It’s tempting to give anything to rabbits. However, researching what foods to avoid is a must in feeding your rabbits. Giving them the wrong food is fatal to your pet’s health. Know what is poisonous to rabbits (9 foods rabbits cannot eat, what to do if rabbit eats poisonous plant).
Sugary Processed Foods
If sugary processed foods are not healthy for humans, so with your rabbit. Sweets such as cookies, cakes, and candies are dangerous for your rabbits. This is because these foods contain high carbohydrates and high sugars.
Sugary, high-carb foods trigger enterotoxemia in rabbits. Enterotoxemia is severe diarrhea that is fatal for rabbits. This happens when an overgrowth of bacteria occurs in the rabbit’s cecum.
Taking in sugary, high-carbs helps the bacteria to multiply. As a result, clostridium-type bacteria release a fatal toxin for your rabbit.
Enterotoxemia symptoms in rabbits are loose stools, collapse, and pain. This condition is difficult to treat, so prevention is the best solution. Instead of giving a sugary treat, ensure that its diet is low in carbohydrates and high in fiber.
Chocolates
Although chocolates are delicious treats, they are considered poisonous for rabbits. Once your rabbit ingests them, they might experience chocolate poisoning. This is because it contains two types of chemicals harmful to rabbits. These are theobromine and caffeine.
Due to the affected nervous system, rabbits may experience increased heart rates. They may also suffer from dehydration. Other symptoms of chocolate poisoning include diarrhea, squirming, trembling, and high temperature.
It is also a fatal condition caused by heart attacks and respiratory failure. Unlike humans, rabbits cannot handle these chemicals.
Don’t wait until the symptoms show up if you have seen your rabbit munching chocolates. It will take 6 to 12 hours before your bunny shows some signs, and it can be too late.
Go to the vet so that the effects of the chemicals can be counteracted. It may take a while before your pet can recover. The substances must be expelled from its system.
Instead of giving chocolates, you can feed them with carrots, bananas, apples, and oranges.
Rhubarb
The whole rhubarb plant must not be given to your fur buddy. This plant contains high levels of oxalic acid, especially in its leaves. Once a rabbit consumes a rhubarb plant, the acid will prevent the bunny from getting its calcium.
It will soon cause severe damage to the kidneys that may lead to your rabbit’s death.
Symptoms of rhubarb poisoning include a sore mouth, diarrhea, and a bloated tummy. If you notice that your pet consumes any part of the rhubarb plant, go to the vet immediately. An antidote will be given after the vet examines if the plant has poisoned your pet.
In the worst-case scenario, your rabbit may need to have artificial respiration or an IV drip. Your pet must be hydrated once in a while to flush the poison out of its system. If it is too late, it may experience neurological damage leading to its death.
Avocados
Avocados are extremely dangerous for rabbits as all of their parts are poisonous to them. It contains a toxic compound called persin. Although persin is tolerable to humans, it has a deadly effect on animals like rabbits.
When ingested, it leads to difficulty in breathing. It will eventually cause heart failure and death. The most poisonous parts of the avocado plant are its skin, leaves, and seeds.
Aside from their toxicity, avocados are also high in fats. If your rabbit survives the poisoning, it can experience GI upsets and obesity. To prevent your pet from suffering, never feed this fruit to your bunny.
Check if your rabbit shows any signs of poisoning, like breathing difficulties. If there are no symptoms, you don’t have to worry. But if you notice some changes in its behavior, you must call a vet immediately. Don’t medicate your pet by yourself since it may worsen its situation.
Allium-Type Vegetables
Allium-type vegetables are veggies that are included in the garlic family. Examples of these are onions, garlic, shallots, and chives. When rabbits ingest any of these, their red blood cells may break down. As a result, it may lead to hemolytic anemia or the loss of red blood cells.
Symptoms that rabbits can experience are reddish urine, fainting, and pale gums. This also causes the rabbit to get dizzy and weak. When not treated immediately, it may lead to the rabbit’s death. Allium-type veggies may also cause anaphylactic shock to rabbits.
If your rabbit consumes any of these vegetables, call the vet immediately. Instead of giving allium-type veggies, feed bell pepper, bok choy, and Brussel sprouts.
Iceberg Lettuce
Unlike other types of lettuce, iceberg lettuce is dangerous for your fur buddy. This is because this type of lettuce contains lactucarium. It is a chemical that some lettuces have, particularly on the stem.
For humans, it causes sleepiness and relieves pain. Traditional doctors also prescribe this substance to cure insomnia.
Even though lactucarium is helpful for humans, it is fatal to rabbits. Bitter substances like lactucarium have adverse effects on rabbits.
It may result in GI stasis and stomachache. The harmful chemical may also cause diarrhea and physical weakness. If ignored, it may lead to your rabbit’s death.
Small amounts of iceberg lettuce may not affect your rabbit. However, if it is ingested in large quantities, you must call the vet immediately. Not all lettuce is harmful to rabbits, such as romaine and arugula.
Potato Leaves and other nightshade veggies
Potato tops and leaves are poisonous to rabbits. Any veggies that include to nightshade family are not beneficial to rabbits.
Some vegetables included in this family are eggplants, tomatoes, tomatillos, and potatoes. These may cause trembling, weakness, swollen stomach, and paralysis to your pet.
Nightshade vegetables, including potato leaves, have solanine. There are high concentrations of solanine in the leaves and stems of nightshades.
This chemical is a bitter alkaloid that is fatal, even to humans. So if you have a vegetable patch, it is not wise to let your bunny roam around and eat everything there.
If you have observed your rabbit drools or experiences diarrhea, take it to the vet. Treatment for its intestinal upset must be conducted right away.
Milk and Dairy Products
Milk and dairy products such as ice cream, butter, and yogurt are not suitable for your fur buddy. Rabbits are lactose intolerants. Consuming these foods may lead to GI stasis or other gut complications.
Although your vet may advise you to feed a diluted yogurt to your pet, don’t give it without the vet’s instruction.
Aside from GI stasis and gut problems, milk and dairy product may lead to enterotoxemia. Enterotoxemia is a toxic overgrowth of harmful intestinal bacteria characterized by severe diarrhea. Extreme cases of enterotoxemia might cause the rabbit’s death.
Mushroom
Ingesting mushrooms can also be deadly to your furry buddy. You should never feed them mushrooms, even if you bought them in the store. There are eight toxins on mushrooms that can kill your rabbit. Symptoms of mushroom poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea.
Things to Do if Rabbit Eats Poisonous Plants
Determine what kind of plants poisoned your rabbit
Before identifying the cure, you must first determine what plant poisoned your rabbit. Since rabbits cannot vomit, there are different ways to flush the toxins out of their systems.
It may depend on what kind of poison they have consumed. The information is also useful when taking your pet to the vet.
Rinse the mouth of your rabbits with saline or freshwater
If you notice that your rabbit’s mouth is burning, rinse its mouth with saline or fresh water to relieve the pain. Aside from that, it also helps remove some poisonous substances present in the rabbit’s mouth. It is an emergency intervention that can help prolong your pet’s life.
Give activated charcoal to your rabbit
Vets recommend activated charcoal as first-aid to poisoned rabbits. You only have to crush the 500 mg tablet of activated charcoal in liquid.
The proper dosage to give to your rabbit is one gram per kilogram. This tablet helps absorb the poison. It prevents the toxins from damaging its internal organs.
Bring your bunny to the vet right away
If you have seen your bunny consume a poisonous plant in large amounts, you must immediately bring it to the vet. But if it consumes the plant in small amounts, you can observe first if it affects your pet.
Then, go to the vet clinic if it shows early signs of poisoning such as lethargy and loss of appetite.
Summary
Rabbits are more prone to food poisoning because they have sensitive digestive systems. As a rabbit owner, you must know what food to give and prohibit your pet. Know what is poisonous to rabbits (9 foods rabbits cannot eat, what to do if rabbit eats poisonous plant) to save pet!
