How do I make something that my rabbit can chew AND eat.

[Basj]

My rabbit loves to chew but the problem is she eats what she chews.  I want to be able to give her something that is not harmful when ingested.  I hear a lot of people giving cardboard boxes or toilet paper rolls to chew but my rabbit will eat these too!   I would bake something that had a hard texture that she could eat if I only knew how!!   Any suggestions would be truly appreciated.  She’s getting bored of the Snak Shak chew toy (which incidentally she eats – hopefully that is alright).

Thanks everyone!

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Snak shacks are ridiculously unhealthy Is she eating enough hay? Hay, pellets, and salad are really the only thing she should ingest.

[Monkeybun]

Willow toys that are untreated are safe and edible as well. Might want to try some of those

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Ooh I forgot about those. And what about those grass mats/hidey holes? Those should be edible too.

[Beka27]

I would definitely suggest willow toys!

[LBJ10]

Yep, willow toys are good.

[Basj]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.  I know the snak shaks are not a great choice but she just has to chew, and it seems like hard surfaces are more her speed!   I have a grass mat and she has chewed a bit on that and some of the balls made of hay but her preference is a hard surface like wood, hence the snak shak only because she does ingest it.   Where do you buy willow toys.  I suspect they are more soft.  I buy also apple sticks but she really likes chew a lot so she becomes bored of these.  She eats a lot of hay, pellets and salad for sure, she’s just a real chewer and trying to find something good for her to chew seems quite a challenge!

[Monkeybun]

Snak shacks aren’t good for her though

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Has she seen a vet lately? I’d take her in and get her teeth checked.

[bwild]

I would try something like the Alfalfa Sticks, the Yucca Wheelie, or the Hanging Oat/Alfalfa Stick from here at the BB store. Also, like everyone has mentioned, anything made from the willow branches would be great too. Taking her in to see a vet for a teeth checkout is also a good idea too.

[Tipsy Bunny]

I know that some people reviewed the grass mats and said their bunnies ate them too fast and either got sick or fat. But my bun loves her grass mat, she only chews on it on the rarest occasion, I swear she is ADD and has the attention span of a goldfish. But she is definitely one of those buns that chews and swallows. I also use the grass mats to cover places that she has chewed on carpets. Not so much something to lay on, but she LOVES to rip it up!

[Sam and Lady's Human]

How much pellets a day does she get?

[Basj]

I would say she eats about a quarter cup or so of pellets per day. I just had her to the vet and they said that her molars were okay right now, I could have them filed down but I decided to wait as she went through a period I thought was gastric stasis but now seems fine so lots of trips to the vet. I wanted to give her a break as it stresses her greatly. Are the alfalfa sticks really hard. She has always liked chewing (and eating) anything like wood or of course baseboards, whatever she can! This is the only reason I bought the snak shacks (and of course covered up the baseboards!). I would even be willing to bake something, I have no idea, but food related that ends up really hard but yet good for her?! I know it sounds crazy…but that’s it, she’s a chewer!

[Sam and Lady's Human]

How old is she and is she spayed?

[BinkyBunny]

 You can try Timothy Hay cakes. They are similar to the Alfalfa Cube toy (Alfalfa sticks).   The cakes/cubes are not rock hard, they will not just fall apart either.  But it’s something your bunny can sink her teeth into in a short amount of time. 

We are also going to be adding some new chew toys in the store. One is madebig chunks of with the bark .  Should be in the store in a few hours.   However, i don’t want to seem like I am just wanting to sell you something. I just am always excited about new stuff as we really try and choose products that would appeal to a rabbit –especially a chewer as that is one of the most common behaviors.   This has sort of a soft outer bark with the harder center to chew on that will take some time…plus the edges of the stars also provide for a chewing distraction. 

 

  

 

A homemade option is a phone book (easiest home made chew toy around! haha– you just lay it down), and if there is no interest in chewing the phone book, then hide a couple of treats between some of the pages and see if that sparks some interest. 

Back in Jack’s (rip) younger days, used to love to chew and dig, and he loved tearing up phone books (made a huge mess that is why I have it in the closet). Here is a video of him so involved in it, I startled him a bit.   OH…edited here…i just reread what you said about your bunny eating cardboard.  In general cardboard and paper is digestable, it’s just that if your bunny eats too much and forgoes his hay and regular diet, that can be a problem.  SO my phone book tip may be a mute point here. 

 

 

[Lazee]

I’ve been saving the dust from my pellets and the fines from my hay for a while now with the intention of baking some bunny treats. In the process I googled home made bunny treats and got a lot of hits. I too am looking for a hard, healthy, tasty, chew item. I haven’t made any yet but will in a day or so. I will let you know how they come out.

[Basj]

Thanks so much everyone for the ideas. Pepper is 6 and yes is spayed. I have tried the timothy hay cakes and do have a small untreated wicker basket that I think I’ll use for her hay. That sounds interesting Lazee about saving the dust from pellets and hay, do let me know what you come up with, I’m with you on that, I’d love to find something to make like that! BB your bunnies are gorgeous!

[Author]

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