Veterinarians are often asked whether it is possible to give dill and parsley to rabbits separately from all other products? All experts recommend introducing parsley into the diet only with dry food or other vegetables. Any greens are extremely beneficial for the rodent’s digestive system, but only in combination with the main food.
They are not suitable as the main components of the diet; they are more of a delicacy. The large amount of essential oils contained in these herbs can lead to serious problems with the pet’s digestive system.
Allergic manifestations are not typical for rabbits, but an excess of a particular substance can lead to individual intolerance and, as a consequence, the death of the animal.
Benefit
The diet of rabbits is an important component of their health, since these lagomorphs are very sensitive to changes in the quality and structure of food. Parsley is a rich source of vitamin C and the bioflavonoid luteolin. These substances are considered natural anti-inflammatory agents and stimulate digestive processes.
The positive effect of parsley on the body of decorative rabbits consists of the following properties:
- Preventing allergic reactions, strengthening the body's own immunity.
- Destruction of third-party bacterial and fungal microflora.
- Removing salts from the body, reducing swelling, normalizing the functioning of the urinary system.
Dill contains useful substances such as magnesium, iron, vitamins A and B.
It is precisely its vitamin and mineral composition that dill owes a host of beneficial properties:
- Strengthens the cardiovascular system.
- Prevents the formation of stones and sand in the urinary system.
- Relieves eating disorders.
- Relieves the symptoms of allergic reactions that have occurred.
Despite the rich content, veterinarians do not give a definite answer to the question of whether dill and parsley can be given to rabbits. Among the disadvantages of this type of greens is a bitter taste, which can affect the animal’s taste buds so that it begins to refuse food.
However, this statement is controversial. But there is a possibility that the new product may cause disruption in the gastrointestinal tract. In general, these herbs are good for both ornamental and meat breeds of rabbits.
Important! Feeding dill to pregnant mothers is allowed no more than twice a week. After giving birth, it is recommended to increase feeding of these greens to once every two days, as it improves the chemical composition of rabbit milk.
Chemical composition
Dill is a spicy plant belonging to the Apiaceae family; Asia is considered its homeland. It has long been used not only in cooking, but also for medicinal purposes, due to its composition. It contains essential oils, vitamins and micro- and macroelements.
Let's look at what vitamins are present in the above-ground parts of the plant:
- Beta carotene. In the body of rabbits it is converted into retinol.
- C (ascorbic acid). Strengthens vascular walls and increases the activity of phagocytes.
- E (tocopherol). A natural antioxidant that has a beneficial effect on the reproductive system of animals.
- B vitamins, including folic acid. They promote the normal course of metabolic processes, improve the functioning of the nervous system and digestion, and promote better tissue regeneration.
The following microelements were found in dill greens:
Attention! The lack of these microelements in the body of rabbits can provoke the development of various diseases and disrupt metabolism.
Harm
Most often, parsley and dill have a negative effect on the rabbit’s body due to their excessive feeding, so the percentage of basic food and vitamin greens must be monitored.
You should not include fresh parsley freshly picked from the garden in your rabbits' diet:
- Firstly , it may contain bacterial cultures that are harmful to lagomorphs.
- Secondly , the high content of essential oils in parsley can provoke intestinal disorders when consumed in uncontrolled quantities, so you need to be very careful with the dosage and gradually include parsley in your diet.
If greens have led to indigestion and loss of appetite, then it is not recommended to continue feeding them to animals. Just like parsley, fresh dill is not suitable for feeding to rabbits.
It must be dried first so that the majority of the essential oils evaporate and the bitter taste of the greens does not discourage rabbits from eating other foods.
Beneficial features
Parsley is beneficial for rabbits as it helps strengthen their immunity. It should be given to lactating rabbits to stimulate milk production. For males, this greenery is valuable as it enhances the function of the gonads. It is good to feed parsley to breeding males.
This green has anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects. If your pet is diagnosed with stomatitis, you can treat him with parsley. The plant promotes normal digestion and eliminates symptoms of flatulence.
Chopped parsley for rabbits
Rules for feeding dill and parsley
Before serving greens to your pet, they must be rinsed under warm running water, shaken off moisture and kept at room temperature until the foliage begins to wither.
As a rich source of vitamins and minerals, both parsley and dill should be fed along with nettle, dandelion, coltsfoot, radish tops, plantain and carrot tops.
Important! The mass fraction of vitamin greens should be no more than 5% of the daily diet, so its amount must be determined based on the total mass of feed that the animal receives.
At what age can you feed?
It is not recommended to feed such greens to lagomorphs under six months of age. The essential oils contained in it in large quantities disrupt the digestive processes and microflora of the rabbit intestine, which is finally formed only by the sixth month of life.
In what quantity and how often can I give?
The stems of such greenery cannot serve as a staple food. Young individuals under one year of age can be given a sprig once every two days, and adults can be given one sprig daily, alternating parsley and dill. It is necessary to introduce greens into the diet gradually, starting with a few leaves once a week.
What products can it be combined with?
The green vitamin supplement is best combined with grain feeds such as oats, barley, peas, corn, as well as bean hay, grass seeds and special compound feeds. The use of feed mixtures artificially enriched with nitrogenous substances is not allowed - they lead to digestive disorders of lagomorphs.
What other greens can be included in the diet?
Fresh plants will enrich the rabbit’s diet with a complex of valuable vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients.
A moderate addition of vegetables and fruits will make your diet varied and more natural. The tasty, juicy morsels are great for rewarding your bunny while training or just for expressing warm feelings.
Fruits and green parts of many plants are suitable for feeding rabbits. Some types can be given daily, others containing excess carbohydrates are offered occasionally.
In addition, there are poisonous plants that should not be fed under any circumstances. It should be noted that some of them partially lose their toxic properties when dried, for example buttercups and wild mustard, and this is another argument in favor of hay.
Poisonous plants:
- Ranunculaceae: buttercups, larkspur, lumbago, aconite
- Aroids: arum, calliper
- Umbelliferae: vekh, hemlock, water meadowsweet
- Lilies: crow's eye, colchicum
- Nightshades: henbane, datura
- Norichinaceae: foxglove, auran
- Cruciferous: wild mustard
- Cloveaceae: cockle sativum
From left to right: caustic buttercup, varietal buttercup, spotted hemlock
Not all parts of plants are equally toxic. For example, you can offer your rabbit a small cherry tomato or some boiled potatoes, but you should absolutely not give them the leaves and stems of these vegetable plants.
Although rabbits should not eat pasture on a regular basis, they can still be given those parts of vegetables that are usually thrown away - the top leaves of white cabbage, stems and leaves of cauliflower and broccoli after separating the inflorescences, carrot leaves.
These fibrous vegetable scraps have no value for humans, but are rich in fiber that is beneficial for rabbits.
Vegetables and fruits are introduced into the diet gradually and one type at a time. This will allow you to monitor the rabbit’s reaction and immediately eliminate those that the pet does not like or cause digestive upset.
Overfeeding another popular vegetable - cabbage of any kind - can cause fermentation and bloating.
Recommendations for feeding fresh vegetables and fruits
| Plant part | Plant type | Can I feed it? |
| Bulbs | Onion garlic | No |
| Tubers | Potatoes, sweet potatoes | No |
| Beans | Beans, lentils, peas, soybeans | No |
| Roots | Carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips, rutabaga | Limited |
| Fruit | Cucumber, sweet pepper, pumpkin, apples, zucchini, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, pears, banana tomatoes | Limited |
| Stems | Celery, chard, broccoli | Yes, very useful |
| Leaves | White and leaf cabbage, spinach, carrot, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry leaves, romaine lettuce (not iceberg) | |
| Inflorescences | Broccoli, cauliflower heads |
Many spicy plants grown on a windowsill or in the garden are an excellent healthy treat with an abundance of minerals and vitamins, essential oils and phytoncides.
How to collect and prepare correctly?
Those who plan to prepare summer greens for the entire autumn-winter period should remember that only high-quality greens grown without the use of fertilizers can benefit rabbits.
When harvesting, you need to carefully ensure that plants with leaf plates similar to parsley or dill, which are poisonous to rabbits, do not get into the feed mass.
The procurement procedure is as follows:
- Collection must be carried out in dry and warm weather. In this case, the green mass will dry out much faster and will not rot.
- After collection, the resulting leaf mass must be sorted, removing all wilted and damaged leaves.
- The sorted stems should be thoroughly washed, shaken and dried by laying them out on paper or terry towels.
- Then the greens need to be disassembled into small bunches , tied with thread and hung down with the foliage in a warm and dry room. They should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
- The greens must be dried until they are brittle , which usually takes three days to a week.
The permissible shelf life of dried herbs does not exceed twelve months.
In order for greens to be stored well and preserve their beneficial properties, they must:
- remove from drying in bunches;
- pack in canvas or put in a glass container;
- hide in a dry place protected from sunlight.
Is it possible to give nettles?
Nettle is very useful for rabbits - any breeder and even biologist will tell you this. It can be given to female rabbits after giving birth, as well as to growing young animals. Vegetable nettle protein is absorbed much better than various animal protein components that are sometimes given to farm animals.
Feeding nettle greens provides rabbits with protein, which is necessary for the formation of muscle mass. Therefore, it is especially useful for rabbits that are raised for meat.
Starting from the age of three weeks, you can give this plant to rabbits in a specially prepared form. For rabbits during pregnancy and during feeding, this product perfectly stimulates lactation.
In addition to protein, healthy greens also contain vitamins and have antibacterial properties. An additional convenience is that it can be prepared for future use in the summer.
Then in winter your rabbits will have a nutritious supplement to their regular hay and other feeds.
