Why do rabbits eat paper?
If your rabbit is eating paper, the most probable reason could be hunger. Moreover, rabbits often eat paper due to boredom, but it’s highly dangerous as it won’t digest and can make your rabbit sick if eaten in an adequate amount.
Let’s dive into the topic and discuss what could happen if your rabbit eats paper and how you can prevent it. Also, I have shared some rabbit-friendly alternative material for their hutch lining.
Table of Contents
Can Bunnies Eat Paper?
Yes, bunnies can eat a small amount of paper, but that doesn’t mean I’m suggesting it.
While a small amount of paper won’t probably make your rabbit sick, you should not let your rabbit eat them as it could be dangerous.
Rabbit’s digestive system is delicate and only meant to digest grass, leafy vegetables and pellets.
If your pet ingests paper, it could lead to digestive issues such as stomach pain, swelling and constipation.
Moreover, if your rabbit eats a substantial amount of paper, it could lead to Intestinal blockage as their digestive tract can’t break down the paper into pieces.
In this case, you should immediately consult a veterinarian.
Why Do Rabbits Eat Paper?
Rabbits have an inherent habit of chewing things. They will chew down everything they found nearby, whether it’s their food, paper or even cardboard.
When you see a rabbit chewing papers, they don’t exactly eat paper but rather be playful. Rabbits get pleasure from shredding the paper and play with it as they are easily available in their hutch.
But sometimes, rabbits often start eating the paper afterward, which means your pet is hungry and not adequately fed. In that case, ensure your rabbit has enough food (hay, grass or leafy vegetables) to satisfy their hunger.
Another possibility could be boredom. Usually, domestic rabbits spend most of their time in a hutch, and they don’t get interactive playtime which often leads them to chew papers or cardboards to stimulate themselves.
Thus, if your rabbit eats paper or cardboard, ensure that they are not doing it out of hunger.
Provide them plenty of fresh hay, grass, leafy vegetables and a bowl of water in their hutch. A well-fed rabbit might chew and tear down the paper for fun, but they won’t probably eat them.
Rabbits also need stimulation, just like any other pet. If possible, let your rabbits play around for a while to entertain themselves; it will help them overcome the boredom and stop eating/chewing papers.
Do Rabbits Like To Eat Paper?
No, they don’t.
You may have seen a rabbit chewing paper, but they don’t usually eat them. Rabbits are natural chewers, and they will chew down almost everything, but papers are easier to get hands-on, so they play with them.
Rabbits need mental and physical stimulation in the form of chewing, playing or exercise, so chewing down newspaper, cardboard, or toilet paper is a form of stimulation.
Thus, rabbits don’t really eat paper; instead, they play with it.
However, if your rabbit is actually eating them, this could be serious, and you must address the issues as soon as possible.
Is Eating Paper Bad for Rabbits?
While a small amount of paper won’t probably make your rabbit sick, if your rabbit ingests a sufficient amount of paper, it could lead to serious health problems.
A rabbit’s digestive system is very much different from ours and is designed to digest plant-based food like grass, leafy vegetables, and pellets.
Consuming paper in a large amount can lead to constipation and other health problems as their digestive tract are unable to process the paper.
Moreover, rabbits can even refuse to eat their organic food due to swelling and pain in the stomach. In this case, contact your vet immediately.
What Can You Use For Hutch Lining Instead Of Shredded Paper?
If your rabbit is constantly chewing papers, then you should consider alternatives for their hutch.
There are many other things that you can use for the lining of the hutch but ensure that whatever material you opt for should be absorbent and washable or easily disposable to keep the area clean for better hygiene.
Here are some rabbit friendly products for your rabbit’s hutch line:
- Straw
- Hay
- Woven Mat
- Fleece
- Cardboard
Moreover, rabbits are natural chewers, and sometimes they chew things from their surroundings, including the lining paper. So, everything near your rabbits must be rabbit-friendly and non-toxic.
Why Do Rabbits Eat Cardboard?
Similarly, if their hutch is lined with cardboard instead of paper, they will likely chew it down and try to eat them, and the most probable reason could be hunger.
Well-fed rabbits don’t eat paper or cardboard, but if you notice your rabbit is trying to chew down the cardboard and then eat them. You should immediately provide them a satisfactory amount of food and ensure that your pet is not starving.
Cardboard is way more is thicker than paper and makes it difficult for rabbits to chew and eat them.
Moreover, domestic rabbits often get bored, and they might bite and chew down cardboard due to boredom.
While eating cardboard is dangerous for rabbits, chewing is considered good for their teeth; it prevents them from growing too sharp.
However, if your rabbit is just chewing and destroying cardboard for fun and entertainment, you probably don’t have to do anything but do not let your rabbit eat them, as ingesting cardboard could be lethal.
Is Eating Newspaper Dangerous For Rabbits?
Not really.
Earlier, the newspaper inks were toxic, but now it’s changed. If your rabbit eats a bit of newspaper, they won’t probably have any issue.
So, you can use newspapers to line the hutch without worrying as they are completely safe for rabbits.
However, it doesn’t apply to pamphlets or leaflets. They are highly harmful and should be avoided at any cost.
While eating or chewing newspapers won’t probably make your rabbit sick, I highly recommend you use some safe alternative lining products.
And if your rabbit is eating or ingesting the newspaper of the lining, it could be because of hunger or some other reason.
How Can You Prevent Your Rabbit From Eating Paper?
First, we need to find out the exact reason why your rabbit is eating or chewing papers and then we will get to the solution.
Here are some reasons and solutions if your rabbit is eating papers:
Give Enough Foods:
Rabbits have an awful habit of chewing things for obvious reasons. The foremost reason for eating paper could be lack of food.
If your rabbit is hungry, he might start looking for edible things result; chewing and eating lining papers, but it could be dangerous for them.
If you notice your rabbit is chewing and eating papers, he is probably hungry. You should immediately feed him high-quality rabbit food such as hay, leafy vegetables, and pellets.
Include Active Playtime:
Rabbits are active and social animals, and they easily get bored due to a lack of playful activity.
And the boredom leads them to chew and eat paper. If this is the case with you, try providing a bit of entertainment, your attention and play with him, or you can even purchase a toy for them to chew and nibble.
You can even get a new playmate for him. He will appreciate this and play with his new playmate during the day and less likely to get bored and engage in eating papers.
Alternative Lining Material For Hutch
If the above ideas don’t work and your rabbit is still chewing and eating paper. You should use alternative material for the lining of the hutch.
The most common and convenient lining material is paper, but if your rabbit is chewing them, you should consider replacing it with something like wood bedding, fleece, woven mat or even hay.
Final Thoughts
To conclude this, it won’t be wrong to say that rabbits can eat paper, and they do eat some if easily available in their hutch or surrounding.
Why bunny eats paper? Well, bunnies have a habit of chewing things, whether it’s their food or other things such as shredded paper, newspaper and cardboard.
But they don’t usually eat paper unless they are hungry. The most probable reason for chewing and eating paper could be a lack of food.
In this case, you should provide your pet with high-quality hay, leafy vegetables and other grasses, and if your rabbits are still consuming papers, you should take your pet to a vet as eating a large amount of paper could be dangerous.
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