Can Ducks Eat Mango? (Good Idea or Not)
Mango is a very popular food for people and one that is widely available in most grocery stores today. As ducks are omnivores, like people, can they eat mango, too? Whether you’re looking at mango scraps as a potentially valuable source of forage for your flock or as a treat for your pets, you can learn all about how eating mango can affect a duck if you keep reading.
So … Can Ducks Eat Mango? (Short Answer)
Yes, ducks can eat mango. Mango is a healthy treat for your ducks. There are, however, a few caveats. Mango, like all fruit, should only be fed as a treat or supplementally. The mango should also be peeled with the pit removed before being fed to the ducks. Last, make sure you’re only feeding fresh, ripe mangoes to your flock.
The Nutritional Value of Mango for Ducks
Fresh, ripe mangoes contain lots of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and Vitamin B6. It is also relatively low in sugar. This makes it a good fruit for a treat though, like most fruits, it should not make up a regular part of your duck’s diet.
While the peel is arguably the most nutritious part of a mango, this should never be given to ducks as it can cause stomach, throat, and mouth irritation. In ducks that are sensitive to urushiol (a substance found in the peel at all stages but in high concentrations in green mangoes), eating mango peel can lead to their throats swelling to the point that they cannot breathe.
How Can Eating Mango Benefit Your Duck’s Health?
Eating mango won’t provide much benefit overall to your ducks as this fruit should only be given sparingly as a treat. At most, they should only be fed an ounce a week. This is a treat that can provide a small boost of nutrition in their Vitamins A and C, but this should be something they get plenty of already from their everyday diet. Higher concentrations of Vitamin A in the diet of a duck will lead to eggs that contain brighter orange yolks.
Can Eating Mango Harm Ducks?
How much mango is too much mango for a duck? Ducks can eat about 1 oz of mango a week with no problems. This mango should be peeled, no longer green, and pit-free. Eating too much peeled, pitted mango shouldn’t cause any major health problems though it may encourage the duck to consume more water than usual due to the astringent nature of mangoes. This combined with the overeating of mango may lead to mild diarrhea.
Unpeeled mango is another story. Eating too much unpeeled mango can lead to severe irritation of the mouth, throat, stomach, and gizzard. Even a small amount of mango peel can be deadly to sensitive ducks.
Other Common Questions About Ducks and Mango
There is more to how mango can affect a duck beyond just how nutritious or harmful mango can be.
Can Ducks Eat Mango Peels?
Ducks should not be fed mango peels. Mango peels contain urushiol, the same substance that causes poison ivy to give many people and animals a rash. The urushiol in mango peels is a small amount, but it’s enough to cause inflammation in the mouth and throat, as well as stomach upset in ducks and may cause anaphylaxis in ducks that are sensitive to urushiol.
Can Baby Ducks Eat Mango?
Baby ducks (ducks 4 months and younger) should only eat food designed specifically for ducklings. If you cannot find food for ducklings, unmedicated chick feed is also appropriate. Ducklings are much more likely to choke on solid foods of all kinds. The only “treats” ducklings should have, once they are 2 to 4 months old, are small, confetti-like bits of grass or dandelion greens.
Can Ducks Eat Dried Mango?
Ducks can eat dried mango as long as it has no additives and is in small, bite-size pieces. Most dried mango found in grocery stores has oil, sugar, or salt added to it to help in the drying process or prevent the mango from sticking together in the package. If you can find plain, no-additive mango make sure to cut it into small, pea-sized bites to prevent choking or build-up in the duck’s crop.
Can Ducks Eat Mango Pits?
Ducks should not be given mango pits. Ducks are likely to pick at, break off, and swallow bits of mango pit. This is a choking hazard and may lead to damage to the throat or gizzard of the duck.
