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If you don’t have anything else, your ducks can eat rabbit food for a short period or as an occasional treat.
This food is not made for duck nutritional needs, and rabbit food should not be the replacement for commercial duck food.
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I’ll explain more shortly, but for now, you should know that your ducks can eat rabbit pellets as an occasional snack, nothing more than that.
What’s in Rabbit Feed?
First of all, rabbits and ducks are quite different animals.
The biggest, and in this case, most relevant difference is that rabbits are strict herbivores, while ducks are omnivorous.
Rabbits only eat vegetables, fruits, plants… They don’t eat meat.
Actually, rabbits can’t digest meat, and giving a rabbit a piece of meat could make them feel sick.
So, in almost any commercial rabbit food, you will find around 85% hay, protein level is approximately 14%, and calcium is pretty low (max 1%).
On the Other Side – Our little feathered friends need meat. They will eat almost anything. But what’s more important here is that rabbit food is not good enough for ducks.
You can give your ducks rabbit feed as an occasional snack.
But if you thought you could feed your ducks with rabbit food for a more extended period, you should know that will harm their long-term health.
How Much Rabbit Food Ducks Can Eat?
On your duck menu should be commercial duck food exclusively.
That’s because this food gives them the nutrition they need daily.
Occasionally, you can mix it with rabbit food (max 20%) and give them as a treat. If you run out of duck feed, you can give them rabbit pellets until you buy your next bag (a few days top).
But, you should know that rabbit feed is not good enough for omnivorous animals.
I’m saying that because some people feed their ducks daily with rabbit food.
The fact is that rabbit’s pellets are duck-safe items to feed them, but relying only on that food for ducks is not suitable for their development.
What About Wild Ducks?
In case you wonder can wild ducks eat rabbit food, the short answer is yes.
However, wild ducks (omnivorous animals) need protein from meat, and rabbit feed doesn’t have that.
Rabbits are herbivores, meaning they eat veggies and fruits but don’t eat meat.
Heads Up! Even though rabbit food won’t hurt wild ducks, you should know that this type of food does not provide ducks with all the nutrients they need for a healthy life.
Should Ducklings Eat Rabbit Food?
Ducklings will benefit from the nutrients they get from commercial food.
Rabbit food won’t provide niacin, protein level, calcium, and many more nutrients they need.
Even though rabbit food is not toxic or anything like that, you shouldn’t be serving baby ducks that type of food simply because it is not nutritious enough for the first few weeks of their lives.
Wrapping Up
Ducks need protein from meat, and rabbit feed is not providing that.
It would be best if you remembered that your ducks should be fed the food created for omnivores for optimal health and growth.
But, once in a while, you can give your duck’s rabbit food as a rare treat.
I hope I have helped and wish you an enjoyable time feeding your ducks.
They must be happy having someone looking after them.