Keeping an
animal at home is a fun thing to do. One example of animal you can keep at home
is rabbit. Due to its cuteness and ease of taking care of it make many people
think of keeping it as a pet. However, you still need to pay attention to some
details because you keep a living thing at home that needs to survive.
If you need some tips on how to keep a rabbit as a pet at home, you can start considering types of rabbit cages and their functions. Rabbit cage will determine its comfort while staying at home. While choosing breeds of rabbits you want to keep as your pet, read kinds of rabbits which can live in the dry area.
We all know that rabbit is an herbivorous animal that means it eats vegetables or plants. Yet, it does not mean that you can feed the rabbit with any vegetables. You need to do research on what food your rabbit can eat and cannot. Some food are poisonous and you have to be aware of ways to overcome the poison on rabbit.
7 Types of Food that Shouldn’t be Given to Your Rabbit
Rabbits really love to eat vegetables as they are herbivores. However, again and again not all types of vegetables and other food are suitable for your rabbit. You need to be mindful of choosing the best food for your rabbit. Here are the 7 types of food your rabbit shouldn’t eat and why.
Chocolate is harmful for rabbit as it contains two harmful substances called methylxanthines. There are two types of methylxanthines; theobromine and caffeine. When you feed your rabbit with chocolate, it will create some reactions.
Vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, trembling, and high temperature or fever. So, you need to keep chocolate away, even when it is half-opened and left on the floor. And when you feed some processed food, be mindful of paying attention to any existence of cocoa.
- Vegetables rich in Allium
Vegetables are mainly rabbit’s food as it is herbivore. However, not all vegetables are suitable for rabbits. One of the examples is the vegetable that is rich in Allium, such as garlic, shallot, red and brown onions and chives.
Ths type of vegetables may cause your rabbit to have hemolytic anemia, which is the loss of red blood cells. As a result, your rabbit will experience dizziness, weakness and even death. Be mindful of not including this type of vegetables in your rabbit’s meal.
If you really want to include vegetables as your rabbit’s vitamins, how to make rabbit vitamins naturally will give you a brilliant idea! It will be natural and safe!
Lettuce may be one of rabbit’s favorite food. However, not all types of lettuce are safe for rabbit. Iceberg lettuce is not healthy for rabbits because of its harmful chemical substance, called lactucarium.
This chemical substance is not usually dangerous when it is consumed in a small amount, but large amount of it will cause diarrhea and weakness. Even when it is fed to young rabbits, it may lead to death.
When you
enjoy sugary processed food, such as cookies or cakes, make sure you don’t give
them to your rabbit. You may feel pity for it and want to share some to it, but
it shouldn’t be done as it is harmful for your rabbit.
Enterotoxemia is one of the causes your rabbit may experience when you feed sugary processed food. Enterotoxemia is a severe diarrhea that often leads to death. High-sugar and carb food is likely to trigger Enterotoxemia in rabbits.
Enterotoxemia happens when Clostridium-type bacteria in the rabbit’s cecum overgrows. This kind of bacteria will release a toxin that is very fatal for your rabbits. The worst part is high-carb and sugary food will multiply these bacteria.
Avocado might be good for you, but not for your rabbit. It has a toxic that is called Persin. When your rabbit consumes too much Persin, your rabbit will experience breathing problems.
It also leads to heart failure and the worst is to death. A small amount of avocado might be okay for your rabbit, but make sure you consult with your vet for better assurance.
A small
amount of fruits, such as apples might be good for your rabbit, but the seed is
a big no. Apple seeds contain a toxic compound that is harmful for rabbits. So,
if you feed some fruits, such as apples, apricots peaches and plums, make sure
the seeds or pits are removed.
The last type of food your rabbit shouldn’t eat is rhubarb. It may cause your rabbit to experience severe reactions. Its high concentration of oxalates that can disturb the process of calcium absorption.
Make sure that there is no access for your rabbit to rhubarbs in your garden if you have any. If your rabbit consumes rhubarbs, it may experience some symptoms of poisoning, such as sore or swollen mouth, diarrhea, drinking lots of water and lethargy.
As a rabbit pet owner, you must be aware of your rabbit’s diet. Make sure when you feed your rabbit, the 7 types of food your rabbit shouldn’t eat are absent.
If once your rabbit accidentally eats one of the food types above, consult with your vet immediately. Some of the food cause death in hours, so be mindful of feeding your rabbit with the safe food for them.
If your rabbit experiences some sickness at home, you can do these basic first aid to treat sick rabbits. Safety comes first!