Can Rabbits Eat Oranges?

Can Rabbits Eat Oranges? YES. Oranges are a good natural treat for your rabbits. We can categorize Oranges as a healthy natural food for rabbits. Oranges are rich in vitamins that are good & essential for rabbits’ health. Vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium is some of them. We must feed Oranges in small portions at one time. Oranges also have some bad compounds that will harm rabbit’s health if we overfeed them.

Oranges contain high sugar. Don’t fill their belly with high sugary foods. It may lead to serious health problems (stomach upsets, gas, and GI stasis). Rabbits’ major food source must be hay. Supply a small number of vegetables and fruits for their daily vitamins & mineral intake. Oranges are a good addition to your rabbit’s healthy diet and always keep the moderation. There is a lot to talk about Oranges and rabbits. This guide helps you to cover all the necessary information you need to know about Oranges before feeding your rabbits.

Let’s start without any delay!!

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Extra Information About Oranges

Oranges are a popular fruit found all around the world. According to fruit researches, there are 600 varieties of oranges found out in many countries. Oranges are the largest citrus fruit around the world right now. Oranges are originated in southeast Asia. In the U.S, California, and Florida are the largest orange producers. Oranges have beautiful white color flower and flowers have a wonderful fragrance.

Oranges are good healthy fruits and its cheaper than other fruits. Oranges contain a high amount of vitamin C. This fruit can offer 116 percent of daily Vitamin C for a human being. The Vitamin C in Oranges can help in many ways for humans and animals.

• Protects cells from damage
• Help to make collagen, a protein that heals wounds and gives you smoother skin
• Makes it easier to absorb iron to fight anemia
• Boosts immune system, to defense against germs
• Slows the advance of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss
• Helps fight cancer-causing free radicals

Source:  Webmd.com

According to the US Department of Agriculture(USDA), 100g of Oranges contain these nutrients

Total Fat	0.3g
Saturated	0.04g
Polyunsaturated	0.06g
Monounsaturated	0.06g
Total Carbohydrate	15.5g
Dietary Fiber	4.5g
Sugars	0g
Protein	1.3g

Vitamins and Minerals 

Vitamin A	13µg
Vitamin B-6	0.09mg
Calcium	70µg
Magnesium	14mg
Potassium	196mg
Vitamin C	71mg
Iron	0.8mg
Zinc	0.11mg
Sodium	2mg

Type Of Oranges We Can feed For Rabbits

• Navel Oranges
• Mandarin Oranges
• Cara Cara Oranges
• Blood Oranges
• Valencia Oranges
• Seville Oranges
• Jaffa Oranges

All Of The Oranges Sold In Markets Are Good Treats For Your Rabbit. All Most All Orange Varieties Have The Same Nutrition Value. Keep In Mind, Only To Feed Oranges As An Occasional Treat. 

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Do Rabbits Like To Eat Oranges

Definitely, Rabbits like to eat Oranges. They like the sugar flavor of the Oranges. Most rabbits like Oranges as they like cherries. If you feed Oranges for the first time for rabbits, give them small portions & check whether they like them.

Most of the time they will love to eat Oranges. Don’t ever try to overfeed them. It can cause health problems for rabbits. If we give them sweet foods like Oranges, they will be addicted to those. Sometimes they will try to reduce eating healthy food in their diet. So, keep in mind to give only small portions to rabbits. Moderation is the key to rabbit’s health.

Can Rabbits Have Oranges?

Oranges are a safe & good healthy nutritious fruit for rabbits. As long as we provide Oranges as an occasional treat, we don’t have to worry about the rabbit’s health. But Oranges peel and white piths as much as possible. They have less nutritional value and acidic compounds for rabbits. Take precautions before feeding the rabbits. Oranges contain with high amount of sugar. Don’t serve them another sugary treat with Oranges on the same day. Check the guide on how to prepare Oranges for rabbits in this article.

Rabbits’ main source should be hay. We should prioritize hay in the regular diet plan. Overall nutrition can be covered by hay. Unlike humans, fiber is essential for rabbits. It can prevent bad bacteria from forming in the intestines. Some of the bacteria can lead to critical health issues in rabbits. This is why we should give priority to hay. But rabbits can’t live eating hay all day long. We must add veggies and fruits to their daily diet. Oranges are a good source of food treat for rabbits. At the end of this article, I provide you the general diet plan for rabbits. It will help you to understand.

Are Oranges Safer To Be Eaten By Rabbits?

Yes, Oranges are safer to be eaten by rabbits. It is because high sugar content may cause health issues if we feed them more often. It’s definitely safer for rabbits’ health as long as we feed them small Orange portions in moderation.

Don’t try to feed Oranges to baby rabbits. You can start feeding Oranges to more than 4 months older rabbits. Feed them Oranges as an occasional treat. It is really good for rabbits’ health. Don’t try to overfeed food that contains high sugar to your rabbits. It can lead to digestive disorders like GI stasis.

How Often Should We Serve Oranges To Rabbits?

Oranges are not one of the foods we can provide daily to rabbits. It contains high sugar. We must limit Orange treats for a better healthy life for rabbits. Don’t serve other sugary treats with Oranges at the same time. It could be leading to critical health issues in your rabbits.

We recommend giving one or two Orange wedges twice per week. If you want to add another fruit or vegetable at the same time, reduce the treating amounts and serve the rabbits. The best way to provide the treat is according to the body weight. You can provide a mix of fruits, 1 teaspoon of fruits per 2 pounds of your rabbit’s body weight.

Proper Guide To Feed Oranges For Rabbits

There are some precautions we need to take before feeding rabbits. Please follow all the rules to keep your rabbits in good health. If your rabbits eat Oranges for the first time, try very small pieces to check they like it or not. Then try to increase the amount. Keep in mind these fruits and vegetables are only treats for them. Don’t try to fill their whole diet with vegetables and fruits. The main source should be hay & use those in moderation in their diet.

• Frist Pick a good Orange and wash it carefully
• Remove the orange peel and white pith as much as possible, it’s better if we avoid feeding peels to rabbits They have no nutritional value for rabbits.
• Split orange into, wedges it’s easy to feed your rabbits (feed them 1-2 tablespoons of fruit per Two pounds of body weight)
• Try to remove the orange seeds 
• Keep the moderation

If you try foods for the first time for rabbits 

• Don’t try to feed vegetables or fruits until they become 3 months old
• Try leafy vegetables before trying fruits, it’s a healthier step for rabbits (They can adapt to new foods from this)
• Just try one food at a time. Keep feeding them according to a guide until they eat it. Then try new food)
• Keep observing your pet daily. Check whether they have some health issues. If they do, you must stop feeding new food. If they don’t show any kind of issue, you can keep feeding the new foods for few weeks and try another food.

Benefits Of Oranges For Rabbits

Oranges have good benefits if we feed them according to a proper guideline. These benefits are required for the growth and development of the body.

• Vitamin C: Helps to reduce cell and tissue damages.
• Oranges are a good source of fiber. Pectin, cellulose, Hemicellulose, and lignin are the main fiber nutrients contain in orange. These fibers help your rabbits to improve digestive health.
• Potassium: Potassium helps for healthy growth, muscle maintenance, and prevents the risk of heart diseases
• Vitamin B6 is an essential nutrient for rabbits. It helps to enhance the immune system of rabbits & helps to maintain a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B6 removes unwanted chemicals from your rabbit’s liver and kidneys.
• Manganese: It helps for the metabolism of carbohydrates and facts. Manganese and potassium can help to reduce heart disease. Oranges are good for rabbits’ skin because of this manganese. 

Risk Of Overfeeding Oranges For Rabbits

There is some bad side of overfeeding Oranges for them. We must take all the precautions before feeding rabbits.

Oranges contain good nutrition. But it also contains sugar. Overfeeding them can increase the sugar level and it may lead to an increase of bacteria in the belly of rabbits. Rabbits have a simple digestive system.  Overloading the rabbit’s belly with surgery foods can lead to serious digestive discomfort for rabbits.

Oranges seeds are small and slippery. Overfeeding them can increase the probability of stucking in their throat and can lead to choking hazards in rabbits. And orange seeds contain hydrocyanic acid that is bad for rabbits.

Overfeeding Oranges can cause dental problems for rabbits. Because Orange contains sugar and citrus. Make sure to monitor your rabbit’s teeth at least once a month. They will refuse food if they have dental problems.

Can Rabbits Eat Orange Peel (Orange skin)?

Can rabbits eat Orange peels? Orange peels are not recommended for rabbits. Orange peels do not contain a nutritional value for rabbits. But orange peels are not toxic for rabbits. Some rabbit owners serve Orange peels for rabbits. If you want to feed Orange peels for rabbits make sure to only feed organic orange peels to rabbits. Non-organic Orange skin contains pesticides and chemicals that are bad for rabbits’ health.

Even if we washed these Non-organic oranges, some of the chemicals will not remove. That is why most vets do not recommend feeding orange peels to rabbits. It’s much better if we avoid feeding Orange peels to rabbits.

Can Rabbits Eat Orange Seeds?

Orange seeds are small and slippery. They can be stuck in their throat and can lead to choking hazards in rabbits. So why we even take a risk of feeding Orange seed to rabbits. Orange seeds contain hydrocyanic acid that is bad for rabbits.

Try to remove seeds before feeding oranges to rabbits. It’s much better!!!!

Can Rabbits Eat Orange Leaves?

Orange leaves are also not toxic for rabbits. Generally, we need to provide healthy leafy greens for rabbits in their diet. You can provide Orange leaves as an occasional treat for rabbits. Try to feed orange leaves from organic plants.

There are some good leafy greens we can provide rabbits except orange leaves. Try them out, it’s best for your rabbit.

Can Rabbits Eat Mandarin Oranges or Clementine?

YES, Rabbits can eat mandarin oranges. All of the oranges that we can buy from the market are good for rabbits. They have almost the same nutritional value. But we must limit the amounts that we serve rabbits. Overfeeding them can lead to many health issues as we discussed earlier.

Can Rabbits Eat Dried Oranges?

Commercially prepared Dried oranges are not recommended for rabbits. They contain more sugar levels and other harmful ingredients that are harmful to rabbits’ health. Dried oranges are basically made by removing all the water content in the orange. These dried oranges are less healthy for rabbits. If you make dried oranges at home, you can feed them without adding extra sugar and other ingredients. But also keep in mind to feed a limited amount of these dried oranges 

Can Bunnies Eat Oranges?

We must avoid feeding oranges to bunnies less than 4 months old. Bunnies have a sensitive gastrointestinal system more than adult rabbits. We definitely take some precautions before feeding them. Generally, we don’t provide Vegetables or Fruits until they are 3-4 months old. When we changing the foods it can be affected to Bunny’s digestive system. Diarrhea can be a serious health issue for baby rabbits.

Best Common Healthy Diet To Feed Your Rabbit

We need to make a good meal plan for rabbits. We need to provide them with good quality foods. Before feeding rabbits with new food, check whether it’s good for rabbits. As a good Rabbit owner, check whether you cover all the guidelines mentioned below. It’s a general food guide for rabbits.

• Good Quality Grass Hay – I recommend Timothyhay as the most popular/good, all-around unlimited offer to your rabbits. Orchardgrass, meadow fescues are also good for rabbits. Hay is the main food supply. Hay will help your rabbits to stay healthy and strong and maintain a healthy digestive system.
• Fresh Water – Ensure rabbits can have clean, freshwater 24/7. Water bows are most commonly used to supply water for rabbits.
• Provide Good Quality Leafy Greens – Provide them with 5-6 varieties of safe washed green vegetables, weeds, herbs daily (arugula, basil, kale, cabbage, etc.). Try to introduce new greens with small portions.
• Treats & Fresh Fruits – For the safety of rabbits, only provide 1 -2 tablespoons per day. Feed carrots, apples, blueberries, etc.
• Provide Good Quality Pellets – It is good to have a small number of healthy pellets daily. There are too many products out there, keep it in your mind to supply quality and healthy foods for rabbits.

(source -.https://www.rspca.org.uk/)

Summery

Oranges are a safe & good healthy nutritious fruit for rabbits, as long as we provide Oranges as an occasional treat. Oranges are also rich in Vitamin C sugars, dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, calcium &, etc.

Try to remove Orange peel and Orange seeds before feeding the rabbits. We recommend giving one or two Oranges wedges twice per week. Oranges contain high sugar. Keep it in mind to serve them only a limited amount. I think this article covers all the things you should know about Oranges before feeding your Rabbits.

Thank You !!!