Avocado contains about 73% water, 15% fats, 8.5% carbohydrates mainly composed of fibers and about 2% proteins. It also has vitamin K, C, B5, B6, E, folate, potassium as well as small quantities of Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, magnesium, copper, iron zinc, phosphorous among others.
This highly calorific fruit with about 160 calories per 100 grams helps in improving heart health, weight loss, reducing arthritis symptoms, lowers cholesterol, is a source of fiber, as well as neutralizing free radicals since it has various antioxidants including carotenoids, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, E, and lutein.
Avocado sounds very healthy for human beings. What about rabbits and other herbivorous pets? Can they eat it including its skin and leaves?
Can I give my rabbits avocados?
No. Rabbits cannot eat avocado since it contains a chemical known as “persin, which is truly toxic for rabbits and other pets. They are very dangerous fruits which should never be given to pets. They also contain lots of fats,” notes Animalwised.com.
According to Veterinarycentre.co.nz, this fruit joins other foods such as “potatoes, daffodil, rhubarb, lilies, mushrooms, broad beans, oak, sweet pea, buttercup, kidney beans, jasmine, nightshade, snowdrop, privet, hemlock, foxglove, Iceberg lettuce and any leaves from evergreen trees” which are harmful to bunnies.
Victoria State Government also warms bunny owners from feeding them with avocado as well as other foods such as chips, chocolate, biscuits, rice, bread, and lollies. They are all harmful.
This fruit is deadly if your furry friends ingest it. Some of the symptoms your furry friends may develop on ingesting avocado may include respiratory distress, edema, congestion and heart failure which can lead to death.
As herbivores, a bunny’s digestive system is designed to hand foods with a lot of fiber (cellulose), low carbs, sugars, and fats. Therefore, besides the toxic persin, fats, carbohydrates, and the empty calories may make your bunny gain weight and be obese as well as present digestion challenges.
]Bottom line: Rabbits should not be giving avocado since it has persin which is poisonous as well as a lot of fats, and it is highly calorific.
What about avocado skin and leaves?
As already hinted, you need to keep away from the leaves of all evergreen shrubs and trees. Bunnyhugga.com adds all flowers that grow from bulbs as not safe for rabbits.
Similarly, do not give them avocado skin. It is neither safe for them too. Keep off anything from this evergreen tropical plant from your furry friends since all part of this tropical plant has persin.
Bottom line: Do not give your rabbits avocado leaves or their skin as they are harmful and contain persin, which is toxic.
Conclusion
A perfect rabbit diet should have over 80% hay, about 5% high fiber pellets like Oxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics Essentials Adult Rabbit Pet Food or Small Pet Select Rabbit Food Pellets and the rest fresh foods. Fresh fruits should contain about 75% leafy greens while the remainder which should be given as occasional treats should be not-leafy vegetables and fruits that rabbits eat.
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