Apple Sticks

[ConnBunnies]

Hello All

I have a quick question about apple sticks. Our newest addition, Mango, is a huge chewer. She will chew anything that she can find except toys. She is not thrilled with the hanging bird toys, willow balls or baskets. She does love apple sticks though. I began by buying them from Sweet Meadow but they cost $6 for 10 tiny twigs. She loves chewing them and if I do not give her one or two at night she will chew the les of the furnature. We even tried spraying the legs with bitter lemon juice. She doesn’t care. Chew, Chew, Chew!

Anyway I called an apple orchard and they supplied me with a lot of branches they had due to it being pruning season. I now have three free boxes of 4 inch sticks. Yah for spring! Anyway Mango keeps stealing the sticks from the box and I am afraid I may be giving her too many. I know too much of anything is not good, but how many can she safely eat? She peels the bark and discards the branch itself.

Sorry this is so wordy but thanks in advance for the advice.

[bunnytowne]

hey thats cool the orchard gave you all that wow I don’t know the answer to your question tho I am waiting for it too from someone who knows more than I

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hi ConnBunnies! Welcome! How much is your little sickens Mango eating? Too much is not good because a rabbit will tend to nibble on something say an apple branch over eating hay, which is very important for their diet. I would say it sounds like she is getting too many. At most I give mine a branch a week to munch on, I’m lucky enough to have my own apple tree in my backyard.

[ConnBunnies]

I am giving her two four inch long sticks per night. They are the size of twigs (smaller than the diameter of a #2 pencil) She doesn’t eat the whole stick. She simply peels the bark and leaves the branch. I don’t think it is affecting her eating. She shares two large salads per day with Hopscotch and is always munching on the hay box. She also gets about 1/2 a cup of timothy pekkets in the late evening. She finishes them all and is the first to rush for hay when I fill the hay box.

Without the sticks she will chew the furniture. I think that the natural apple sticks must be better than the stained wood? As long as she is eating and pooing well is there a problem giving the 2 small sticks? If we can not stop the chewing we will need to pen her at night and I hate to do that. Hopscotch has never been put in a pen and I don’t think he will like being in the pen or having no access to Mango at night if she needs to be in one. They have full run of the house and we can’t remove all the furniture – ha ha!

Any suggestions are welcome!

Valerie

[Scarlet_Rose]

Valerie thanks for the info! I think it is O.K. what you are doing, especially for the sake of the furniture and no, the stained wood is not good at all. Most stains are petroleum based and not good for a rabbit to be eating. I think you are doing a wonderful job!

[ConnBunnies]

 Thanks so much for the kind words. Mango is slowly coming out of her shell and exploring more. It is funny – now that I offer the two sticks each night the furniture is safe and she is more relaxed. She used to flinch when you tried to touch her back (her back was covered with abcesses that required surgery from poor care) Now she runs over and waits to be rubbed. Those sticks seem to be her pacifier. Whatever it takes to make her happy!

Thanks Again! Valerie

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Actually here’s a good place to bring this up. Other fruit wood, say peach wood for example is not OK to give. Apple of course is Ok and they like it.

It’s upsetting as they actually sell peach wood in the stores, but until it’s completely dried (take no chances) it contains ARSENIC!

So, here’s how you know…If the fruit of the tree has a pit (cherry, apricot etc) the wood has arsenic until completely dried. I’d say if it’s not cooked it’s probably not dry and I’m not going to risk it (hope you don’t either) so just don’t give the wood of a tree that has pitted fruit!!

[Scarlet_Rose]

Oh Mango sounds like she has been through a lot. What a little sweetheart, she deserves to be spoiled!

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