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Apple core

Lagomorphine

Warren Scout
Dear Lagomorphologists,

Sometimes after I eat most of an apple, I carefully rinse the core and give it to the rabbits - something they absolutely love. Can you see any potential health issues with this? I.e. any microscopic amount of human bacterial residue giving them some digestive issue?

In any case I rinse the core under running tap water for about 15 seconds.
 
Dear Lagomorphologists,

Sometimes after I eat most of an apple, I carefully rinse the core and give it to the rabbits - something they absolutely love. Can you see any potential health issues with this? I.e. any microscopic amount of human bacterial residue giving them some digestive issue?

In any case I rinse the core under running tap water for about 15 seconds.

I would not be concerned about the aspect of human bacteria, but I would make sure that there are no pips remaining in the core. Apple pips contain a cyanide compound and so are toxic to rabbits.
 
I would not be concerned about the aspect of human bacteria, but I would make sure that there are no pips remaining in the core. Apple pips contain a cyanide compound and so are toxic to rabbits.

FHB said they would have to eat a huge bucket of apples to ingest enough pips to get enough cyanide to get a toxic dose (this was during consult as Bob interested)

I don't personally give my bunnies foods that have touched my teeth but I don't have the healthiest mouth in the world
 
FHB said they would have to eat a huge bucket of apples to ingest enough pips to get enough cyanide to get a toxic dose (this was during consult as Bob interested)

I don't personally give my bunnies foods that have touched my teeth but I don't have the healthiest mouth in the world


Exactly so :)

There is absolutely no danger of cyanide poisoning to a rabbit from an apple core :)
 
FHB said they would have to eat a huge bucket of apples to ingest enough pips to get enough cyanide to get a toxic dose (this was during consult as Bob interested)

I don't personally give my bunnies foods that have touched my teeth but I don't have the healthiest mouth in the world
Exactly so :)

There is absolutely no danger of cyanide poisoning to a rabbit from an apple core :)
I had no clue! I've been super paranoid about pips! [emoji38][emoji38] Still guessing it's best if they don't consume them...?
 
FHB said they would have to eat a huge bucket of apples to ingest enough pips to get enough cyanide to get a toxic dose (this was during consult as Bob interested)

I don't personally give my bunnies foods that have touched my teeth but I don't have the healthiest mouth in the world

Yes, I knew this and I'm sure that I've read it online as well.

My view about apple pips is similar to lots of other plant/food items for rabbits. There is such a wide variety of foods for which there is absolutely no concern that I personally prefer not to feed anything that I have the slightest worry about. Apples are not essential to a rabbit's diet.

Toxicity in foods does not seem to me to be a black and white issue. The effects of toxins could vary from one rabbit to another and probably could be influenced by the general health of the rabbit. The fact that you would need a large quantity of a food to cause death does not necessarily mean that it is not in some way harmful.
 
Yes, I knew this and I'm sure that I've read it online as well.

My view about apple pips is similar to lots of other plant/food items for rabbits. There is such a wide variety of foods for which there is absolutely no concern that I personally prefer not to feed anything that I have the slightest worry about. Apples are not essential to a rabbit's diet.

Toxicity in foods does not seem to me to be a black and white issue. The effects of toxins could vary from one rabbit to another and probably could be influenced by the general health of the rabbit. The fact that you would need a large quantity of a food to cause death does not necessarily mean that it is not in some way harmful.

This is my view, also. My OH and son tease me about my attitude, in a joking way :lol:
 
I had no clue! I've been super paranoid about pips! [emoji38][emoji38] Still guessing it's best if they don't consume them...?
I don't want mine to just wolf it down and get them stuck: they're pretty tough to digest (having eaten a few myself ;P), so I don't want that risk. The toxins don't worry me at all.
 
I don't want mine to just wolf it down and get them stuck: they're pretty tough to digest (having eaten a few myself ;P), so I don't want that risk. The toxins don't worry me at all.


Me neither :)

I would also be concerned that they don't choke on them or get them lodged somewhere in their insides that's no good for them. Locust bean seeds are banned for the same reason :)
 
What does everyone else think about the human bacteria bit?
I'm not sure.. Me and Apricot share a carrot... I have a bite.. She has a bite.. [emoji38] Atticus gets a tiny bit sometimes I've bitten off... I hope I haven't been poisoning them :(
 
I never thought to worry about bacteria from my mouth, I share bananas and apples with mine all the time [emoji28]
 
What does everyone else think about the human bacteria bit?

It's not something I've thought about before. Maybe that's because I can't think of an occasion where I have ever shared food with the rabbits. I don't think I would be concerned though.

Rightly or wrongly I tend to think that human bacteria is unlikely to harm rabbits and vice versa. Related to this, there's also the issue of whether you interact physically with your rabbits if you have a cold? I do. Also for those lucky enough to be licked by their rabbits, human skin provides a good habitat for lots of different bacteria. If I was in this position, I don't think I would be concerned about the possibility of them being harmed by my skin bacteria.
 
It's not something I've thought about before. Maybe that's because I can't think of an occasion where I have ever shared food with the rabbits. I don't think I would be concerned though.

Rightly or wrongly I tend to think that human bacteria is unlikely to harm rabbits and vice versa. Related to this, there's also the issue of whether you interact physically with your rabbits if you have a cold? I do. Also for those lucky enough to be licked by their rabbits, human skin provides a good habitat for lots of different bacteria. If I was in this position, I don't think I would be concerned about the possibility of them being harmed by my skin bacteria.
Yes that's true

When I have a cold I don't touch the hamsters or go near them, I think I read somewhere they can catch stuff... Idk if that's true tho..

The Rabbits I care for as normal.. [emoji38]

Clementine licks me all the time and I've never been worried altho if I've put handcream on I don't go near them, or touch them, I always wash my hands with antibacterial soap before touching the rabbits... [emoji38]
 
Yes you can't have bare tootsies in the lounge as Boob tries to give them a good clean. Anyone with / prone to cold sores should be really careful acc to, you guessed it, Aunty Frances.
 
Yes you can't have bare tootsies in the lounge as Boob tries to give them a good clean. Anyone with / prone to cold sores should be really careful acc to, you guessed it, Aunty Frances.
Is this with sharing food? Or kissing buns? [emoji38]

My boyfriend sometimes gets cold sores... I don't seem to have caught it yet... Isn't it a form of herpes? [emoji38] Altho I won't touch him if he has one [emoji38] apparently his mum said a family member who had one kissed him on the mouth as a baby... Who does that D: that's a different rant tho [emoji38]
 
Is this with sharing food? Or kissing buns? [emoji38]

My boyfriend sometimes gets cold sores... I don't seem to have caught it yet... Isn't it a form of herpes? [emoji38] Altho I won't touch him if he has one [emoji38] apparently his mum said a family member who had one kissed him on the mouth as a baby... Who does that D: that's a different rant tho [emoji38]

I imagine both are a risk if you have active infection
 
Is this with sharing food? Or kissing buns? [emoji38]

My boyfriend sometimes gets cold sores... I don't seem to have caught it yet... Isn't it a form of herpes? [emoji38] Altho I won't touch him if he has one [emoji38] apparently his mum said a family member who had one kissed him on the mouth as a baby... Who does that D: that's a different rant tho [emoji38]


https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/pet-rabbits-health/

One hazard that most rabbit owners will not be aware of is that rabbits are highly susceptible to herpes simplex virus or HSV, which causes cold sores in humans. HSV can cause a nasty brain infection (encephalitis) in rabbits, with features such as sudden head tilt and loss of balance that could mimic a dramatic middle ear infection, or E. cuniculi related problems.
 
I imagine both are a risk if you have active infection
Yea I mean if I'm sick, I'm not kissing the buns or sharing food... [emoji38] Normally though when Apricot has cuddles I kiss the top of her head lots [emoji38]
 
https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/pet-rabbits-health/

One hazard that most rabbit owners will not be aware of is that rabbits are highly susceptible to herpes simplex virus or HSV, which causes cold sores in humans. HSV can cause a nasty brain infection (encephalitis) in rabbits, with features such as sudden head tilt and loss of balance that could mimic a dramatic middle ear infection, or E. cuniculi related problems.
I'll have to tell him, not that he shares food or kisses them tho [emoji38] and he washes his hands before touching them too :) we are a bit weird with hygiene after living with mice... [emoji38]
 
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