Acorns (oaknuts) are nuts from oaks as well as nuts from oak’s close relative genera Lithocarpus and Quercus. Please don’t confuse them with acorn squashes. The nut has a tough leathery shell and a single seed inside (rarely two).
Do rabbits eat acorns?
Yes. Wild rabbits eat acorns. Also, some mammals like fox squirrels, mice, voles, raccoons, opossums, flying squirrels, as well as a few other rodents eat these nuts, especially once they ripen and fall.
Besides rabbits, larger mammals like pigs, red and gray foxes, wild hogs, deer and bears as well as birds like jays, some ducks, pigeons, wild turkeys, crows, quails, some woodpecker among other animals.
Finally, humans consumed various places, but staples have replaced their consumption. However, some Korean and Native Americans still eat them.
Are acorns good for rabbits?
The fact that rabbits eat particular food doesn’t say if they are suitable and safe or not. During scarcities, these animals may eat foods they wouldn’t eat under normal conditions.
Therefore acorns are not good for rabbits and don’t feed them to your bunnies. Yes, they are an excellent source of copper, manganese, magnesium, vitamin B6, and folate and have smaller amounts of zinc, phosphorus, potassium, iron, pentatonic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamine. Additionally, they also have protein 6.15 g per 100mg with over 18 amino acids.
However, like most other nuts, they are very high in carbohydrates, standing 40.75 g per 100g, and high in fats 23.85 g per 100g. Ideal rabbit diets are low in carbohydrates, high in fiber, and have about 1-3% total fats.
Excessive carbohydrates may cause a shift in microflora organisms, causing digestion problems, diarrhea, gas, and bloating. Also, they may cause weight gain and affect normal food movement in the digestive tract. Why else should you insist on giving them to your furry friends?
On the other hand, foods high in fats may cause obesity, hepatic lipidosis, hurt their GI, and cause aorta atherosclerosis.
Finally, House Rabbit Society lists oaks as well as acorns as toxic or poisonous to rabbits. Perhaps their toxicity is related to tannins, which are harmful to horses and cattle.
In cattle, their metabolism produces tannic acid that will cause not only ulceration but also kidney failure.
The right diets are essential
Stick to the right diets that majorly consist of grassy hay (at least 80%), safe greens (10-15%), high fiber pellets (5%), and treats (0-5%). Treats include fruits, non-leafy veggies, herbs, flowers, and commercial bunny treats.
Just because they may seem to like a particular food doesn’t justify you giving them more. Domestic rabbits, at times, eat many things that may harm them.
Conclusion
Acorns are nutritious, they, together with other masts, attract wild animals, and wild rabbits are known to eat them. However, don’t give your domestic bunny these nuts or oak leaves. They are unhealthy and potentially toxic.
Acorns and other nuts are NOT safe for rabbits to eat and the way you have this article written is going to get some of them killed when a person is trying to see if it’s safe for their pet rabbit. You start the entire article by saying that yes, rabbits (and other small animals) eat acorns and imply that it’s safe but only once someone has read halfway through the entire article do you finally disclose that it’s not SAFE for them to eat acorns. If I had just relied on the short summary that shows up on google then my rabbit could be dead right now. You need to clarify that it is DANGEROUS for rabbits to eat acorns in the BEGINNING of the article before people start losing pets unnecessarily.