can my bunny chew dog toys?

[vickyb]

can my bunny chew rubber dog toys? 

It looks like he likes a dogs’ spiky hard rubber chew

toy, any ideas if he can have it?

[Roberta]

I’d personally be concerned about giving them anything rubber to chew on, but, that having been said they do make a rubber kong toy for rabbits, ferrets and guinea pigs now. I suppose it depends if she is actually eating them. If she is actually biting off bits and swallowing them then take them away and get her some wooden chew toys. Maybe a set of the wooden baby stacking rings or some of the funky parrot toys.

[vickyb]

he is not interested in wood toys I tried several of them. He likes WARE Nutty Stick Ball , but he goes through one a day and they are $5 each. owning a pet supply company I am not used to paying full price for pet supplies not able to find the same toy from any of my suppliers I was brushing him with rubber zoom groom and he was very interested in the brush he was biting off the teeth. I was afraid he can swallow them. I am sure I can find a dog toy with hard rubber, but I am afraid he will chock on it.  Stephan(bunny) stole my dog’s hard treat that was made out of potato  and he chewed it for a couple of days till it was gone, but that is o.k. as it is digestible.

 

 

[Roberta]

Hi Vicky, Potato is poisonous to rabbits, especially the peel. I’d say if he likes the rubber chew toy and Stephan is not actually eating it then it should not be a problem, but I would definitely not let him have the potato chews. Bunnies do like things they can toss and throw, something as simple as a hard cardboard roll stuffed with hay is always good.

[vickyb]

Thanks!  I’ll try to do a little more research about what’s poisonous to bunnies

[Roberta]

Yes, there’s some surprises out there. When I first got Piglet and Pepper they were so little my neighbours use to sit with them. I remember finding the HRS approved food list here on BB and seeing the potato thing. I don’t know why but I immediately phoned my neighbour and said don’t give them potatoes, talk about timing they had just given them a pile of potato peelings. EEEEK ! Thankfully they did not have a chance to eat any.
https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/2/PID/940/Default.aspx
https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/VeggieList/tabid/144/Default.aspx

[Beka27]

Manufactured chew toys for rabbits are generally not very popular with rabbits. You also don’t want to give any kind of seeds, nuts, corn, or toys that contain different “binder ingredients” which can be high in sugar.

Have you tried giving unpeeled willow toys that are sold online? Buns like to play with these and it’s safe to eat. Binkybunny sells them, but you can also get them at other sites like Busy Bunny.

The concern with the rubber dog toys, like mentioned, is if the rabbit chews into the rubber and ingests the pieces. This could lead to a blockage.

[Elrohwen]

I wouldn’t let him have the rubber toys – most rabbits can’t help but ingest what they are chewing on and ingesting rubber is definitely not good for him.

I would stick to natural things, like those made of willow, untreated paper, or cardboard. My bunnies love all of those.

[vickyb]

Thanks to everyone who answered! Appreciate it!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

There are some really awesome toys on this that are totally safe. Most bird toys are safe, just stay away from the ones with leather. Also you can make your own bunny toys too! If you check out the habitat and toy section there are lots of threads on make it yourself bunny toys
Never forget the power of a cardboard box with a few holes cut in it….Best.Bunny.Toy.Ever XD

[BinkyBunny]

Potatoes are not poisonous in the sense of toxic poison. It’s just they they are on the avoid list because they are just very high in starch which can cause digestive issues — usually over time, though a rabbit with a sensitive digestive tract may react to sooner.

[vickyb]

You see, it’s just that our bunny has a bit of an “additude”.      We even tried a cat tunnel with a hole at the top, and at the top there is even a little fuzzy thing on a string, but he doesn’t like the fuzzy. but, he did like the tunnel itself! I even caught him running through it six to seven times in a row back and forth…..  but anyway thx for the advice!! 

[vickyb]

You see, when we took the rabbit from the breeder, it didn’t seem as though she was giving her bunnies any fruits or veggies AT ALL!

so we started to introduce them to him one by one, and he began to like them. But that meant that his poop wasn’t so tight. We read on

some other site that a bunny should only have one fruit/veggie A DAY we’re not so sure if that was so true, any opinions?

[Deleted User]

That doesn’t sound right. I feed my gal a variety of veggies a day. Twice a day she gets a cup of kale, cilantro, dill, mint, basil, romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce, and arugula. If I have carrots I will give her a tiny bit of that. But not a lot since it is high in sugar content.

I would really take a look at: http://rabbit.org/care/veggies.html This should be a big help.

[BinkyBunny]

Most breeders are not going to offer fruit because they are breeding and fruit is not good for young bunnies – and so they are not going to have fruit in the cage with the moms either.  Also, fruit would attract more bugs and other pests I would imagine.  So they would most likely stick with pellets and hay. Maybe some would give some greens (at the right age only!).  Not when they are babies. 

So when you said “one fruit” a day, did you mean one WHOLE fruit?  If so that would definitely be too much.The HRS guidelines are 1 oz. to 2 oz. max per 6 lbs. body weight.   (2oz = about 4 tablespoons)

Also, how old is your bunny?  Diet for young bunnies changes after a few months, and then again a few months later, until they are adults. 

The link that Skipper’s mama gave you is an excellent resource. 

We also have a diet page that may be helpful https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/2/PID/940/Default.aspx

And this link is to the fresh greens list. https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/VeggieList/tabid/144/Default.aspx (But be mindful of your bunnies age!)

Also, if you are noticing loose poo, then you may be giving too much or your bunny is too young for fruit.  I noticed in your profile, that the birthday was in August, but you didn’t say what year.   If it was just this year, and they are less than seven months old, you would want to hold off on giving fruit.  They don’t have the proper bacteria balance in their gut yet to handle fruit — too many calories, high in sugar. 

[vickyb]

thx BB but we are not giving him the whole fruit, we gave him a piece of those small apples to try and he kept rolling it around the cage until he bit into it. I appreciate your help!

[vickyb]

Our Bunny was picked up in August he was about 10 weeks or so at least what we were told. unfortunately the breeder did not have any paperwork. we are in NYC and it is hard to find a bunny in a reasonable driving distance. I was looking for about 2 months. I lost my guinea pig in June and wanted to get another animal ASAP. So my bunny is a little about 4 months old. I did some research what was o.k. to feed bunnies and what we should avoid. I am breeding Cocker spaniels (dogs) and I personally do not buy an excuse not give a bunny a veg. because it is difficult. Our pups were getting more than my kids but it depends on the breeder.

The info I found that veg. are not supposed to be given in large amounts and only as treats. I give my bunny a piece of veg. in the morning and a piece of something at night. I did not think that carrots has a lot of sugar in it I will cut down on it. he seems to like  most of the green veggies.

I will look at the site you gave me.

I am really sorry to ask so many questions you probably think I am crazy……

I did a lot of research before, but good info is hard to find.

One of the sites recommended bunnies should have a piece of pineapple once a week.

Our Bunny gained weight and is so much bigger I checked his weight and he was with in the limit 3.2Lb i was surprised as he looks so much bigger now. Holland lops should be 3-6Lb, so he is good I am guessing.

I

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Ask as many questions as you like That’s why we are all here-we share what we learn on good bunny websites and from our vets. Most bunny websites have incorrect info on them, or old info that is not considered correct anymore. It can get confusing! So there is this website and the HRS that are reputable and correct with up to date info, and then on the forum we all ask our specific questions So ask away!

For his weight, don’t worry about his weight within breed guidelines-those are ideals for show rabbits IF your vet says he’s too skinny or too fat, then discuss with your vet how you will move him to an ideal weight. Otherwise no worries unless the weight is rapidly changing in a bunny who is not growing He sounds like he’s a great weight.

[vickyb]

they look like this so…….

[Beka27]

It seems as if this thread was answered pretty well back in September. We explained the risk of giving rubber dog toys. What is the reason you decided to bump it back up?

Those spiky toys in the picture are a definite “no-no” for rabbits. They will chew off those rubber pieces and may eat them, leading to an intestinal blockage.

[vickyb]

But you see, my bunny doesn’t eat them, he just chews off the pieces and leaves them laying around somewhere

[Beka27]

It’s still not a good idea. Even swallowing just one or two can lead to an intestinal blockage.

There are many safe things for your bun to chew: wood toys, cardboard, and willow. Stick with those. Save the dog toys for the dog. ;o)

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