new here, need some advice

[lcode]

my bunny who I have had for about a year and a half seems bored. I am in the process of adopting another bunny so he has a friend. However, I really want to give him some new toys. The problem I have is that he eats everything. He ingests everything, he doesn't just rip things up. He chews up cardboard and eats it, he pulls at my carpet and eats it, and the one time I tried giving a small cotton towel he ate a part of it so I took it away. I really want to give him something besides some paper towel tubes, egg cartons, and wood blocks because I think he is bored with them.

I also would like to give him some different wood chews. I know willow and apple are okay and he likes those best. I am always just hesitant going to the store and buying woods because I am afraid they won't be untreated or something along those lines

Any advice on what to give a rabbit that eats everything that is fun and isn't too expensive?

 

[Blue eyes]

Is he neutered?

 

[Aki]

Having a neutered / spayed friend from the opposite sex should be enough to help relieve his boredom (but like Blue eyes mentionned, both parties have to be desexed!). Eating everything and not playing much with things is quite normal for a rabbit. They tend to calm down a bit on the 'eat everything on sight' as they get older but it can take a while.

 

[lcode]

good to know. He is a rescue, and the vet recently estimated him to be around 3-4 years old. would this still be a typical age for him to want to eat everything in sight?

Yes, he is neutered, and the female I will be getting soon is spayed. I am really hoping that having her will help with his boredom.

Overall, what is safe for him to eat/play with that won't cause a blockage?

 

[RavenousDragon]

Cardboard, untreated wood, for some bunnies (like mine) allowing them to tear up toilet paper and make a huge mess makes them happy. You could also try to encourage 'foraging' by hiding any pellets you give or any fresh greens around his play area (this can help to alleviate boredom).

 

[Blue eyes]

Not all rabbits play with toys. For some, chewing things up is play for them. If yours is a chewer (and ingests too) then try seagrass mats and wicker balls (binkybunny sells them, I believe). Bunny will destroy them and have a blast doing so. That is play for them!

As for tp tubes and other cardboard items like boxes, mine have all chewed and ingested them. So long as bunny is a good hay-eater, the hay will keep things moving through the gut. Carpet fibers & the long threads from towels, however, can cause gut blockages even if they eat plenty of hay. I would definitely avoid towels and carpet if your bunny ingests them. I'm not sure about egg cartons. I heard somewhere that they coat them to prevent broken eggs from leaking. It's possible they are safe, but I don't risk it.

Another option is hard plastic items, like certain cat balls or plastic baby keys. It can't be a thin plastic that can be chewed. I'll see if I can find the video of my rabbit playing with such a ball.

Aside from toys, I find that almost all rabbits like to explore. So providing an area with tunnels, boxes with doorways/windows, hidey areas, etc. keeps a rabbit interested.

 

[Blue eyes]

Here's that video... about 55 seconds. Sorry it's so shaky. But you can see the ball I've seen at many pet stores and maybe even at the dollar store.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S5_o4pe4i4[/ame]

 

[lcode]

Not all rabbits play with toys. For some, chewing things up is play for them. If yours is a chewer (and ingests too) then try seagrass mats and wicker balls (binkybunny sells them, I believe). Bunny will destroy them and have a blast doing so. That is play for them!

As for tp tubes and other cardboard items like boxes, mine have all chewed and ingested them. So long as bunny is a good hay-eater, the hay will keep things moving through the gut. Carpet fibers & the long threads from towels, however, can cause gut blockages even if they eat plenty of hay. I would definitely avoid towels and carpet if your bunny ingests them. I'm not sure about egg cartons. I heard somewhere that they coat them to prevent broken eggs from leaking. It's possible they are safe, but I don't risk it.

Another option is hard plastic items, like certain cat balls or plastic baby keys. It can't be a thin plastic that can be chewed. I'll see if I can find the video of my rabbit playing with such a ball.

Aside from toys, I find that almost all rabbits like to explore. So providing an area with tunnels, boxes with doorways/windows, hidey areas, etc. keeps a rabbit interested.

Thank you, this is really helpful! The egg carton I have given him seems to be just about the only things he doesn't eat. He like to carry it around though! I will have to invest in some of those wicker balls. The carpet is the issue I have been having lately. The house I am renting is all carpet. I have been trying different things to distract him from the carpet so this is helpful! Also your bunny with the plastic ball is so cute! I will have to get my bun, Lyle, one of those

 

[JBun]

For a determined carpet chewer, sometimes the only thing that works is restricting access. When you can't remove the carpet, sometimes covering it up works. You can cover up the areas with hard tiles so that bun can't get to the carpet, or buy a cut of lino to cover the carpet with(make sure your bun can't get to the edges to chew them.

For the chewing and the boredom, first I'll ask about your buns diet as it can play a part in boredom levels. So what amount of pellets does he get fed per day, what kind of pellets, once or twice a day feeding, how much does he weight, any other foods or treats, and do you also free feed grass hay(and does he eat it well)?

Some natural toy ideas. I cut up 1x2's from the hardware store, into blocks made into a hanging toy. I also gather hard dried pine cones. You're right to be careful with the cardboard. Most of the time it's not a problem for rabbits to rip it up and ingest very small amounts, but when large amounts are ingested it can pose a blockage risk.

 

[Cookiemonster]

I put hay in a paper towel roll and my bunnies love it. they throw it around and hop on it... Its so fun to watch!

 

[lavendertealatte]

Hope it's ok to ask this here -- I have a question about cardboard-- does it have to be absolutely plain cardboard? What about cardboard you find like in Kleenex tissue boxes with colored designs on them, or cardboard boxes with the kind of glossy appearance from the marketing stuff?

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Any of the glossy stuff and the higher definition pics are a plastic applied to the cardboard--not good for bunny. The plain printing like on banana or apple boxes is vegetable ink and okay.Mine also like to play with newspaper, so I take a couple of litter boxes and fill them with shredded newspaper--again, vegetable ink so it's safe for all.

 

[SNOWYGirl]

Ibelieve my rabbit will not last the night. She's spasaming in her belly and will not even swollow critical care. Can't believe I just came from the vet and she didn't recognize it. She's leaking a putrid smell. I'm so sad to lose her!
What do I do? Leave her alone to rest or hold her till she's gone.
Feel like I let her down. Vet gave me plenty of pain meds.

 

[JBun]

It sounds like she may have clostridial enterotoxemia. At this point it may be too late, but if she is to have any chance of making it, you would need to get her to an emergency vet that treats rabbits, and get her on metronidazole, cholestyramine, and fluids, immediately. It's almost always a fatal illness, so needs immediate treatment. But even with treatment and the right meds, it may have progressed too far to reverse the effects.
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/Clostridial_enteritis_rabbits.htm

eta: Another possibility is that she has an infection and she now has sepsis.

 

[SNOWYGirl]

Thank you Jbun. My dearest Snowy pasted away this morning at 10:10 in the vets office. She was an amazing soul who opened my heart allowing my wounds to heal and live my life to the fullest. She was a very special soul and a true gift in my life!
Thanks for your help. The previous vet really didn't know how to read her lab work and that really wouldn't have mattered since it was cancer and she was sick for a while.

 

[SNOWYGirl]

I want to gather all the things that remind me of her and just get rid of it all!! Is that normal?

 

[Cookiemonster]

Sorry for your loss....It is normal to feel that way and you will feel that way for a long time.... I did this when my Chocolate passed away.... but then realized that her son (Vince) loves that toy and this is his home he shared with his mom... Just know that if you need someone to talk about this to you can message me anytime..