To paper or not to paper?

[LittleWhiteRex]

Please help settle a household dispute! ><

We have two very-trusted rabbit books, “Rabbits For Dummies” and a book on lop rabbits (whose name I forget ><)

“Rabbits For Dummies” claims that paper can kill bunnies because it can get stuck in their stomach.

The lop rabbit book (written by a professional and medium-scale lop breeder) says that paper is a harmless treat for bunnies, and often gives her bunnies telephone books. She did not mention any health risks.

 

Which book is correct? Lily does so enjoy her paper.

[Elrohwen]

I have never heard that paper (or cardboard, which is essentially the same thing) is bad for bunnies and many people recommend phone books and cardboard for chewing. Paper is essentially wood fiber, cellulose, which is about the same as the fiber in hay and veggies. Unless there is some other harmful chemical on the paper I don’t really see how it could be bad.

[Monkeybun]

if its glossy paper it can be bad, but regular old paper or cardboard that isn’t all glossy is fine for them to nibble on.

[Barbie]

I agree, it’s fine for a few nibbles, but if your bunny starts eating a whole bunch of it, that might cause problems.. So if you give paper or cardboard, just watch to make sure they’re not eating the stuff like candy (or bananas! )

[RabbitPam]

I know that phone books are recommended because they have soy-based ink, which is not harmful to bunnies if swallowed.
The point of a phone book is that it is thick and fun for them to shred. Paper is a good toy, not a good food. So if your bunny is just chowing down on paper, I would discourage that. But shredding with teeth and paws, and ingesting some in the process, is fine. Just try to avoid glossy magazines. Newspapers are usually ok, though their ink can make for some very dirty paws.

[BinkyBunny]

It’s more about the ink that could be on the paper. Phone books and most Newspapers are just fine because their inks are soy based (though you would need to double check your local newspaper)

As far a just paper itself – the only harm would be if the bunny chose to fill up on that and pass up the greens and hay. Here is an similar question asked to Dana Krempels (a biologist and rabbit-savvy expert) and her answer was

“As long as the paper and cardboard have no print containing heavy metals (as many colored inks do), there is no harm in your bunny eating it.  Paper is made of cellulose, which is digestible to rabbits.”

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-…aper-2.htm  

 

[Beka27]

Like with any new toy or play thing, it’s a good idea to supervise their activities for awhile. If you let her play with newspaper and you end up seeing whole piles of it nibbled and shredded, chances are that the majority of it is just getting run thru “the bunny shredder” and is not actually being ingested. If the newspaper is disappearing and nothing is leftover, then it’s being eaten.

My buns have just recently rediscovered their joy of a diggy box with newspaper. So there are bits of paper EVERYWHERE. Only problem is that their normally pristine white feet have a slight gray tinge to them from the constant digging, but it’s a small price to pay for happy buns.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I think it’s the same as when a friends dog was in trouble from eating tissue and toilet paper etc-he was filling up on it and not eating his regular food=-so although it’s totally harmless for my dog to chew some tubes and newspaper (he’s a goober) he’s not eating enough to cause a blockage or interfer with his regular diet.

So I’d say both books are correct.

In normal circumstances, paper is fine. My buns get regular cardboard (hello maze haven! The amazing edible fun house-they love it!) and phonebooks to chew. BUT they are not eating a ton of it-most is spit out-so blockages are not an issue.
IF they were nutty and eating it all-I definitely wouldn’t give it-even though it’s non toxic, it’s ok to eat a bit, but not ok to eat a lot.

Does that make sense?

[LittleWhiteRex]

Yep Update, we have a cardboard box and toy in her cage and since we changed her diet slightly she hasn’t actually eaten as much of it.

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