What kind of wood is not safe for buns?

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This topic has 10sd replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 2 months ago by Scarlet_Rose.

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- 09/26/2007 at 11:24 AM
  Deleted User
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  I am thinking of making my own chew toys for my boys and I found wooden cut outs on ebay. They are all natural with no finish or anything like that but I was wondering are all types of wood safe for bunnies to chew on? Or if not what kinds ARE safe?
- 09/26/2007 at 11:59 AM
  Deleted User
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  oh and another questions, is rafia safe for rabbits? What kinds of twine or things to connect items are safe?
- 09/26/2007 at 12:33 PM
  Toki+Pumpkin+Elmo
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  319 posts
  I’m wondering the same thing. Is it ok to use the lumber sold in Home Depot? Like the wood you would use for house projects?
- 09/26/2007 at 1:13 PM
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  The lady e-mail me and said that she was pretty sure they were birch. Is that safe?
- 09/26/2007 at 3:13 PM
  osprey
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  2065 posts
  Raffia is definitely safe, we use it for all kinds of chewable projects for our buns. Sisal rope/twine is also good.
  
  Untreated pine lumber (like you’d get from Home Depot or Loews) is fine for bunnies. Stay away from anything painted, stained or treated (like pressure treated for example). I have read that redwood lumber is bad for bunnies, but I do not know why. Birch is a hard wood, often used for cabinets. I think this is also OK for rabbits to chew.
- 09/26/2007 at 5:38 PM
  Scarlet_Rose
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  4293 posts
  I just replied on another thread about this. I’ve used this site for research purposes: http://www.chinchillas2home.co.uk/safewoods.htm
  
  Trees whose fruit has a pit I’ve read that they are toxic unless completely dried first: http://www.coloradohrs.com/articles/adopt_prepare.asp
  
  I have also read that they are listed at poison control centers as toxic period and no mention of whether it makes a difference if it is dried.
  
  Plain pine at a hardware store like Osprey mentioned is OK. However birch contains a small amount of salicylates which are toxic and could potentially harm an animal, so I really would not use it. Any red woods I would not consider safe, I would liken it to when you get a splinter in your finger from redwood or cedar and how it gets all hot, puffy, red, pussy and stings like heck. There is a substance in there that causes it and so I really would not want my bunny munching on it. I’ll have to dig out some of my plant books to find the actual name of the substance as I didn’t have much luck online with it.
- 09/27/2007 at 12:36 AM
  Gravehearted
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  2428 posts
  ScarletRose – thanks for sharing all that great info about safe woods.
  
  my wood recommendation would be anything willow, since I can tell you my buns go nuts for willow toys. My buns have a bunch of willow toys that binkybunny sells and they’re VERY popular at my house!
- 09/27/2007 at 4:46 PM
  Scarlet_Rose
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  4293 posts
  You’re welcome! I hope it is helpful! Ditto with the willow, you would think it was the best thing since bananas to a bunny!
- 09/27/2007 at 5:39 PM
  MooBunnay
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  3087 posts
  Juli and Kramer love the willow too! I bought them a HUGE willow cube and the next day it was an eensy pile of twigs with a couple wood looking poops on top
- 09/27/2007 at 8:35 PM
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  Coney loves his Willow tent house thing that I bought from BB, actually I should buy another because I don’t know how much longer this one is going to last. I think I am just going to have to stick to apple sticks and branches. What about pear and grape vine? I thought I saw rabbit toys made out of dried grape vines but I am not sure.
- 09/28/2007 at 4:34 PM
  Scarlet_Rose
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  4293 posts
  Pear is OK! : ) It is a pome fruit (fruit with 5 seeds in the same family as apple), but I am not sure about the grape vine.
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