Rabbit Edibles

[bunnyhuggger]

Is it bad for my bunny to snack on dog or cat food?

Yes, it is very dangerous for a rabbit to snack on dog or cat food. These foods are designed for carnivores not for herbivores. They are high in protein and fat as well as carbohydrates in the form of grains, usually corn. Although rabbits can eat small amounts of dog or cat food and appear to be normal, there can be insidious changes that take place over time. Excessive levels of protein can lead to kidney damage; excessive levels of fat and grain-based carbohydrates can lead to obesity. However, by far the most dangerous side effect in rabbits that eat dry dog or cat food is the disturbance of the normal intestinal flora that will ultimately lead to intestinal distress and death. We have seen rabbits become seriously ill and some die within 24 hours of eating dog food due to acute intestinal disorders. Please keep all dog and cat food out of the reach of your rabbit!

REFERENCE: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Con...=5&SourceID=43

[bunnyhuggger]

No Chocolate for Bunnies!
Southeastern PA-DE HRS Newsletter
(reprinted with permission)
My heart was broken this past Valentine's Day holiday. What started out to be a delightful evening, resulted in the untimely deaths of three of our beloved rabbits within 36 hours.

My wonderful husband and two young sons were very proud of the beautiful roses and the 2 lb. box of very expensive chocolates they they presented me with on Valentine's evening. I opened my gift, we each had creamy, delicious piece of candy, and I placed the box of chocolates on top of our entertainment center, which is about 5 feet from the floor and went off to dinner at a nearby restaurant. After dinner, we returned hime, and eventually went to bed.

Sometime in the middle of the night we were awakened by a strange sound coming from the living room. We ran in to find the box of chocolates on the floor being devoured by our large warren of bunnies. I found all of the candy gone except for two already bitten into pieces! Within 36 hours, 3 of my bunnies were dead!

We still cannot understand how the rabbits got to the box of chocolate. Chocolate is a poison to animals! It should never be fed as a treat, or made available in any way to your rabbits! Please take extreme caution when having anything in the house that can harm your precious companions. We've learned the hard way, that even though the box was 5 feet off the floor, things happen that are beyond our control.

Please store unsafe products up, away, and behind closed doors! We are very fortunate that we did not lose any more of our bunnies.

To my bunnies... we love you!

REFERENCE: http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/nochocolate.html

[bunnytales]

Hi Mad Forum Folk!

Could I ask your advice please - on a recent visit to my Vets when discussing diet I was told not to feed Banana as its too high in sugars and carbohydrates for bunnies tummies - have you found any probs -

Both my bunnies love it and I only fed a small slice as an occassional treat but obviously don't want to risk upset tumms.

Cheers Mateys

[Bunnysam]

Is it ok to feed occasionally a piece of dried banana chip and raisins from my Fruit & Fibre cereal?!!

Rosie loves it. I only gave her one chip and one raisin last night just in case.

[Lynn]

Hi Bunnysam - Ohhh, don't mention the dreaded 'dried fruit' Bunnyhugger will get you !!! :wink: Only joking, however, Lynda did point out to me that dried fruit is full of sugar, and that the fresh stuff is so much tastier and healthier.

I've cut it out of Rob's diet now - he used to get dried fruit as a treat in the morning, when he had been a good boy overnight and used his litter trays (he has free run of his bedroom all night). Now I go in in the morning waving a sprig of herb i.e. parsley, basil, mint, coriander etc, and he seems to be just as happy with this.

Your bunnies are gorgeous by the way

[Bunnysam]

Hi Lynn

Thank you for your reply. I will try to resist from now on.

Its hard when you have a tickling face sniffing around your fingers for more!

Yes they are rather sweet and I miss them so much when I am here at work in London. Billy looks a bit squashed in the picture!!

[Stephanie]

Can anyone confirm Chinese leaf and Pak Choy for us?

Pok Choi is fine (my two luv it), don't know about chinese leaf though !!

[without_halo]

Chinese leaf is meantioned in the safe list above.

[Diddeen]

Anyone know why in that last list posted Kale and cabbage are down as safe in moderation? I have tried lots of things with my bunny and the one thing he will eat apart from carrots is kale. If i cant get that he gets cabbage but he would eat kale all day long if i left it there for him..
Whats wrong with it? Looking at that list i am going to introduce some herbs as i havent tried any of those before.

Oh and Adele... your bunny in your avatar is more fluffy than mine!!! he/she's soooo gorgeous!
Chris

[bunnyhuggger]

HAven't a clue! However these two references may have something to do with it. Some rabbits seem to be more prone to gas, GI stasis, and sludgey bladder though, and I am presuming they may be erring on the safe side. I too give my rabbits kale and cabbage (to no ill effect so far) but when I run out of kale, I don't buy another bag for a week or so just in case I'm overloading!

Here's what I found:

Gas - What do I do ?

The culprit that causes gas problems in our bunnies is believed to exist in the diet we feed them, specifically large amounts of: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. Some bunnies are susceptible to gas more than others no matter their size or breed. Completely removing such veggies from their diet is not necessary as moderation is the key. To date, the listed culprits have not been proven as the causes of gas and opinions vary widely. But it is fact that rabbits do commonly suffer from gas, and if ignored, the problem is potentially fatal. SYMPTOMS: When a rabbit suffers from gas, it is pertinent that you treat your bunny as quickly as possible. Symptoms that are most commonly presented include:
- Gurgling noises coming from your rabbit’s stomach.

- Bunny will become lethargic preferring to be left alone often sitting with her eyes partially closed.

- Significant decrease in appetite (even with her most favorite foods).

- Bunny will lay in an uncomfortable or unusual manner-partially on her side to ease the pain (most likely with the front part of her body held upright while her hind legs seem relaxed); or she may not want to lay down at all instead preferring to sit upright with a very straight posture.

- Her stomach will feel very hard, or extremely soft.

- Her temperature will be lower than normal (below 100F) WHAT TO DO:

- Check your bunny’s temperature – If it has dropped below normal, you must warm her up before her system shuts down (hypothermia). Place her on a heating pad, warm water bottle, under a heating lamp, or hold her against your body. Continue to monitor her temperature regularly (every half hour so) to make sure it does not drop further.

- Give your bunny a simethicone product orally - Commonly sold over-the-counter products include Infant’s Phazyme, or Infant’s Mylicon. Give 1/3 of a dropper (0.3ml) for smaller bunnies, or ½ dropper (0.5ml) for larger bunnies every 4-6 hours until your bunny appears to lay down in her normal manner, or she beings to eat again. A Gas relief product is a good thing to have on hand in your rabbit care emergency kit.

- Take care of her digestive tract and make sure she is hydrated – Chances are your bunny has not eaten because of the pain. We must make sure the good flora (bacteria) in her intestines are still present in her system. Give her some acidophilus twice a day during this episode, or one ml of Benebac. Pedialyte can be added to make a manageable liquid if you are using acidophilus in powder form to syringe the mixture directly into her mouth. Give as much as she will take, being careful to drop the liquid slowly into the side of her mouth. Do not squirt it into her mouth as she could breath it into her lungs.

- Apply tummy massage – Rubbing your bunny’s tummy in a gentle manner will help to ease the pain and expedite the relief.

- Watch her appetite and make sure she is eating – Even if she will only feed on fruits, it is very important that she continues to eat. Episodes can last between 2 to 12 hours, you should contact your veterinarian if symptoms persist more than one day.
REFERENCE:http://www.washingtonhouserabbitsoci...g/faq.asp?id=2


and the other reason could be high oxalate content (ie. calcium), which I'm still having a look at and will post when I find it!