What do you give your rabbits to chew on?

[coffeenutdesigns]

They can go through little wooden chew toys very quickly and we don't have a pet store where I live I can just pop in whenever I want. What kinds of things do you use for the sole purpose of chewing and gnawing that will last a little while?

 

[UK-backyardbunnies]

Willow branches

AFAIK they can have willow, hazel, apple, pear, hawthorn etc but NOT elder or stone fruits (such as plums, blackthorn)

 

[Dood]

Willow - sections of logs as well as smaller branches
Raspberry canes
Rose canes
Apple branches up to an inch
Maple branches up to an inch

In the spring I hit the local orchard and they let me bundle up the cuttings from spring pruning. The maple and willow I get from my lot and my neighbors willow trees

 

[caroline]

I give all my fruit tree prunings [although I do avoid cherry since I have read that it can be toxic. I give other stone fruit though]
Something I've just discovered, that has turned out to be dual purpose, are empty cans. I take the bottoms out and then stuff them with hay & put them in the cages. It keeps the hay from getting trampled and once they've finished the hay they have a toy. Some of the bunz really love to throw the empty can around. When I'm working in the barn I often hear the clatter and rattle of multiple cans being tossed about. I use the small tomato paste cans in the buck cages and some of the bigger cans in grow out cages with multiple bunnies. I actually had a young bunny crawl through the can and found him with his head on one side and legs sticking our the other I wish I'd taken a picture before I "rescued" him.

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

how about pine from pine trees...would it need to be dried? I have heard conflicting info on pine cones, but I have a LOT of them. My dog loves to destroy them. I also have an unlimited supply of mesquite wood...but no idea if it's safe. I don't have any fruit trees, but my dad has pecan trees I can get trimmings from and we have pond in my family's field that has elm trees. Does anyone know if any of this is safe?

 

[Duckcomando]

Pine comes and cut up 2x4s that are not treated.

 

[Peach]

Pine cones and toilet paper rolls stuffed with hay They don't like the stuff I have spent money on LOL

 

[3mina]

Cardboard boxes, and most of the other items already mentioned

 

[Secuono]

Mulberry and Sycamore branches, too.

 

[Lowell]

I've got Mulbeerry and Sycamore trees just 20 yards from my hutches....I'm going to prune and give them a little!!

Thanks for the thread!!

 

[Beekeeper10]

I cut 2" to 3" pieces off of a broken shovel handle. They love to roll them around.

 

[grumpy]

four inch long pieces of two by two's. construction grade lumber NON-TREATED.

give them a day or so and they'll have a short dowel rod they play with.

also....tuna cans.....w/3 boys in the family lots of tuna helper is made for a meal. sometimes 4 to 6 boxes. they love it!! The rabbits like flipping the empty tuna cans around in the cages. it sounds like an off-beat band in the rabbitry.

grumpy.

 

[Secuono]

I don't use any metal, can cut them, rather not risk it. Just me.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Apple branches, artichokes gone to flower and their stems, sunflower stalks and heads, and pieces of 2" x 4". They also get the occasional hay cube and compressed horse treat.

 

[Bill]

We save all of our paper towel rollls, cut them into 3 pieces and they love them! They'll throw them around, chase them and of course chew them to pieces!

 

[ckcs]

Paper towel rolls are a favorite of most of our rabbits. I found a page that listed safe trees with pictures that may be of some help. http://kanin.org/node/190

 

[Mickey328]

Ours get the toilet paper rolls...they play with them for a while then nibble 'em gone Mostly though I give them apple and willow branches. They love the leaves and hips I've been nipping off the dormant roses as well, but I give those sparingly. They generally get a chunk (about 2 inches) of carrot each day too.

 

[cnichols]

We've been slabbing our own lumber here at home. Pine, for the most part. Any small pieces left over after we cut our boards and make whatever we're going to be making, get set aside for the rabbits. I've tossed a few pieces into each cage and they love them. The girls always make a point of throwing one into their water dish when it's empty! lol

 

[SyP]

We feed our horses Alfalfa/Oat cubes, but they seem to work well for Rabbit chew toys also and I feel good about what might end up in there tummies.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I've been giving mine alfalfa cubes too, they LOVE it.