The rabbits are popular pets and there is 2 main reason behind this fact, one is they are very cute looking pets and another is they are also quite friendly in nature. As we all know that the rabbits have a strong urge for chewing and they chew on lots of different things, so as a responsible owner we should make sure that whatever they are chewing on should be safe for them so that they do not have to face any kind of health issue.
In this guide on rabbits, we will discuss the topic they can rabbit chew on wood or not and also 5 safe kinds of wood for rabbits so that you can only provide them with wood that is safe for them and that will not create any kind of health issue for them or will affect their dental health. The rabbits need owners that are able to understand them and also that can provide them with the best of everything so that they can live a happy and healthy life with their owners.
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Can rabbits chew on wood?
The answer is yes, the rabbits can chew on wood but not all wood are safe for them. So you need to be very particular about the fact which wood should be given to the rabbits for the chewing purpose. As chewing is one of the main behaviors of rabbits so you need to be very careful about this and give the best and the safest wood that is available to chew for them so that they do not face any kind of difficulty or medical emergency.
You need to keep them busy by giving them something to chew on and wood is one such thing on which they can chew but the wood should be natural and not something that is chemically treated, as it can cause issues for your rabbit.
Risks for rabbits on chewing unsafe wood
The rabbits can face issues if they are chewing on unsafe wood or the wood that is toxic to them. If they will chew on the unsafe wood in the beginning nothing will happen to them, but if they will continue eating that wood for a long time then definitely they will face various health issues. You need o make sure that you keep them away from such kind of wood.
If unsafe wood is ingested it mainly affects the liver and the stomach of the rabbit, which is why you need to be careful with them. Even if the wood is safe for them and is chemically treated then also it can harm your rabbit. You need to keep a close eye on your rabbit, that is what are they exactly chewing. Even dental health will not be good if they will chew the wrong wood.
If they are chewing on the unsafe wood for a very long time, you need to give them immediate medical attention as then, they would have even ingested a lot of unsafe wood. You need to take proper care of your rabbit and provide them with the safest option to chew, in order to avoid any kind of health problem and also in order to provide them with a safe and healthy lifestyle.
5 Safe Woods for Rabbits
As we know that rabbits cannot chew on any kind of wood, you need to be quite particular about your choice of wood so that the rabbits do not face any kind of health problem in the long run and are able to live a comfortable and a healthy lifestyle. We have listed 5 safe kinds of wood for your rabbits which you can get for your rabbit from the market and if it is available at home you can provide them from there too are listed as below:-
1. Apple and pear
The apple and the pear wood are among the safe wood for the rabbits, which is why you can get them for them so that they can live a healthy life also these woods are not at all toxic for them. The wood that you would be providing to the rabbit should be free from any kind of chemicals and it should be 100% natural because chemically treated wood can pose threat to the health of the rabbit.
You can give them the branches. Twigs or even leaves of the apple or the pear tree and also these are loved by your rabbits because of the taste and it becomes their favorite chewing toy. If you have an apple or pear tree at your home then you can chew them with it or else you can provide them with the apple or pear sticks by buying them from the market.
Make sure that these sticks are fresh and your rabbit will enjoy them more if they are fresh and the flavor is what makes these sticks more popular among the rabbits and their owners. Another reason for their popularity is that these sticks are easily available in the market for your rabbit and you do not have to face any kind of hassle while searching the apple or pear wood.
2. Willow
The wood of the willow tree is also safe for the rabbits because it is one of the most common woods that are given to the rabbit for chewing purposes as it is not at all toxic for them. Also, this willow wood is found in the form of balls that can be played with by the rabbit they will not only chew it but will toss it or do other things with it. These willow balls are fun balls for them and they like them a lot.
If there is any item made up of willow wood like the baskets or some other furniture that is of no use, then you can give it to the rabbit without any fear, but you need to make sure that the wood should not be treated in any kind with paint or varnish because these things are harmful to the rabbit and this will cause lots of issues for your rabbit.
So you can chew them with willow or the products made with it but make sure that these things should be safe for them as from that we mean it should not be chemically treated.
3. Rose bushes
As we know the rose is a popular plant throughout the world and also it is easily available in any household you will be happy to know that you can even chew the rabbit with rosewood. Also, not only wood, but leaves are also good for them. But when you are giving them a rose to chew you need to remove all the thorns from it because it can hurt your rabbit if the thorns are quite thick.
But if the thorns are soft and new then you can chew them with the rose branches as it is because the rabbits will not face any kind of problem with those thorns. Make sure that the rosewood that you will provide them is fully safe for them and is not treated with any kind of chemicals like insecticide or anything else because it can be harmful to them.
Even you can chew them with rose petals in between but not on a daily basis because the rabbits also love rose petals and can be a tasty snack for them. The rabbits chew on rose quite fondly as they love the taste and also another reason is that you can find this wood quite easily even at home or in the market and even the rabbits love its flavor.
4. Kiln-dried pine
Another alternative for safe wood for the rabbit is the kiln-dried pine and you can chew them with this wood. When you need to provide the rabbit with the pine it should be kiln-dried from that we mean that the pine needs to be dried before you will chew it to the rabbits. So you can let the rabbit chew on the furniture made up of pine and also you need to make sure that it is not at all chemically treated as that can be very dangerous for the rabbits.
Another thing that you need to make sure of is that the pine should not be fresh because that is not at all good for the rabbit which is why the dried pine is preferred. The fresh pine can cause issues to their liver it can damage it because it contains phenols that are not good for the rabbit. Also if the pine has a strong scent of it then also you need not give it to the rabbit because it will cause other problems for them.
So you need to provide them with pine wood that is kiln-dried and also which does not have any kind of strong pine scent and then it will not cause any kind of problem to the rabbits. Also, pine cones are safe for them, and bring the cones as toys and make sure that they are also completely dried and properly cleaned before giving them to your rabbit for chewing purposes.
5. Maple
Maple wood is another wood that is safe for rabbits and you can chew it to them without any issue. The maple woods are used to make safe rabbit toys and you can give them to them without any fear. You can even find that in the market it is also sold in the form of sticks and then are packed in bundles. The maple wood has a taste to it that is sweet which is why rabbits like it a lot and also they are tempted to it a lot.
This is also one of the favorite wood to chew because of its sweet taste. The rabbit enjoys chewing it a lot, but make sure that it is untreated and also no paint or varnish is used on it which can affect the health of your rabbit. Apart from it is 100% safe for your rabbits and you can get it in the form of various chew toys and can buy it even online.
These are the 5 safe woods that the rabbit can chew without facing any kind of health problem and also they love the taste of these woods. But as an owner, you also need to make sure that these woods are not chemically treated and you can provide it to your rabbit for chewing purposes without any issue. As chewing is the natural behavior of the rabbit and you need to provide them with something that is safe for them.
Final thoughts:
The rabbits are pets that are completely dependent on their owners for everything so you need to make sure that you provide them with the best of everything so that they do not face any kind of problem when they are living in their captivity. The rabbits also need lots of love and care from their owners so that they can live happy and comfortable life.
There should be a strong bonding between both the rabbit and the owner which is how both of them will be able to each other in a better way and will not cause any problems for one another. The rabbits are quite affectionate towards the people around them which is why they get attached to their owners quite fast and even the owners love them a lot in this way both of them become best friends of each other and also do not cause any problem for one another.
More:
8 Things To Know Before Getting A Pet Rabbit
