Feeding deer can be tricky for deer owners. The challenge increases when you’re not sure what type of food deer can actually consume.
The digestive system of deer is quite different from other animals. While you’re considering feeding deer kiwis, a sudden change in diet can prove fatal for them.
So, Do Deer Eat Kiwi?
Yes, deer do eat kiwi. Kiwi fruit provides deer with a lot of energy due to its rich nutrient content. Changing the deer’s food completely to kiwi, however, can be harmful to them. It can cause poisoning in the deer’s stomach for its high nutrients. The deer cannot absorb sudden changes in nutrition.
This is a synopsis of what you will learn. To learn in detail keep reading this article.
Do Deer Actually Eat Kiwi?
For the fuzzy appearance of kiwi, deer eat kiwi when they appear near the vine. Wild deer will eat kiwi if they come across it.
However, it takes time for a deer’s digestive system to adjust to the minerals in the kiwi. As a result, it may stir issues with their regular diet and even result in a deadly situation.
It’s better not to feed deer with kiwifruit. If you do, then you need to maintain some process to feed them. Don’t let deer eat too much kiwifruit at a time.
What Type of Kiwi Do Deer Eat?
Normally, deer like kiwi vines. The leaves of kiwi vines are very attractive and rapidly growing.
Kiwi vines’ pale green foliage draws deer from a great distance. And when they are around for a snack, they don’t hesitate to nibble kiwi vines.
Deer are basically attracted by the hardy kiwi vines. Actinidia polygama is another species of kiwi fruit that deer also eat.
Actinidia polygama grows in the mountain area and that’s it’s not possible for the deer to get there.
In addition to these two varieties, deer may also consume additional kiwifruit varieties if they come upon them. But they are not particularly drawn to other varieties of kiwifruit.
Take a look at the list of kiwi fruits that deer may consume.
- Arctic Kiwis
- Kiwi Berries
- Purple Kiwis
- Silver Vine Kiwis
- Hardy Kiwis
- Fuzzy kiwis
- Golden Kiwis
These are the typical kiwi fruit varieties that are fed to deer.
Is Kiwi Healthy For Deer?
Undoubtedly kiwi fruit is a great source of nutrition. It can keep deer energized all day long. But as we’ve already mentioned in this article, deer have a very distinct digestive system from other animals. And this is the reason why kiwi fruits sometimes can be hazardous for deer.
Before understanding why kiwis can be detrimental to deer, have a look at the nutrient table.
This table shows the nutrients of one kilogram of kiwi fruits.
| Nutrients | Amount |
| Vitamin C | 927 mg |
| Potassium | 3120 mg |
| Carbohydrate | 150 grams |
| Sodium | 30 mg |
| Sugar | 90 grams |
| Fiber | 30 grams |
Vitamin C and potassium are very high in the kiwi fruits, which can be toxic for deer. This is due to the fact that deer have four sections in their stomach which makes it complex to digest high nutrients.
What you can do is start feeding deer with a smaller amount of kiwi fruits. Start with less than 500 grams and increase the amount day by day.
The sugar level in kiwi fruits is pretty high and deer like the sweetness of the fruit. Besides feeding deer with kiwi fruits, you can make other healthy sweet foods for deer.
However, in general, kiwi fruits are healthy for deer.
When Can You Feed Kiwi To Deer?
In general, you may give kiwi fruits to deer at any time. However, deer take food five times a day. And their main two mealtimes are early morning and just before sunset.
It is not recommended to feed kiwi fruits to deer at these two times. Because it can hamper the main food diet. Kiwi is not adequate to meet the big hunger level for deer.
Except for these two times of day, you can give kiwi fruits to deer at any time. And the best time to give kiwi fruits to deer is in the middle of the day.
Because deer become slightly hungry around midday. As a result, deer may easily consume kiwi nutrients.
Things To Consider When Feeding Deer
Some key considerations to have in mind when feeding deer for maintaining its good health are discussed below.
- Always feed deer with natural food. Because natural food is more compatible to keep deer healthy. And natural foods are very high in healthy nutrients.
- Feed deer in a hygienic and clean place. Because hygiene matters a lot for deer.
- Know when to feed deer. Because feeding deer at the wrong time can be a health hazard for deer.
- Feed deer with corn, and cereal especially early in the morning, and before sunset. Because these two are the main meal time for deer. You can find deer not eating corn. And there can be some other reasons for that.
These factors can be critical for good deer feeding.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do Deer Eat Kiwi Plants?
Yes, deer eat kiwi plants. Eventually, deer eat everything of kiwi. Vines, leaves, and fruits of kiwi all can attract deer. You may be surprised to learn that deer are also drawn to the roots of kiwi plants. This is the reason why you can easily feed deer with kiwi fruits.
Is Kiwi Skin Poisonous For Deer?
The fuzzy skin of kiwi fruits is sometimes poisonous to deer. And because the skin of a fuzzy kiwi contains a lot of fiber and vitamin C. These two nutrients can make the fuzzy kiwi skin poisonous. Vitamin C is basically very acidic, for this acidic nature kiwi skin can be poisonous to deer.
Can I Use Kiwi To Bait Deer?
Yes, you can bait deer with kiwi fruits. Deer are very much attracted by the kiwi. If you light green kiwis then it’ll catch the eye of the deer from a far distance. It’ll help you to make your hunting easier. And the deer will take comparatively less time to find the bait.
Conclusion
Well, we’re hoping that now you know everything about- do deer eat kiwi? We’ve done our best to answer your question from every viewpoint available.
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Wishing you all the success in hunting!
