# Rabbit Chew "Toys" and such



## Marie28 (Feb 23, 2017)

I have been looking into things for our rabbits to chew on. I've found lists of tree branches but sadly none of the ones that are 100% okay for rabbit are on our property. We have a a few black locus trees, but I have found some people say that the branches are not okay and some say just no the pods.

Right now they are getting pine cones which they love, but I was wondering if there are other thing we can give them. Any Ideas? We have pine trees, black locust and a smaller lower tree that I have not been able to identify...


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## secuono (Feb 23, 2017)

I can send you a stuffed full flat rate box of Mulberry branches if you're in the US. 
Animalmom has been buying them from me for a few years now. 

Post pictures of the tree's leaves for an ID.


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## DutchBunny03 (Feb 24, 2017)

Rabbits can chew on pretty much everything. Mine chew on their hutches if i dont give them something else to chew on. Cardboard boxes, paper towel rolls, and pretty much everything made of cardboard is great for a rabbit chew toy.


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## Marie28 (Feb 24, 2017)

We tired toilet paper tubes once and 2 out 3 got them wet (pee i think) and turned into a soggy mess. We might try them again, it took them awhile to start chewing on the pine cones 

This is our un-identified tree, and the two leaves left


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## DutchBunny03 (Feb 24, 2017)

Thats the problem with cardboard. Mine usually put them in their water bowls.


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## Marie28 (Feb 24, 2017)

Thankfully they drink out of water bottles. But the food bowls are currently heavy ceramic and our blue buck is constantly moving it around and accidentally tipping it over.

We might try filling the tubes with veggies,they didn't seem to care for it with hay, hence the peeing on them...


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## animalmom (Feb 25, 2017)

My bunns love @secuono's Mulberry branches and a box of them last quite a while.  They gnaw the thin bark off first and then settle down for a good chew on the wood.

Do you have other animals such as horses or goats?  If you do you might already have alfalfa cubes on hand.  My bunns like those too and the alfalfa cubes last several days as they are quite solid.

We have apple and pear trees and the bunns like those trimmings as well.  Heck my bunns have been known to enjoy an UNTREATED piece of 2x4.


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## Marie28 (Feb 25, 2017)

No we don't haven alfalfa cubes, it sounds like a nice treat. Do you know how much it cost? The have a wood hutches and we where able to make them with minimal edges for them to chew on but they still find a way lol. I might try a piece of the left over wood. (yes untreated :]]) 

Our neighbor has birch trees and the lot across from us has some too. Not sure who owns the lot but I will see if my neighbor is cool with me taking some of his branches. But if not I might take you ( @secuono ) up on your offer :]


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## Marie28 (Feb 25, 2017)

Has anyone given them pine needles?


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## animalmom (Feb 25, 2017)

Alfalfa cubes come in two sizes, regular and small.  We buy the small the the goats and rabbits.  A 50# bag is $14.00.  I was buying the rabbits timothy cubes but that gets expensive as the bag is 10 ounces and costs $2.00.  Not all the goats like the alfalfa cubes, but it is new to them.

We don't have any pine trees but I'm sure others will weigh in on your question.

I neglected to say Howdy and welcome to BYH.  What breed of rabbit are you raising and do you have any other animals?  Inquiring minds are always curious, please and thank you.  Pictures too, we love pictures!


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## Marie28 (Feb 25, 2017)

We are just starting out. We have 3 silver fox rabbits. 1 black doe, 1 black buck (we though was a doe) and a 1 blue buck. I think they would be call Jr.s because they are between 4-5 months. We are on the look out for another doe. We also have two dogs.
My profile picture is Ruby she is our doe
The 1st and 3rd picture is Onyx
and the 2nd is Topaz.

I need some new pictures these are from when we first got them. Ruby has gained about 1 pound 4 ounces, Onyx 11 ounces and Topaz has gained about 6 ounces. Is it normal for does to gain quicker? she is the exact age as Onyx, Topaz is about a month older.

Edit: we are raising them for meat rabbits and to sell.


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## secuono (Feb 25, 2017)

I buy horse hay cubes, not sure how many pounds are a bag, but they are standard 50# feed sack dimensions. They have oat, alfalfa, timothy and such types. $14-19 a bag. 
I buy them for my sheep and horses as treats, but I sit down with a bucket full and break them up into 1cm slivers so no one chokes on them. 
When I had cavies & rabbits, I would give them the nice long sections. Rabbits would toss them around, punch them and eat them down until the left over piece fell through the flooring. 
Water bottles are best when using hay cubes and cardboard items. Rabbits love to toss them into the water crocks and get them nasty...


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## secuono (Feb 25, 2017)

Marie28 said:


> Thankfully they drink out of water bottles. But the food bowls are currently heavy ceramic and our blue buck is constantly moving it around and accidentally tipping it over.
> 
> We might try filling the tubes with veggies,they didn't seem to care for it with hay, hence the peeing on them...



Oh no, it is no accident! They dump feed like it's their job! Rabbits are infuriating like that, lol. And they get crafty when you try to stop them. At one point, I started feeding tiny meals of pellets sevral times a day so they wouldn't dump it or find a way to get their butts into it and pee/poo on them....ugh.


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## Marie28 (Feb 25, 2017)

secuono said:


> Oh no, it is no accident! They dump feed like it's their job! Rabbits are infuriating like that, lol. And they get crafty when you try to stop them. At one point, I started feeding tiny meals of pellets sevral times a day so they wouldn't dump it or find a way to get their butts into it and pee/poo on them....ugh.



Our doe pees in her bowl in protest lol  . Luckily its always empty hence the protesting. We have considered getting a bowl for the Topaz that attaches to the cage but he currently does not eat the hay in his hay rack... not sure what his problem is. We noticed he wasn't eating any so we pulled some out and put it in his bowl and he started munching away so now we have a pyrex bread pan wedged in his cage so he can't move it, but the bowl is every where.


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## mygoldendoe (Feb 25, 2017)

We bought our two pure NZ from a woman who mainly kept them as pets after she got out of the meat usage. The doe refused to chew the maple branches. I don't have pine cones or other safe trees so I gave her my son's old baby toy rattle thing.. it's a seahorse that has 3 rings on it. She is crazy bout it! Flips it and throws it. It scared her neighbors at first but they used to it now. She plays so much I felt bad for the others and will be going to thrift store for some later when I have extra money. I know others who give the smallish jelly sized Mason jar rings. They flip them and toss them. But it's right size to not get limbs stuck in.


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## Marie28 (Feb 26, 2017)

mygoldendoe said:


> We bought our two pure NZ from a woman who mainly kept them as pets after she got out of the meat usage. The doe refused to chew the maple branches. I don't have pine cones or other safe trees so I gave her my son's old baby toy rattle thing.. it's a seahorse that has 3 rings on it. She is crazy bout it! Flips it and throws it. It scared her neighbors at first but they used to it now. She plays so much I felt bad for the others and will be going to thrift store for some later when I have extra money. I know others who give the smallish jelly sized Mason jar rings. They flip them and toss them. But it's right size to not get limbs stuck in.



Thats awesome :]] I wonder if they would like jar rings...


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## DutchBunny03 (Mar 1, 2017)

I don't feed pine needles, but a friend on mine does, and she says they work fine. Treated wood is fine for rabbits, but I wouldn't waste any on rabbits.


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## HaloRabbits (Apr 9, 2017)

I give my pine cones, thanks to a huge pine tree in our yard we get a lot.

*Could I give them small branches from the tree as well? As long as they are treated/cleaned the same way as the cones?*


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## Silkie2 (May 11, 2017)

I wouldn't give them alfalfa cubes. Unless they are young. Rabbits shouldn't have alfalfa once they are adults. Timothy is best  
Toilet paper tubes and paper towel tubes stuffed with hay or vegetables are a favorite! I give my bunny apple branches. make sure any wood you give your bunny is untreated ( pesticides and any unnatural chemicals are bad for bunnies) any hard plastic toys are fun for rabbits to throw. Anything cardboard! ( as long as your bunny doesn't swallow the cardboard!) my bunny also like plastic jingly cat balls (I'm not entirely sure what to call them XD) giving your bunny access to outside of its cage for AT LEAST 2 hours a day will help them burn off energy! *Bored bunnies become destructive bunnies!! *


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## eggbert420 (May 11, 2017)

I just rip a 2x4 in half so that its 1.75"x1.5", then I soak it in salt water for a few days. The rabbits love to chew on it.


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