is corn good for buns?

[coolbunnybun]

hi all.. i have a popcorn like thing that mummey bought for little chest -ee .. and i heard that corn things arent good for buns is this true? and vitakraft makes it so i am trusting it to be safe. it is call vitakraft minipop it looks safe. it contains natural minerals and other nutrients. and ingredients are: 100% miniature white corn on the cob. i put in the microwave for a few secs probably 30-45 and the things pops everywhere it was fun watching it poP LOL! and i just pop one of them and letting it cool for half hour i was is it safe for chester?

 

[naturestee]

I'd be careful with it and only give a tiny bit at a time. You're right, corn isn't very good for bunnies. Most treats that you find at pet stores aren't good for bunnies, but they're okay in small amounts. Otherwise it can make them fat, and it might also upset their stomach.

 

[bunnydude]

I think I know what you're talking about. It looks like corn on the cob right? I personally wouldn't give it to Chester. I know that pelleted feed with corn in it is not a good choice, so I would assume that any form of corn is bad for bunnies.

 

[bunnydude]

Oops:shock: we posted at the same time

 

[coolbunnybun]

dang it i still can't get this move down i will maybe fix it later but anyways yeah it looks like corn on the cob but it thens pop to popcorn. i will just give him a little bit. and see how it goes.. i hope my baby doesnt get sick. but i don't know why vitakraft and other companys make bad things for rabbit. :X





bunnydude wrote:

I think I know what you're talking about. It looks like corn on the cob right? I personally wouldn't give it to Chester. I know that pelleted feed with corn in it is not a good choice, so I would assume that any form of corn is bad for bunnies.

 

[TinysMom]

coolbunnybun wrote:

dang it i still can't get this move down i will maybe fix it later but anyways yeah it looks like corn on the cob but it thens pop to popcorn. i will just give him a little bit. and see how it goes.. i hope my baby doesnt get sick. but i don't know why vitakraft and other companys make bad things for rabbit. :X

I was a business major and had a fascination with marketing. One of the things I learned was that companies are going to market to the consumer....and they are interested in PROFIT and not always what is best for the consumer. It is sort of a "buyer beware" type of thing.

I believe that corn was somewhat believed to be ok in the past but I'm thinking (and I don't have information handy) that more current research is showing that it isn't good for rabbits like it was assumed to be. I do know that fellow breeders have told me to NOT feed my rabbits corn as it will help make them fat (if I remember right) and make it harder for them to breed. With that said - I will say that my rabbits LOVE corn (before I knew about this) and they get maybe 1-2 kernels of corn per 3-4 days...as I add a tiny tiny bit to my food (about 1/2 cup to a BIG kettle of feed when I mix it up).

I would encourage you though when you look at products in pet stores and other stores....to remember that companies are going to add coloring and artificial flavors to appeal to the consumer....not the rabbit. Stores will carry those products...because they sell.

If you are ever concerned about a product - it is best to NOT take a chance on giving it to your rabbit until you check it out or feel really comfortable about it. To me - it's better to take a loss and throw the product out...than lose your animal or have it get sick. Just my thoughts though...

Peg

 

[HoneyPot]

Corn is not good for a bun in general (whether it is in the pellets, or part of those Vitakraft treats).

The reason is because rabbits cannot digest the hull of corn kernels.The hull of any corn eaten by a rabbit must be passed through the digestive system - it is not broken down, and thus can cause internal impaction/blockages.

This is also true for some other kinds of seeds.

Please avoid feeding your bun corn whenever possible.


From http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT CORN AND OTHER SEEDSSome types of seeds (especially things like "Canadian peas" and corn kernels) have hulls that are indigestible to a rabbit, and can cause life-threatening intestinal impactions/blockages.
Corn, fresh or dried, is NOT safe for rabbits. The hull of corn kernels is composed of a complex polysaccharide (not cellulose and pectin, of which plant cell walls are more commonly composed, and which a rabbit can digest) which rabbits cannot digest. We know of more than one rabbit who suffered intestinal impactions because of the indigestible corn hulls. After emergency medical treatment, when the poor rabbits finally passed the corn, their fecal pellets were nearly solid corn hulls! Those rabbits were lucky.


______________
Nadia

 

[Maureen Las]

Tinysmom is right about companies marketing anything that will appeal to the owners.....all the "fancy food" in pet stores for rabbits and guinea pigs are definitely not good for them ,also some of the treats... but it appeals to the eye of an inexperienced buyer.

 

[JimD]

Everyone is right....corn is not good for your bunnie. Raw, cooked, or dried. Do not take the chance and endanger your bun. Stick to the fruits and vegtables on the safe lists.

When we first got a bunnie we just had to run out and buy everything that was sold for bunnies.....including treats.By doing this I jeopardized the wellbeing of my charges. They don't need treats at all. Treats also make chubby bunnies. We had absolutely no experience or guidance on their proper care.

My buns have become accustomed to treats being greens, rolled oats, and dried papaya. Their daily main staple is unlimited timothy hay and limited pellets.

If I want to buy something new for them it's usually a toy.

~Jim

 

[TinysMom]

Thanks for sharing JimD! I'm actually out of corn..I used the last of it this past week and wasn't going to replace the bag. I do sometimes find a kernel or two in the barley and wheat I get from the feedstore - but I can just pull those kernels out as they're pretty rare.

Peg

 

[rabbitgirl]

Oh, long long time ago I fed cracked corn, which they loved, and no ill effects, but it was somewhat short term. I haven't since, because I'd agree that they don't really need all that extra stuff. I was wondering, though, if Purina uses corn in their pellets, as I've seen pieces that look like there is. Anyone know?

I also feed the occasional oak leaves, which are on the no-list, but I began that about 13 yrs. ago before I knew they weren't recommended. I wonder why they have never been a problem--maybe it's the type of oak? My longest-lived rabbit, who was 13 + when she died, absolutely loved them. Would I recommend oak leaves? Probably not, just in casemine are an exception to the rule and others have bad results!

Whatever treats I feed, it's very limited, which is a safe bet no matter what you use for treats. I err on the side of caution, and use only what experience has shown to work in the past. Thankfully, my ignorance didn't hurt the critters way back then--oh, what I didn't know!!

Rose

 

[JimD]

Hi Rose! I use the Purina green bag. This is the info provided on their website:

[align=justify]Purina Rabbit Chow Complete Blend Ingredients:
Forage products (alfalfa), wheat midds, roughage products (oat or rice hulls), plant protein products, *grain products, molasses products, calcium carbonate, salt, dicalcium phosphate, choline, chloride, DL-methionine, ferrous oxide, magnesium oxide, niacin supplement, vitamin E supplement, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin B-12 supplement, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D-3 supplement, zinc sulfate, zinc oxide, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, ferrous carbonate, copper sulfate, cobalt carbonate, sodium selenite. [/align]
[align=justify]I occasionally find bits and pieces of what appears to be corn, howeverthey don't list corn as an ingrediant (unless is falls under the *grain products. :?)[/align]
[align=justify]~Jim[/align]

 

[rabbitgirl]

Thanks so much! That illuminates things, although the grain issue is rather puzzling!

Rose

 

[TinysMom]

rabbitgirl wrote:

Thanks so much! That illuminates things, although the grain issue is rather puzzling!

Rose

From what another breeder told me (and I can't verify it right off) by saying "grain products" they can use whatever is "in season" and cheaper to get for grains to make their feed. I think I have that right....we were discussing various feeds one night and going over their ingredient lists to seewhat was in them and some of them said "grain product" also.

Peg

 

[JimD]

TinysMom wrote:

rabbitgirl wrote:

Thanks so much! That illuminates things, although the grain issue is rather puzzling!

Rose

From what another breeder told me (and I can't verify it right off) by saying "grain products" they can use whatever is "in season" and cheaper to get for grains to make their feed. I think I have that right....we were discussing various feeds one night and going over their ingredient lists to seewhat was in them and some of them said "grain product" also.

Peg

I just sent an email off to Purina to see if they could claifiy this issue for us.

~Jim

 

[TinysMom]

JimD wrote:

I just sent an email off to Purina to see if they could claifiy this issue for us.

~Jim

WOW Jim - you're so "on the ball" - I NEVER thought to do this....:great:...but then again, I don't use them and my rabbit food ingredient list doesn't list that...if I remember right.

Let us know what they say!

Peg

 

[JimD]

TinysMom wrote:

JimD wrote:

I just sent an email off to Purina to see if they could claifiy this issue for us.

~Jim

WOW Jim - you're so "on the ball" -
Peg

:thanks:

 

[doodle]

Jim, I'm glad you sent an email to the company. Please do let us all know what you find out. I'm always baffled about rabbit feed and what's best to give my rabbits. It puzzles me because I read that "rabbits should never have grains of any kind," but there are grains and "grain products" in rabbit pellets.

Oat is a grain too, though most information says it's healthy for rabbits in small amounts. My buns usually get about a tsp of whole rolled oats several times a week.

I have never given them corn, but have given them a few sunflower seeds before. Info seems to be two-sided about whether the sunflower seeds are safe or not, but I stopped giving them because I'd rather err on the side of caution. Both my buns had GI stasis last time they molted, and I never want to go through that again!

 

[JimD]

doodle wrote:

My buns usually get about a tsp of whole rolled oats several times a week.

I have never given them corn, but have given them a few sunflower seeds before. Info seems to be two-sided about whether the sunflower seeds are safe or not, but I stopped giving them because I'd rather err on the side of caution. Both my buns had GI stasis last time they molted, and I never want to go through that again!

Our buns get a tablespoon of rolled oats on a daily basis.

If I remember correctly Buck Jones used to give his buns cracked oats. He also would give them black sunflower seeds in the winter time...they are considered a "hot" food and help the buns stay warm.

~Jim

 

[JimD]

doodle wrote:

Jim, I'm glad you sent an email to the company. Please do let us all know what you find out.

To doodle and all others interested.....this is the response to my question about grains and grain by-products in Purina Rabbit Chows:

[align=left]-----Original Message-----
From: Yeager, Greg
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 9:31 AM
To: Cooper, Mary Ann
Subject: FW: Family Livestock Information Request

[/align]

Grain Products could be any combination of grains or grain by-products. Examples would be corn, wheat, oats and barley. I am not permitted to give specifics of any formula or formulas.

___________________________________________________________________________

~Jim