It is natural to find many colorful pet toys and treats in the market. They are available in a wide range of colors and look attractive. Here comes the question – Are the colored treats and chew toys safe for the rabbits?
Many food coloring dyes are not dangerous to the rabbit as they do not use chemicals that may harm rabbits’ intestines. But, the colors in the chew toys might be poisonous for the rabbits. Many of these toys have chemicals that factories use to dry them instantly.
Giving food coloring to the pet is not a terrible thing because they are chemical-free and are safe for your rabbit’s health. Here are a few things you have to consider before providing chew toys and treats to your rabbit.
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Is Food Coloring Safe?
The natural food coloring that you use while making a cake is safe for your rabbit to eat. But it is better not to give plenty of food coloring because it might harm the rabbit’s digestive tract. Remember, rabbits have a sensitive stomach. Also, feeding foods with coloring as occasional treats is a good thing.
There are many safe and healthy food coloring alternatives. The natural pigments from other plants are the healthy choice for your rabbit. Others like blueberry, strawberry, carrot, tomato, and sweet potatoes are also better. You can feed these foods rather than food colorings.
Rabbits do not like to have bright colored things, be it playthings, treats, or chew toys. You can use natural dyes as they are safe for your rabbit’s health. It is best not to use artificial dyes because you can avoid the paranoia of toxic substances.
As there are many different food brands, you might face difficulty choosing the best and healthy option among them. It is better to avoid buying the cheapest products. Many of these things can be a threat to your long-term rabbit’s health. Getting plenty of natural components is always a decent choice.
Sherwood Pet Rabbit Food is one of the good brands both for baby and adult rabbits. It has plenty of premium-quality timothy hay, protein, and a wide variety of vitamins. The Science Selective also maintains a broad mixture of healthy and safe choices for adult and baby rabbits.
Best Healthy Treats For Rabbits
When you are handling the rabbits, anything fresh is good for them. Rabbits are animals that like specific patterns and like to eat the same foods daily. It is not essential to give your rabbits every new treat you came across in the pet store. They are happy and feel safe with their day-to-day food routine.
There are a few veggies and fruits that your rabbit likes to eat. They are lettuce, carrots, bananas, apples, peeled oranges, and more. Remember, remove the stem and seeds while feeding the apple.
You do not have to get expensive treats from the pet store to fascinate the rabbit. Giving plenty of treat foods is not safe for your rabbit’s health. Maintaining their food routine and feeding healthy options is crucial.
Avoid These Household Items
Rabbits love to chew on the rims of their pens. They enjoy making tunnels in their bedding. Consider cleaning the rabbit’s cell as it is crucial for its health. Make sure to tidy up their bedding because it might have dangerous chemicals.
Using vinegar is an incredible choice to tear down the bacteria in the rabbit’s pen. You can store the vinegar in a spray bottle so you can sprinkle it on the bars of the cell while cleaning it. It is also a better option to moisten the litter pan and leave it overnight. This method will eliminate the extra bacteria, stains, and stinky odors.
It is NOT GOOD to use bleach while cleaning the rabbit’s pen. Bleach contains dangerous and toxic chemicals, and it can eat the pet’s fur. The pen’s bars will tarnish if you pour the bleach on them. Avoid using bleach on everything if there is a chance of your rabbit going to chew and sleep on it. Due to the rabbit’s sensitive skin, it is not crucial to clean their pen with chemicals.
Materials For Nesting
As you know, rabbits are natural chewers and burrowers. They like to have soft bedding, which gives them essential warmth. It is better to give something which is not dangerous for rabbits even if they chew on it.
There are a few materials and other substances that you need to avoid. They include bright newspapers, aluminum foils, smartphones, every plastic material, and tinsel. These substances use toxic chemicals and are not safe for your rabbit’s teeth and digestive system.
The best choice to make bedding for the rabbit is hay. Other decent options are wood and paper pellets, straw, pine shavings, and sawdust. The rabbits are natural chewers, so it is better to use wild woods. They can chew on it, and the material has a soft texture so the rabbit can make a burrow to get warmth.
A few pet store bedding has some dyes which might harm the rabbit’s health. Rabbits do not like to live in bright-colored areas. They do not want to get claustrophobic around soft dye beds.
Toys To Drift Away From
Besides food, you can also see the usage of dyes in toys. Rabbits do not prefer to play with bright or dark-colored toys. All these colored toys are a few tactics of marketing. These brands will make you believe that your pet will love to have colored toys as they look impressive. Remember, this is not the same with rabbits.
Offering more natural toys to the rabbit is one of the best things! The rabbits can chew on these healthy toys rather than the artificial and synthetic playthings.
There are many choices in natural toys which you can give to your rabbit. They include wooden sticks, straws, bridges, round willow, and other wooden toys. Remember, you can provide everything that does not have bright colors and plastic. It is better not to offer soft toys because the rabbits might choke on them while chewing. Many pet store toys are dangerous and might result in serious digestive problems for your rabbit.
It is better to avoid buying cheap toys for your rabbit. Many online manufacturers do not obey the safety guidelines and will make the toys more attractive. A few of these companies have origins in foreign countries and would not consider rabbit’s health. You can buy safe toys from pet shops. When you have the resources and skills, you can make natural toys from the things in your backyard.
Rabbits are active but not complex animals. They do not require a collection of toys for daily playtime. Consider checking the safety and health of the rabbit while buying the play toys for them.