Rabbits have a very sensitive diet. You should not give them sugary foods as regular food. Hay, moderate amounts of pellets, and water are the regular foods of bunnies. Treats (sugary items) are usually added to regular meals to bring variety.
Have you ever thought that all those treats like dates are actually good for your bunny? Keep reading to find out.
You could provide your bunny with a small portion of dates occasionally, even though dates are much more sugary. But we recommend you don’t provide the dates to your bunny. This could cause stomach upset and digestive issues.
What are the reasons you shouldn’t give your bunny date?
No doubt, dates are a nutrient-rich food for humans. It has a high amount of nutrients. Here are some nutritional facts about dates.
Nutrition facts of date
The nutritional value of one date (8g) is as follows
- Calories: 23
- Sugars: 5g
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 0.2mg
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Magnesium: 3.4 mg
- Iron: 0.1 mg
- Protein: 0.2g
- Potassium: 53mg
Source: verywellfit
Take a look at the amount of sugar. A regular date contains 5 grams of sugar. That’s dangerous for your pet bunny.
Your bunny will be fat if you feed it date regularly. It will also be susceptible to microbes.
In addition to obesity, your bunny might not want to eat the regular boring diet if she or he is addicted to this sugary and tasty treat. Therefore, you will be in trouble.
While dates are good for us, they won’t provide any nutrition to your bunny.
Can rabbits eat dried or chopped dates?
Rabbits should not be fed dried, fresh, or chopped dates. They should not be fed any type of date to reduce the chance of obesity and stomach trouble.
Can rabbits eat pitted dates?
Rabbits should not eat pitted dates. Every type of date contains more or less the same nutritional value and a lot of sugar. Sugar is bad for bunnies, so you should not feed them pitted dates.
What should you feed your bunny regularly instead of dates?
Rabbits have a very simple diet. Fiber makes up the majority of their diet. Hay is their main food source. Take a look at the bunny’s regular diet.
| Hay | You should ensure an unlimited supply of hay. Different types of hays are available in the market or your nearby farmhouse. You could provide the alfalfa hay, oat hay, meadow hay, etc. to your bunny. To avoid the wastage of hay, you could use a hay rack in the rabbit cage or hutch. |
| Pellet food | Different types of pellets are available for the bunny. However, Pellets are not the main diet. You could give the pellets as an additional source of energy and nutrients. |
| Water | Water is the most needed in the rabbit diet. Most of the pet bunnies don’t want to drink water at the beginning. You could use a water bottle or bowl to ensure a regular supply of water. During the winter, you could use a heated water bottle to avoid the water from freezing. |
| Rabbit-safe treat (includes vegetables and low sugary fruits) | You could provide the treats once or twice a week to your bunny. Most of the treats contain like dates a high amounts of sugar. that is ultimately bad for your bunny in the long run. |
Final Thoughts
Dates are not harmful to your bunny if he eats a small amount. However, don’t provide dates as regular food. There are a lot of rabbit-safe treats available around you. Consider providing one of them.
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