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Eating Carboard?

SamanthaJane

SamanthaJane

Warren Veteran
I've looked back and from what I can gather...

it's bad if they eat it, but ok to chew it up.

Binky has decided she likes cardboard - I don't know why, she's had a carboard box castle for about a month but since she went 'free range' last night for the first time all night(!) she's gone crazy at chewing and eating cardboard!

I don't know what to do - she has lots of other things, willow etc to chew but she seems to enjoy the cardboard - but I don't want her to get sick.

Should I take it away? I can't watch her with it 24/7 :-(
 
No cardboard is not good, in any shape or form it's got no nutritional value so there's little point in allowing anymore than a teaspoon size amount as a consequence of stuffing a toilet roll tube with hay say as a toy, which I've done but removed when the tube was getting eaten too much. It probably can cause an obstruction in large amounts :)
 
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I had to take carboard boxes out of my buns run becuase Tattie insisted on eating it! :roll: Again plently of other things to chew - but nothing beats what your not supposed to eat :lol:
 
I wouldn't (personally) worry about a small amount but if it becomes a big habbit I would remove it
 
Cardboard is plant fibre so generally passes through without issue in smaller quantities unless you have a bun with a particular sensitive tum.

Is she actually eating much, shredding it is no problem. You could try adding hay or sticks in the general area as an alternative.
 
She's eating it - I've been watching her carefully for a while to make sure but she is actually eating it. I can't understand why - she's never shown any interested before last night - there's no medical condition which could make her start eating it is there (like cats eat grass when they're sick)?

Aww I had 2 such lovely, well behaved bunnies once who would never chew anything! What happened?!
 
I've seen a few buns eat cardboard as an alternate fibre source but I'm presuming she has plenty of hay available to eat if she wanted. Daft bunny :lol:
 
we have a piece of cardboard blocking the tv area off and mylo insists on chewing that. I have to pick him up and move him cos he would just sit there and eat it. He hasnt been ill from it but dont think its that good for him to eat it!!
 
Yes she has lots of hay. But they like to sit on their 'homemade' castle. But, to be honest it's a bit of an eyesore - I might take the opportunity to bin it. They can sit on the chairs if they want to keep a look out! :lol:
 
I'm taking them down.

I feel so guilty! They both have come running in to look at me and say

"But ma, how could you?" "cry cry"

I feel like a horrible mama!!!!!!

But they look so crappy in the house!! (plus the buns seem to be enjoying more space to run about in.)
 
I can't do it!

They've started to play with them now! Just like a children! Once you say it's going in the bin it's all they want to play with!!
 
:lol::lol:

There is is always at least one box in some state of demolition in our kitchen :lol:
 
I've been giving Spenser daily access to cardboard boxes for over a year now. He has one in his run, which he goes into for his afternoon nap, and another in his lower hutch. He trashes at least one box a week in his hutch, but destruction rather than supplementing his diet seems to be the main aim.
 
My bunnies have two cardboard houses in their pens. My seven-year-old has been nibbling at his his whole life, but I don't think he ingests the stuff. I have heard it's safe as long as it's plain cardboard but to watch out for dyes.
 
SamanthaJane said:
She's eating it - I've been watching her carefully for a while to make sure but she is actually eating it. I can't understand why - she's never shown any interested before last night - there's no medical condition which could make her start eating it is there (like cats eat grass when they're sick)?

Aww I had 2 such lovely, well behaved bunnies once who would never chew anything! What happened?!
Click to expand...

Can sometimes be an indication of a rabbit craving fibre before a gut slowdown but they do seem to like chewing it so not always the greatest indicator. :lol:

I dont give mine cardboard very often. Mainly cos of the mess they make with it :oops: Mini and Mischa have a tunnel shaped box but they dont chew it very much.
 
We had a massive problem with this with Vinnie, she did actually eat the stuff. Lots of it! Vet said it was fine and that she just sees it as alternate fibre, basically it goes straight through them, no nutritional value but doesn't do anything nasty either.

If she has any history of tummy problems I would ask your vet but otherwise I'd just leave her to it. Vinnie always had hay available and did eat it, but preferred the cardboard :roll:

Ah, I also used to cut off any inked parts as she ate so much of it.
 
Coineanach said:
We had a massive problem with this with Vinnie, she did actually eat the stuff. Lots of it! Vet said it was fine and that she just sees it as alternate fibre, basically it goes straight through them, no nutritional value but doesn't do anything nasty either.

If she has any history of tummy problems I would ask your vet but otherwise I'd just leave her to it. Vinnie always had hay available and did eat it, but preferred the cardboard :roll:

Ah, I also used to cut off any inked parts as she ate so much of it.
Click to expand...

Ok - thanks for this - I feel a bit better about it now. She's just decided she wants to be a chewy bunny. I thought they were too well behaved!
 
Hi, interesting read... I'vejust come home from a couple of days camping, buns have been bunny sat by a friend, but I have come home to a bunny ravaging his cardboard house! He does normally shred bits of it, not really sure whether he eats it or not??? But tonight he is just destroying it!!! Pulling it round and shredding like mad!!! I'm thinking maybe my friend put them away early today.....

My buns love to play in cardboard boxes and so I often use them for bedrooms inside the shed, but if they continue to chew and shred should I replace these with something else?? I guess a wooden box??? but they would probably just chew that too!!!?
 
There isan association between gut slow down & cardboard eaters but I'm not sure that most cardboard eaters have gut slow down.
With cardboard shredders you see lots of pieces lying around & this is normal, harmless behaviour but with eaters there isn't much lying around.

Many cardboard eaters crave wood fiber. Giving them safe tree leaves with their hay can stop it & has no ill effects.

This is some of our experience with stasis prone buns http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=264764&highlight=stasis+trees+leaves
 
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