Pine for chewing

[TF3]

I'm seeing mixed info about pine... We have a local business that makes wooden chairs out of pine-- their scraps are free (keep us in kindling all winter!). It is untreated pieces in various shapes and sizes... Wondering if I can give it to bunnies to chew and use for shelves in pens?

L

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Yes. I make rabbit chew toys out of pine. The conflicting info you are seeing is about shavings.

Wood has volatile oils which can irritate the respiratory tract of small animals. Pine is considered to be safe though, and is commonly used in nestboxes.

 

[katiebear]

:yeahthat:In Arizona that is all you can get..unless you are wealthy I just can't spend that much :money: . My cages are pine, my nest boxes are pine, my shelves are pine..and the bunnies toys are pine..I have to be careful though some of the pine we get is wet so there is mold...and some is still full of sap. :x

 

[TF3]

Sweet!
More uses for FREE wood LOL
That's how I like it!

Being as north as we are almost all my trees on the property are pine and spruce with a few birches.

 

[akane]

The surface area of shavings gives off too much oils but larger chunks of wood will have a layer dry out and seal the rest along with there not being as much surface area. People have even used cedar to construct buildings and pens for small animals or poultry with no issue.

 

[Tbgb1912]

I have pine cones for them to chew on - assuming these are okay?

 

[sunrise]

My rabbits LOVE the pinecones, very cheap toys and chew sticks (free is good!).

 

[Susie570]

I've been wondering about the pinecones.. are ANY pinecones ok? What about the spa? Do the rabbits get all sticky? :shock:

 

[katiebear]

I've been wondering about the pinecones.. are ANY pinecones ok? What about the spa? Do the rabbits get all sticky? :shock:

I would keep them out of the hot tub..but a massage might be nice.. :lol:

Sorry, couldn't resist. ..the sap shouldn't bother them as long as there is not a lot..if it sticks to your hand get a different one.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Susie570 wrote:
I've been wondering about the pinecones.. are ANY pinecones ok? What about the spa? Do the rabbits get all sticky? :shock:



I would keep them out of the hot tub..but a massage might be nice.. :lol:

:yeahthat: I could use a massage about now, but I'll pass on the pine cones.

I had the same concern about sap, since I have show rabbits, and only use the culls for meat. You want to use aged pine cones so there is no fresh sap if you don't want sticky buns.

 

[lereg15]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[akane]

Toss the cones in the oven on a low heat and you'll dry most of the sap, open the pine cones some, and make your house smell like christmas. :lol: Not everything that makes a pine cone is a pine but I believe they are all safe. You can ID species by cone if you look online.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Toss the cones in the oven on a low heat and you'll dry most of the sap, open the pine cones some, and make your house smell like christmas. :lol:

Ah-ha! I'd heard about tossing them in the oven, but no one ever mentioned the temp to use. I always imagined pine sap melting off of them. Low heat makes MUCH more sense!

Sounds like a good project for the month of December! Or any time you are feeling a need for a bit of Christmas cheer! :sleighride:

 

[Susie570]

I've been wondering about the pinecones.. are ANY pinecones ok? What about the spa? Do the rabbits get all sticky? :shock:

I would keep them out of the hot tub..but a massage might be nice.. :lol:

Sorry, couldn't resist. ..the sap shouldn't bother them as long as there is not a lot..if it sticks to your hand get a different one.

HAHAHAH!!!! Sorry, the autocorrect on my mobile devices is really annoying sometimes
I didn't catch that one, at least it was funny :lol: <br /><br /> __________ Wed May 13, 2015 9:12 am __________ <br /><br /> I like the idea of lightly toasting pinecones for the buns.
Sticky buns are yummy, but I'd rather not deal with the mess.

In a similar vein... I know we've all been asking about apple tree branches and such.
I just broke off some young branches for all of the buns, but I'm a little worried about giving all of those leaves to the buns!

The branches are covered with leaves and buds. The two adult rabbits get a LITTLE fresh greens, like ONE dandelion flower, two leaves and one plantain leaf a day. I'm really paranoid about the bunnies getting upset stomachs. Sprinkles has been getting the occasional dandelion or plantain leaf. I've just started giving the two new girls one plantain leaf and one cilantro leaf. I don't know if I'm being overly paranoid, or if even that much could upset their digestion (they're all around 3-4 months old).

Anyway, I'm leery of giving them these small branches. Should it be ok? Can I just stick them in there? Should I strip off some of the leaves? All of the leaves?? o.0