes, rabbits can eat radishes in moderation. Radishes come in different varieties and the most commonly found ones have white flesh and red skin. You may also find other varieties like French breakfast radishes or black radishes.

Radishes are most frequently used in their uncooked form in salads.

A rule of the thumb is that whatever vegetable is good for you in its uncooked form is good for your pet rabbit too; therefore radishes are good for your rabbit.

Radishes provide several important nutrients which makes them a good addition to your rabbit’s meals. These include sugars, dietary fiber, protein, vitamin C, fluoride and oxalic acid. There are also suitable quantities of iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium and zinc in radishes.

One hundred grams of radish provide 66 calories. Radishes also provide thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and very small amounts of fats, phosphorus and calcium.

Despite their nutritional benefits, because they are acidic and high in starch, rabbits shouldn’t be fed radishes too frequently in large amounts. One radish a week may be appropriate.

Can Rabbits Eat Radish Leaves?

Great news here! Radish leaves can be given to rabbits as they are good for them. Add them to the green leafy vegetables that your rabbit eats every day.

What Else Should Your Rabbit Eat

You need to provide your rabbit three main components for a well-balanced diet that is appropriate for its dietary needs. Namely, good-standard hay, fresh green vegetables twice every day and small bits of fruit and a tablespoon of rabbit pellets once every day. Avoid too much fruit as the high sugar content is not suitable for your rabbit. Additional fresh hay should be provided daily for bedding.

What Should The Rabbit Not Eat

Do not feed it muesli, which is a blend of flakes and seeds. And no sugar-based treats at all! Both of these lead to health problems for rabbits, particularly those related to their teeth.

Conclusion

Coming back to the original question, yes rabbits can eat radishes in moderation and not in every day staple food. Additionally, make sure to introduce radishes gradually and in small quantities to prevent diarrhea. Always, observe your pet afterwards. If your rabbit doesn’t show any intestinal discomfort or loose stool, you can continue adding radishes to your pet’s diet.

Related Articles:

Can Rabbits Eat Zucchini?

Can Rabbits Eat Celery?

References:

http://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/importance-of-hay
http://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetables-and-fruits-for-a-rabbit-diet/
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/rabbits/tips/rabbit_vegetables.html
http://riseandshinerabbitry.com/2012/02/26/safe-food-list-for-rabbits/
http://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/the-keys-to-better-care/rabbits/diet

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