Few people don’t like to eat bananas. Bananas are made for being consumed by humans or other animals with hands. They come in a nifty package protected from insects and other animals. Easy peeled and even easier to consume. Even those who can’t access bananas in their natural diet enjoy eating bananas.
Ducks can and love to eat bananas. Bananas, amongst other fruits like grapes, melon, strawberries, and pears, make an excellent treat to ducks. Bananas should be given bananas a treat from time to time. However, it’s important to serve it in smaller pieces and portions.
It’s important to slice the bananas into coin-shaped pieces or mash them up before serving. If the banana is served in a too large piece, the choking hazard increases, and the duck will reject it.
Bananas contain Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, and Iron which all is very important.
Can ducks eat bananas?
Ducks can and will eat bananas if they are given to them. Bananas make an excellent treat for ducks. It shouldn’t be given daily, but instead more rarely. I give my ducks only bananas once a week. The high amount of sugar and calories in bananas should be avoided but works excellent as an occasional treat.
Besides bananas, there are many other fruits ducks can eat. So many, that I even compiled a resource going over 30 fruits and wrote whether ducks could eat the fruits or not.
What is the best way to serve bananas to ducks?
Ducks prefer food when it is easy to swallow since they don’t chew their food. It should be given near or in water so they easily can gobble it down with some water.
My preferred way of serving bananas to ducks is using an egg slicer and throwing the bananas into a bucket of water. That way, the ducks get their bananas in smaller pieces, it’s quick to do, and they get their bananas very moist and easy to eat.
Some like to mash the bananas, which also works fine. I feel it’s too messy when dealing with several ducks.
Can ducks eat the banana peel?
Ducks can eat the banana peel. You must remove the hard parts of the peel first. The top and the bottom. Check the peel for mold before serving it. The peel must also be cut into tiny pieces. I try to cut pieces, so they aren’t bigger than the nail of my thumb.
From what I’ve noticed, the peel isn’t as attractive as the bananas themselves, and sometimes the peels get ignored. The best way I’ve gathered is to add the cut peels along with the banana in a water bucket. That way, the ducks “accidentally” eat the banana peels as well.
Do ducks like to eat bananas?
Ducks not only like to eat bananas – they love it. I don’t know what’s appealing with bananas, but I imagine it’s the sweet taste combined with the moist texture they thrive for. It doesn’t take long until a banana has been devoured in my backyard.
Is it safe for ducks to eat bananas?
Bananas are completely safe to feed ducks. You can give the banana as well as the peel to them. However, I wouldn’t suggest offering the banana plant leaves to the ducks. They don’t provide anything in return besides a boring texture. There’s nothing toxic about neither the banana, peel, or leaves. The only safety concerns are feeding them in small pieces, tiny portions, and rarely.
Safe ways to feed bananas to ducks
I’ve tried different ways to give bananas to the ducks in my backyard to provide them the safest way to consume them. I will give you my best advice to have in mind when feeding ducks to your ducks.
Cut them into smaller pieces.
This is the most important one. You can’t give an entire banana to the ducks and hoping for them to resolve it. The banana will either get ignored or get stuck inside a duck throat, choking them.
I use an egg slicer which makes the process much quicker and easier. For the peel, I use a knife and cut it into half an inch squares. The banana slices and peel cuts are then dropped into a bucket of water.
Moderation is important
Bananas are high in calories and sugar. Bananas also take up much space in the duck’s stomach. It’s, therefore, important to give bananas in moderation. I try to aim for a maximum of half a banana per duck. That equals around 40 calories and still leaves some room for other foods.
Not too often
Bananas shouldn’t be seen as a staple in the duck’s diet but instead as an occasional treat. Bananas don’t provide all the vital vitamins needed in its diet and should only be given as a treat once in a while. I give my backyard ducks bananas once a week and only half a banana per duck.
Unripe, too ripe or even moldy
Ensure the banana doesn’t have any mold before serving it. Unripe bananas may be good for humans, but it can be a bit too hard for ducks to swallow unripe bananas. If a banana has turned all brown inside, you should avoid serving it to the ducks. Some brown spots are still fine.
Can ducks eat dried banana chips?
Ducks shouldn’t eat dried banana chips. Dried bananas are almost entirely sugar. When the moisture is gone, the only things left are fibers and sugar. The hard chip makes it hard for the duck to consume and easily get stuck in their throat, making it a choking hazard. Would you please not feed dried banana chips to your ducks? Feed them fresh bananas instead.
Can ducks eat the brown part of the banana?
Ducks don’t mind the color of the banana, and feeding them a small piece of brown bananas is safe. However, you shouldn’t feed them completely browned bananas since there are spoiling. The acids have been removed, and left is an over-ripe, brown, mushy mess. Although there are more antioxidants in browned bananas, you should avoid feeding them completely browned. If there are some brown spots on the banana, it’s fine. However, you should be extra careful around brown bananas and be extra thorough when looking for mold.
How often can I feed bananas to my ducks?
Bananas should be fed regularly as a treat, but not daily. Every duck in my backyard receives half a banana weekly. They have started to learn when it is banana time and rushes towards me.
Bananas are 100 calories per 100g and usually weigh around 80 grams.
How much banana should I feed the ducks?
Since bananas contain much sugar and take up space in their stomach, a reasonable amount would be half a banana per duck. Half a banana is around 40 calories and keeps the duck full and satisfied without making them too full. They will try to look for more food that day and avoid being malnourished.
So, in conclusion, if you have 10 ducks, bring 5 bananas.
Can ducks eat nice cream?
Nice cream is frozen bananas blended into a cream with the same texture as ice cream. Ducks can definitely have nice cream. However, it’s important to portion control and not give them too much.
In the video below, you learn how to make nice cream. Make sure to keep it plain for the ducks and not add any other flavors. If you want to try nice cream yourself, my recommendation is to add blueberries.
Can ducks eat banana bread?
Although bananas are good for ducks to eat, bread isn’t. Banana bread is just regular bread with bananas. It would be best if you neither offered banana bread or regular bread to ducks. Bread fills the duck’s stomach without providing corresponding nutrients in return. If the duck’s stomach is filled with bread, it won’t feel the urge to look for other food, which may cause malnourishment.
Health benefits from feeding bananas to ducks?
Bananas contain Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, and Iron which all play an important part in the duck’s body.
Vitamin B6 in the bananas for ducks
Vitamin B6 is good for metabolism and helps to build new red blood cells. The body itself can’t produce red blood self and rely on food to do so.
Vitamin C in bananas for ducks
Vitamin C works as an antioxidant and provides the body in multiple ways. Vitamin C is known to be able to help with building, repairing, and growing body tissues.
Potassium in bananas for ducks
Potassium helps with the fluid balance in the body and helps to regulate the nerve cells.
Magnesium in bananas for ducks
Magnesium helps to increase energy levels, better heart health and provides a night of better sleep.
Calcium in bananas for ducks
Calcium strengthens the skeleton and is very important in a duck’s diet. Ducks don’t fly as much as other birds and rely more on their legs on land and water, and they require stronger bones than other birds.
Iron in bananas for ducks
Iron build hemoglobin that helps transport oxygen to different parts of the body.
Conclusion
Ducks can eat bananas, and they most certainly will like it. It’s important not to feed them bananas too often since bananas have high sugar content.
It’s important to feed the banana mashed or in small pieces. I prefer using an egg slicer since it gives an excellent size and makes the process quicker. I add the slices into a bucket of water and serve them.
You can also feed ducks the banana peel, as long as the hard parts (top and bottom) are removed and the rest is cut into tiny pieces. Half an inch or as big as your thumbnail is good.
Bananas should be served rarely and in moderation. I once a week give my ducks half a banana each. You can serve ducks other fruits as well as bananas. Here are 30 examples of fruits ducks can and can not eat.
It would be best if you neither gave the ducks banana bread or banana cake since it’s bad for them. The bread and cake fill their stomachs without providing beneficial nutrients.
You can give the ducks nice cream made by frozen bananas. Make sure to give in moderation.