Can Ducks Eat Cantaloupe? (Yes, Here’s Why)
Cantaloupe is full of healthy and refreshing vitamins and minerals, making it a perfect snack for both humans and animals. But can ducks eat cantaloupe? Yes, they can! Cantaloupe is packed with a range of nutrients like beta-carotene and Vitamin C and has high water content.
You should start feeding your ducks’ cantaloupe. However, when introducing your ducks to a new food, it’s always a good idea to research the benefits and risks. Keep reading to find out why cantaloupe is good for ducks.
Is Cantaloupe Good for Ducks?
Cantaloupe is a common fruit in American households but is quite rare in other parts of the world. If you have some spare cantaloupe and would like to share it with your ducks, it’s important to check whether it’s safe.
Cantaloupe is perfectly safe for ducks. It adds some good nutrition to their diet. It contains beta-carotene, Vitamin C, Folate, plenty of water, fiber, calcium, and other minerals.
| Nutrient | Amount in 1 cup (177 g) |
| Energy (calories) | 60.2 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 14.4 of which 13.9 g sugar |
| Fiber (g) | 1.6 |
| Calcium (mg) | 15.9 |
| Iron (mg) | 0.4 |
| Magnesium (mg) | 21.2 |
| Phosphorus (mg) | 26.6 |
| Potassium (mg) | 473 |
| Sodium (mg) | 28.3 |
| Selenium (mcg) | 0.7 |
| Fluoride (mcg) | 1.8 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 65 |
| Beta Carotene (mcg) | 3,240 |
| Vitamin A (mcg RAE) | 270 |
| Folate (mcg DFE) | 37.2 |
| Lutein + Zeaxanthin (mcg) | 46 |
| Tocopherol, gamma (mg) | 0.2 |
| Vitamin K (mcg) | 4.4 |
Beta-carotene will ensure your laying ducks continue to provide you with good-quality eggs with a perfect orange yolk.
Vitamin C has several benefits for your feathered friends. It will ensure you get more eggs, improve their immune system, and relieve heat stress that may be caused by hot weather.
Cantaloupe does have some folate but not a significant percentage. Ducklings are prone to folate deficiency and feeding them this melon will go a long way in preventing it. Common symptoms of folate deficiency include a decrease in growth rate and anemia.
Like in humans, fiber helps improve digestion in ducks. So, providing them with cantaloupe will enable them to have an easy time digesting whatever else you feed them.
We all want our ducks to be strong and produce healthy eggs. Calcium helps in strengthening their bones and making their eggshells thick so that they don’t break easily.
Last but not least, cantaloupe is composed of around 90% water. This doesn’t mean that you should replace clean drinking water with this melon for your ducks. The high water content means that your waterfowl will be well hydrated, especially in hot surroundings and digestion will be hassle-free.
Though it has all these positive health effects, you should only feed cantaloupe as a treat. About 90% of your duck’s diet should be commercial feed to ensure all its nutritional needs are met.
Can Ducks Eat Cantaloupe Seeds and Rind?
Ducks can eat cantaloupe flesh, seeds, and rind, yes. They’re all safe for them but the tastes differ. The flesh is the most delicious part and ducks love it the most. The high water content makes it a great snack for them when they’re roaming in hot weather.
Whole cantaloupe seeds will cause no harm to your ducks if ingested but you can also get dry ones and grind them before feeding them to your waterfowls.
The rind is also harmless when consumed by your flock. Be that as it may, ducks will often avoid it as it proves too tough for them to peck at. So, don’t be surprised if they show no interest in eating the rind.
How to Feed Cantaloupe to Ducks
There are a number of ways you can use to feed cantaloupe to your ducks.
The first is you can slice it into smaller sections like quarters and eighths instead of feeding them large pieces. The chopping could prove useful when incentivizing your ducks to eat the rind.
The second way is you can grind dry seeds and make a good mix with other common treats like yogurt.
What Other Fruits and Vegetables can Ducks Eat?
Cantaloupe is okay for ducks to eat. Here are other vegetables and fruits that are also safe for them:
- Kiwi Fruit
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Bell Peppers
Summary – Can Ducks Eat Cantaloupe?
Cantaloupe is fine to be fed to ducks. All parts of it are safe for them. Cantaloupe offers a good range of health benefits to ducks that include improved digestion and healthier eggs.
If you can spare some cantaloupe, don’t be afraid to share it with your feathered friends.
