You must have noticed your rabbit’s love for all things plant. Whether a vegetable, fruit, hay, grass, or flower, your bunny will munch on it like it is your rabbit’s first time eating anything.
Like human babies are fragile and cannot eat everything, bunnies also have sensitive digestive systems. Before giving anything to your bunny, you should always question it. So, can rabbits eat onions?
Onions are toxic for your furry rabbit. You should never feed any part of an onion to your bunny. Any vegetable from the allium family is a no-go for a rabbit, meaning garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives. All these contain the same harmful component and are bad for your bunny’s health.
You can give potentially harmful foods that can harm your bunny if given in large quantity to your bunny in moderation. However, that is not the case with onions and other allium family veggies.
Even in smaller amounts, these vegetables severely impact your furry baby’s physical and emotional health. Keep reading to know why onions are enemies to your pet rabbit!
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What Make An Onion Toxic for A Bunny?
Onions contain a component known as thiosulfate. It can harm your bunny’s circulatory systems and cause its blood cells to burst. All parts of onion have this, so you cannot skimp through and give your bunny anything onion.
Furthermore, onions also have organosulfur. It can cause your bunny’s digestive system to absorb poisonous substances directly, leading to many illnesses and a weaker digestive tract.
Both these toxins are present in the allium family vegetables. You should avoid the group to protect your furry friend from unwanted sickness and death.
Can You Feed Any Part of Onion to Your Rabbit?
Many plants in the world are partly good for your rabbit. If the fruit of a plant suits your rabbit, the leaves might not. In other cases, if the roots are okay for your bunny, the stem might not, and so on. However, that is not the case with onions.
Avoid feeding any part of the onions to your furry friend, including leaves, juice, flesh, and powders. Powders of garlic and onion are worse than their raw forms. Plus, cooked and fried onions are also not acceptable as bunny food. Steer clear of the allium family altogether.
Harmful Effects of Onions on Your Bunny
Rabbits are fragile, and many things can harm them. Many plants cause discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, and GI infections to your pet rabbits. However, none cause a lethal disease that can be hard to treat.
Onions are different in this regard. The toxins in this stenchy vegetable can cause serious health issues for your bunny that can lead to death. Some of them are stated below:
Hemolytic Anemia
The thiosulfate in the onions can restrict oxygen levels in your precious bunny’s bloodstream. With this lack of oxygen in the blood, your rabbit can suffer immensely. Hemolytic anemia can cause internal organs to asphyxiate. It targets the brain and heart of your precious pet.
Suppression Of The Immune System
Onions attack a rabbit’s immune system. It weakens their ability to fight other diseases. Apart from getting sick from the toxins present in the onion, your furry friend is susceptible to other harmful ailments at the same time.
It can be a very traumatic and emotionally heavy situation for your pet. The diseases that are attracted to your bunny due to onions are pneumonia and pasteurellosis.
Anaphylactic Shock
As the toxins hinder your bunny’s immune system’s normal functioning, your bunny can go into an anaphylactic shock. It is caused when the immune system releases too many chemicals in the bloodstream.
As a result, your rabbit’s blood pressure will drop, its airways will tighten, and it will not be able to breathe. This situation is very stressful for your bunny and can be fatal.
Diarrhea
Onions can cause uncontrollable diarrhea in your bunny. Onion-induced diarrhea is not like the usual diarrhea that your bunny is familiar with.
It attracts more intestinal diseases and causes your precious furry friend to suffer plenty of pain. It could be fatal for your bunny as this diarrhea can attract colibacillosis and enteritis. Both are life-threatening for your rabbit.
Liver Damage
As the toxins from onions inhibit the normal oxygen flow in your rabbit’s blood, your pet’s liver gets affected. The blood does not get oxygenated properly, causing the toxins to accumulate in your bunny’s liver. If not treated right away, it can cause liver failure and the fatality of your precious pet.
Kidney Failure
Due to the high toxicity factor, your bunny’s fragile kidneys cannot keep up with the filtration. It puts a lot of stress on them, which causes renal failure in your rabbit.
Gut Imbalance
Apart from the toxins, onions have a high rate of carbohydrates. Carbs are bad for your bunny’s general health as they can lead to obesity and gut issues. Onion’s high carbs aspect creates an imbalance in your bunny’s intestinal bacteria, damaging its gut flora.
Digestive Issues
This vegetable can cause irreparable digestive damage to your precious little pet. The toxins and carbohydrates are too complex for a bunny’s sensitive digestive system to break down. Due to this stress and exertion, your rabbit can have severe digestive trouble.
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Signs Your Bunny has Eaten An Onion
Onions are slow poisoners. Your rabbit will not instantly start showing symptoms or get sick immediately. Onions are lethal for your pet as you only get to know their presence in your bunny until the damage has been done.
If you get suspicious that your bunny might have come in contact with onion’s flesh, leaves, juice, or any vegetable from the allium family, take your bunny to the vet without thinking twice.
Following are the symptoms of onion ingestion:
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Acidity and flatulence
- Constipation
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Dark urine
- Abdominal pain
- Pale gums
- Excessive drooling
- Yellowing of the eyes
- Shivering and tremors
These are unusual behaviors and experiences for a healthy bunny rabbit. So, if your precious furry friend is exhibiting any of the above, take it to the vet at once.
What Can You Do If Your Rabbit Eats An Onion?
Rabbits love to eat anything that grows in the soil and usually do not have a sense of what is good or bad for their health. However, onions are an exception. By nature, rabbits will avoid onions. They do not like the smell or taste of the vegetable, but accidents happen.
If your bunny eats an onion, you need to be alert. As a pet owner, it is your job to take care of your helpless little bunny. Keep a keen eye on your bunny to ensure it does not get in contact with any part of the onions. If you notice any of the systems mentioned earlier or you are suspicious that your pet has eaten an onion, take it to the vet.
If you cannot take your pet to the vet at that moment, try to keep your bunny calm. Make sure your bunny is comfortable and is not under unwanted stress. Stress can speed up the onion’s damage to your bunny’s body.
After that, get your precious rabbit to the vet as soon as possible. Time the consumption point and let your vet know how long it has been since your bunny ate the onion. It will help him strategize the best-suited remedy for your precious bunny.
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If Not Onions, What Vegetables Can Rabbits Eat?
Do not worry, onions are not the only vegetable out there. There are plenty of greens your furry rabbits can enjoy. Here is a list:
- Spinach
- Parsley
- Radish tops
- Sprouts
- Swiss chard
- Mustard greens
- Cucumber leaves
- Carrot tops
- Romaine lettuce
- Basil
- Watercress
- Chicory
- Frisee lettuce
- Cilantro
- Bok choy
- Dill leaves
- Broccoli
- Zucchini
- Bell peppers
- Celery
Final Word
Onions are highly toxic for your bunny rabbit. Keep your pet away from them at all costs. If your bunny does suspicious behavior mentioned above as symptoms, take it to the vet. Having a pet is like having a baby.
You choose to take that responsibility of taking care of the voiceless creature. So, before feeding anything to your bunny, do not be careless. Research on the benefits and harm that the food can cause your pet. Furthermore, always beware of the amount of food that will suit your bunny.
Do not introduce the plant in large portions, always start with a minor quantity to check your bunny’s allergy. Rabbits have sensitive organs. So, be extra careful while feeding your precious furry guy!