Can you feed your rabbit barley and is it safe?
Yes, you can feed your bunny barley. It is highly nutritious. But you have to keep in mind that you feed your furry friend barley in moderation.
Taking care of your rabbit’s diet will be one of your biggest worries. Well, don’t worry because in this article we will look into whether you should include barley and how much in your rabbit’s diet.
Let us hop straight in…
Is Barley Good For Rabbits?
Barley is a good addition to your rabbit’s diet. Barley is one of the healthiest food you can give to your rabbit. it is a grain that contains many health benefits.
Barley is packed with nutrients. your rabbit’s digestive system is capable of processing Barley. Barley is safe for your rabbit to consume.
Barley is really good for your rabbit because it contains an incredibly high level of protein, unlike many other plans.
Let us see how good the barley is by checking what 100 grams of barley contains:
| Nutrient | Hulled Barley | Pearl Barley |
|---|---|---|
| Energy (calories) | 354 | 352 |
| Protein (g) | 12.5 | 9.9 |
| Fat (g) | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 73.5 | 77.7 |
| Fiber (g) | 17.3 | 15.6 |
| Calcium (milligrams [mg]) | 33 | 29 |
| Iron (mg) | 3.6 | 2.5 |
| Magnesium (mg) | 133 | 79 |
| Phosphorus (mg) | 264 | 221 |
| Potassium (mg) | 452 | 280 |
| Sodium (mg) | 12 | 9 |
| Manganese (mg) | 1.9 | 1.32 |
| Selenium (micrograms [mcg]) | 37.7 | 37.7 |
| Folate (mcg) | 19 | 23 |
In all honesty, bunnies are entirely defenseless to disease. To such an extent that 60% of all female rabbits aged over three will have cancer filling in their uterus.
Remembering that, the high content of selenium and beta-glucan that can be found in the grain can assist your rabbit with bringing down the opportunity of this horrible sickness.
The benefit of barley is that 13 grams out of 100 are protein. This is good for lactating rabbits.
However as we mentioned in the introduction, even though barley comes with all these benefits, we should still feed it to the rabbits in moderation. Even though rabbits have high toxin tolerance, it may still affect them.
Barley won’t kill your rabbits but it can cause serious digestion issues or problems. We suggest you seek the assistance of the vet in case of any issues with your rabbit.
Can Rabbits Eat Barley Grass?
Barley grass can be used to feed your rabbit. It provides great nutritional value. It acts as an extra nutritional boost for your rabbit.
Barley grass should be given to the rabbit before it ripens. If it ripens it will lose its nutritional value.
You can identify if it is ripe by looking at the color of the grass. The green grass is good to eat. If it turns golden brown then it is not good for eating instead can only be used for bedding.
Is Barley Grass Good For Rabbits?
Barley grass is safe for rabbits to eat. Barley grass has a good concentration of nutrients. Barley grass can be digested easily by the rabbits as it is one of the most natural food for a rabbit to eat.
You should only introduce barley grass into your rabbit’s diet gradually. After a while, you leave your rabbits to graze freely but under supervision.
It contains many nutrients, including Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, and Omega-3 fatty acids. It is high in fiber and protein. Barley Grass is low in sugars. It also contains chlorophyll.
Can Rabbits Eat Barley Fodder?
Barley fodder is sprouted barley grain and can be used to feed Rabbits. It is highly digestible and is packed with nutrients.
Barley fodder provides a good supply of vitamins A, E, C, and B complex. The vitamin content of some seeds can increase by up to 20 times their original value within several days of sprouting.
The best part about barley fodder is that any rabbit owner can grow it at their home with minimum expense. If you have a light source, a controlled temperature, water, and a well-ventilated and low-moisture environment to prevent mold, then you are good to go to grow your fodder.
The first step to growing your fodder is to acquire good quality barley grains. Barley is very a common grain and can be purchased from the market easily.
Then you will have to soak the grain in a big vessel. You have to make sure you have to fill up the water a few inches higher than the grain. You have to soak the grain for almost 7-12 hours.
The next step is to drain the water and let the barley sprout. You have to pour out the water but still keep the barley moist. You have to rinse the grain 1-2 times to clean it and keep it moist.
After keeping it moist for 6-7 days, your barley will be sprouted and is good to be harvested. It is then good to feed your furry friends.
Can Rabbits Eat Malted Barley?
Rabbits can consume malted barley. It is safe for rabbits to ingest malted barley.
Malted barley is a source of rapid energy booster for rabbits because of the sugar and starch presence. Malted barley also contains high content of natural enzymes and high content of antioxidants.
Malted barley aids in digestion in rabbits keeping them healthy and energetic. It also helps the animals to adjust to weather conditions.
Is Barley Straw OK For Rabbits?
Barley straws are ideally used for rabbit bedding. It comparatively has very less nutritional value and is not good to feed your rabbit. But it is safe if your rabbit nibbles them.
Barley makes the perfect material for bedding for your bunny. It is softer than wheat straw. Because it is softer it will be ideal for the sensitive feet of your rabbit.
Barley straw is also good in absorbing humidity keeping your rabbit comfortable. Straw is great for insulating and is used for bedding to keep furry friends warm on cold winter nights.
When you choose the bedding material for the rabbit, make sure it is a material that is safe for your rabbit in case your rabbit ingests it, which makes barley straw perfect for your rabbit’s bedding.
While using barley straw as bedding, you have to make sure you top it with hay, otherwise, the rabbits could eat away the straw and get addicted to it. Since straw doesn’t have any additional nutritional value, rabbits eating the straw should not be encouraged.
Can Rabbits Eat Whole Barley?
Rabbits can eat whole barley. It is safe for them to ingest whole barley. It won’t cause any digestion issues or problems in your rabbit. It is recommended to give whole barleys in a very small amount for your furry friend.
Can Rabbits Eat Barley Flour?
Barley Flour is an ingredient that is present in many kinds of cereal and rabbit treats. Hence, rabbits can eat barley flour.
Even though it is safe for the rabbits to ingest the flour it is not recommended to give them as a stand-alone meal. It is better to use the flour in a low amount for your rabbit.
Can Rabbits Eat Barley Seeds?
Some food is recommended to be kept away from rabbits and seeds are one of them. Barley seeds are not suitable to feed the rabbit as it is.
Barley seeds are hard for rabbits to digest and you have to avoid giving them to the rabbit. Seeds can make rabbits extremely sick and you should take the rabbit to the vet immediately in case your bunny ingests the seed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can rabbit eat cucumber?
Cucumber is non-toxic to rabbits, and most enjoy the taste. Rabbits can safely eat cucumber flesh, skin, and seeds. However, cucumber contains few nutrients and has high water content. It can cause diarrhea if eaten in excess.
Can the rabbit eat the banana?
Rabbits should not be fed a piece of banana that’s bigger than an adult human’s thumb. This is because bananas are rich in starch and sugar, which can take a toll on a rabbit’s digestive tract.
Final Words
So now you have the answer! Yes, rabbits can eat barley!!
It is safe for your bunny to ingest barley but it’s better to stick to the recommended amount of Barley. Feeding the rabbit with a surplus of barley can cause sickness in your rabbit and you should see a vet immediately in such cases.
We hope this article solved all your queries about feeding your rabbit barley. Comment down if you have any queries.
