Sweet Potatos

[FrankieFlash]

Ok one last question then I’m going to bed. My mom and I just bought dried sweet potatos for her birds and I’m just curious if Buns can have a small portion as a treat?

Mine’s young so I limit treats a lot but it would be nice to have a consensus. Although, I bet the birds are hoping the consensus is no meaning more for them

[bunnyfriend]

I don’t think rabbits can eat sweet potatoes, sorry!

[kinggoblin]

I don’t think so, I’ve read something about not giving them starchy vegetables

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

All squash is ok in terms of not being poison-and sweet potatoe is a squash. However starchy ‘root vegetables’ are very high in carbs and sugar and not good. if you were to give a raisin sized portion I don’t see an issue, but I don’t see the need, on the other hand; a raisin or small peice of banana would be better received and they are tried tested and true for treats

[FrankieFlash]

Ok thanks for advice. The birds will be happy to hear it!

[BinkyBunny]

Like KK said, sweet potato is not poisonous , just starchy. It’s not recommended as a regular staple of the diet, just a small treat. The only exception to that was a diet recommended for my bunny Jack. Sweet potato was included in his “salad” because he could not have any pellets (due to how he processed calcium), but we had to get calories and balanced nutrition in him, and so sweet potato along was included in small portions as recommended by my vet –(he also had 14 other greens/veggies to keep his system hydrated so the sweet potato ratio was small in comparison).

With that being said, I only fed fresh sweet potato — the dried will be even more starchy and full of sugar.    I wouldn’t recommend dried. 

[littlemissflip]

Posted By Kokaneeandkahlua on 11/18/2011 11:13 PM
All squash is ok in terms of not being poison-and sweet potatoe is a squash. However starchy ‘root vegetables’ are very high in carbs and sugar and not good. if you were to give a raisin sized portion I don’t see an issue, but I don’t see the need, on the other hand; a raisin or small peice of banana would be better received and they are tried tested and true for treats

 

Not that it matters much for the purpose of this discussion, but just FYI – sweet potato is not a squash.  Squash (like melons) are a fruit, generally from the family Cucurbita.  Sweet potato are not a fruit, but the starchy tuber (root) from an entirely different plant family (Convolvulaceae).  Both plant families are generally vines, so they could easily be confused in that sense, but they’re not closely related.

Interestingly, the sweet potato is not closely related to the potato either (that’s in the Solanacea family, along with tomatoes, eggplant, peppers…; potatoes being tubers, and tomatoes etc. being fruit).

Anyway, again, it probably doesn’t matter much for this discussion, but my inner botanist can’t help myself

[FrankieFlash]

None of the animals (never tried buns of course) didn’t like it. Oh well! lol.

And I understand littlemissflip about not being able to help yourself, when I hear people talking about human hair or nails I have to try hard not to go all technical. (I’m a licensed cosmetologist)
They say knowledge is a weapon

But you provided some good facts so thanks!

[Mandyyy]

I got a rabbit booklet today made from a Connecticut rabbit rescue, and it says they can eat sweet potato but not as a main dish, more like a treat once in a while.

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