Rabbits are grazing animals and love to eat all the time. A rabbit would care less about what it is eating as long as it is fresh and grown in the soil. Dogs and cats are a bit different than their tiny furry friend.
Dogs are omnivores, and cats are carnivores. A cat’s favorite treat is catnip, which has recently become quite famous in the market. Cats love it so much that people have started adding catnip to cat toys!
Bunny toys are less exciting and fun. You might have noticed your rabbit is playing less with that expensive ball you brought for it. It would be lovely to introduce your pet rabbit to some catnip toys. So, can rabbits have catnip toys?
You can give catnip toys to your pet rabbit, as catnip is not a toxic herb for bunnies. However, you must check the toy’s material before introducing it to your rabbit to avoid any unwanted injuries. Catnip is for cats and has materials suitable for felines only.
Rabbits are fragile creatures, and you should not expose them to hard materials that can injure their teeth, gums, skin, or bones.
When giving your precious pet any toy, always research its components. Many materials can be toxic and cause poisoning in your furry friend. Keep reading for more on catnip, toys, and your bunny rabbit!
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Parts of Catnip Plant Safe for Your Furry Rabbit
Most people think catnip is only suitable for cats because of the herb’s name. However, rabbits can eat this herb too.
Rabbits are herbivores and love to eat all plants. Bunnies can not differentiate between good and bad foods. As a pet owner, you are responsible for researching and ensuring your rabbit eats only the beneficial stuff.
Rabbits eat plants, but only some will benefit your precious pet. Some plants can cause harm to your rabbit; the stone fruit trees are a great example. Your rabbit can eat the fruits of these plants, but everything else is poisonous for your fragile pet rabbit.
Regarding catnip, your rabbit can eat the leaves but not the seeds. There are no seeds in store-bought catnip usually.
However, it is better to be safe than sorry. Seeds are a choking hazard for your precious furry friend. Always take out the seeds when providing food to your rabbit that is not hay.
When you give your rabbit catnip, always double-check the product to ensure it does not contain any harmful components that can cause choking or other damage to your rabbit.
Furthermore, there might be better ideas than an intense-smelling catnip to give to your rabbit as it will disapprove of it. There are plenty of things you can feed your rabbit that is not risky and provides many benefits for your pet’s health. Avoid taking any risks and stick to the basics when it comes to raising rabbits.
Benefits of Catnip for Your Rabbit
If your rabbit is playing with a catnip toy, chances are high that it will break, as rabbits love to chew their toys. Rabbits have ever-growing teeth that they trim by eating crunchy things. Hence, your bunny will chew and gnaw on its toy to ease its teeth.
When you give your rabbit a toy that carries an herb, you need to ensure that the herb is not harmful to your precious pet rabbit. Catnip is one of the safe herbs for bunnies and provides a few benefits for your furry friend’s health. Here is a list:
It Relaxes Bunnies
Catnip does not affect rabbits the same way it influences cats. This herb makes a cat act in many ways but not quite as your rabbit.
If you give your precious bunny rabbit some catnip, you will notice a positive change in your rabbit’s mood. As hyperactive animals, bunnies get anxious about the slightest of inconveniences. It can put a lot of stress on their little hearts and result in physical ailments.
Catnip can be used as a remedy to reduce your poor pet rabbit’s anxiety and stress. However, it would be best if you gave catnip to your rabbit in a very minute amount once in a blue moon. Your bunny would probably not like catnip due to its significant smell. It will remove your caution about feeding too much catnip to your bunny.
It Is An Excellent Minty Food
Rabbits enjoy eating mints. They love the crunchy texture and the exquisite taste. Catnip has a unique taste, which your rabbit might not appreciate. However, if your rabbit loves eating mints, it will devour catnip too.
The smell of catnip can be off-putting for your snobby little bunny. However, once it tastes the deliciousness of the plant, it will want more. You can add catnip to your pet’s weekly diet as a treat once a week in a meal.
Moderation is the key when it comes to feeding sensitive rabbits. You must only feed hay in unlimited quantity. Before introducing it to your fragile furry friend, everything else should be measured and calculated.
Risk of Giving Catnip Toys To Your Bunny Rabbit
While designing catnip toys, the manufacturers are thinking about ferocious felines. Cats love pulling, biting, scratching, and playing rough with their toys.
For this purpose, their toys are made of a rigid material so they can last longer. On the contrary, bunnies are soft and fragile living beings. Their toys are made with care to avoid causing them any injury.
Catnip toys are best for cats. Your rabbit can use them, but they may have some risks:
- The plastic in catnip toys is not tough enough to survive your rabbit’s sturdy and ever-growing teeth. When your rabbit chews on the toy too hard, it will break and injure your rabbit.
- The broken plastic pieces can be a choking hazard for your precious furry friend. As rabbits do not know what they can and cannot eat, your bunny will swallow the plastic piece, which can be fatal for your pet.
- The broken toy can cause your rabbit cuts, infections, bruises, and stress.
- You cannot be sure of how old the catnip is inside the toy. Plus, you will be unable to check the quality of the herb too. Rabbits can digest fresh food only. If your rabbit gnaws through the toy and eats old, low-quality catnip, your poor bunny will get sick and experience severe digestive issues.
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Best Toys for Your Furry Rabbit
Your rabbit has plenty of options to choose from as its favorite plaything. You should avoid taking risks when introducing things to your bunny, as rabbits are fragile animals. Whether it is food or a toy, provide your precious furry friend with rabbit-approved things only.
Here is a list of fun and inexpensive playthings that your bunny will love:
Paper
Shred some paper and left it around your rabbit’s home. Watch your bunny excitedly rip the paper apart with its teeth. You can wrap your bunny’s favorite food with paper for your rabbit to unwrap and enjoy.
Boxes
Bunnies love to hide in cardboard boxes. Put a box with holes in it inside your rabbit’s play area. Your precious friend will spend time hiding and feeling safe in its new box.
Tunnels
Rabbits are intelligent creatures and love to solve puzzles. Create a path with plastic tunnels for your rabbit to enjoy as a maze.
Mirrors
If you have a female rabbit, it would be best to get a mirror. Your bunny will think it has a furry friend. The mirror will also reduce your rabbit’s loneliness. Ensure that the mirror is attached firmly to avoid any falling accidents.
Objects to Throw
Your furry baby will love toys it can throw and play with roughly. Plastic keys for babies, balls, straws, baskets, etc., are great things your rabbit can enjoy. These objects are lightweight and will not cause harm to your precious pet.
Places to Dig
Rabbits enjoy digging in soft places. You can place some bunny-friendly sand or let your bunny create a soft, harmless nest that it can dig in. You can give your furry baby shredded paper and a box to create its sandbox experience and play all day.
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Final Word
There are plenty of toys, food, and resources specifically for rabbits. You do not need to experiment with other animal things to cut costs or make your bunny’s life enjoyable. Rabbits are simple and uncomplicated creatures.
Your bunny will be happy if you feed them plenty of hay with a moderate amount of greens, fruits, flowers, and pellets. As for your precious furry friend’s playtime, you can create safe tricks, places, and activities for your rabbit to enjoy all day. Raising a rabbit is affordable if you research enough and know what you are doing.
All these fragile and helpless animals need is love, care, attention, and loads of hay. If you give your rabbit these things, you will have a happy and healthy bunny as your best buddy for life!
