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Is chocolate poisonous to rabbits as Doughnut goes mad for it!

cpayne

cpayne

Warren Veteran
I don't give her any but if I've put a chocolate wrapper in the dustpan and I'm sweeping up hay she runs over and is desperate to get to it. This always happens, it's like a magnet lol.
 
I can just imagine Doughnut chasing chocolate wrappers, wagging her little tail. I've heard it is toxic although I wasn't aware of the risks when my bunny ate chocolate years ago (she was fine)
 
joey&boo said:
I can just imagine Doughnut chasing chocolate wrappers, wagging her little tail. I've heard it is toxic although I wasn't aware of the risks when my bunny ate chocolate years ago (she was fine)
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Haha she was certainly wagging her tail last night when she decided to nibble my new leather sofa. It's certainly naughtiness that makes her wag lol.

She is obsessed with them. She jumps in the pan to get to them, it is funny. Maybe it isn't toxic or in small doses it isn't. She likes it as much as me!
 
It smells so good (sometimes better than it tastes, which is disappointing): I've added a reply to the thread in Diet and Digestion saying we were researching this at roleplaying last week :)
 
I used to get mugged by Smudge when I had chocolate buttons. I used to give her one as a very special treat if I needed to win her round to get her to come back indoors or if she had to have her bottom washed due to her arthritis. She never seemed adversely affected by it, but it's not something I've done since her since my rabbit knowledge had increased.
 
AFAIK they are lactose intolerant and also I can't imagine the sugar would do them any good.

I rescued a bun who had a chocolate digestive every day for years as a bribe to get her back in her hutch. She was very overweight but seemed otherwise unaffected.
 
Chocolate is toxic due to the theobromide but it depends on the levels in the chocolate & how much is ingested as to what reaction you will see.

Low doses can cause stomach upset
High doses can cause seizures, permanent brain damage & even death.
 
I understand theobromine is toxic to dogs as they metabolise it a lot slower than we do. But we can give rabbits much higher doses of drugs like metacam than dogs because their metabolism is much faster. Therefore is theobromine as big a risk factor in bunnies?

I would never feed it by choice - the rabbit I refer to was fed the biscuits by its previous owner, I am just interested by the discussion.
 
Well Doughnut wants to lick the chocolate wrapper that's for sure. I guess it must smell nice and sweet to her.
 
Amy104 said:
I understand theobromine is toxic to dogs as they metabolise it a lot slower than we do. But we can give rabbits much higher doses of drugs like metacam than dogs because their metabolism is much faster. Therefore is theobromine as big a risk factor in bunnies?

I would never feed it by choice - the rabbit I refer to was fed the biscuits by its previous owner, I am just interested by the discussion.
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Its still a big risk. Their metabolism still doesn't process it fast enough.
 
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It is poisonous....sadly domestic animals don't seem to have the instinct to avoid dangerous foods like their wild friends do. With chocolate, it's probably the sugar that's attracting her.


Having said that, in a lot of 'common' chocolate (can't think of a better word!?) there's so little actual cocoa that I would think the sugar would do more damage than the theobromine. I remember Poppy eating a twirl once, luckily she was fine!
 
It's funny they are attracted to it like us! She suddenly doesn't like banana which is sweet but chocolate she's nudging me out of the way. Not that I feed her either but was trying to get her to take her meds on banana to tempt her but no she's decided she doesn't like it any more!
 
interestingly (well for me) my three current bunnies show no interest in chocolate or other junk food. Bunny junk food (carrots for eg) they love.

I did have a bunny who was always trying to get her head in my glass of Crabbies, I'm sure she would have drunken it given half the chance
 
Doughnut also loves wine. I've put a glass on the floor before and she's put her two paws in it to tip it over and then lap it up! I don't put it on the floor any more, I've learnt my lesson
 
Yeah you usually want to avoid giving animals chocolate, however, it is ok for rats in small doses - it's good for their respiratory system!

Obviously rats are different from rabbits though, I definitely wouldn't give my rabbits chocolate!
 
cpayne said:
Doughnut also loves wine. I've put a glass on the floor before and she's put her two paws in it to tip it over and then lap it up! I don't put it on the floor any more, I've learnt my lesson
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Yes I have a rabbit who will lick the top of empty wine bottles in the kitchen :shock:

I've never told anyone, or posted a photo, as I thought I might get arrested :lol:
 
cpayne said:
Doughnut also loves wine. I've put a glass on the floor before and she's put her two paws in it to tip it over and then lap it up! I don't put it on the floor any more, I've learnt my lesson
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We don't drink wine, but ours go crazy for shlur.... weird bunnies. They seem to like the red one better than the white grape.
 
Sheldon has mugged my hubby who was eating a Magnum - was desperate to get it :lol: ... and his wife Holly Fat Bum is very drawn to red wine ! It's good to have buns who have a taste for the finer things in life :lol:
 
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