How to Know if Eating Newspapers and Cardboard is Harmful to Rabbits

Rabbits are natural chewers. Part of their genetic instinct is to chew and shred things as if they were building a nest in an underground burrow. In the wild, they would be injesting a moderate amount of the material they chewed. If your rabbit is eating cardboard and newspaper, check out these tips to help ensure your bunny continues to grow safely and in good health.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. It's natural for your rabbit to chew and shred his newspaper bedding, or any cardboard he might come across. It's safe for him to eat a moderate amount while he's accomplishing this task.
2. Make sure the newspaper doesn't contain colored ink, as the dyes can be hazardous.
3. Check your rabbit's diet to make sure he's getting enough fiber. Timothy hay is the best source of fiber for a rabbit. Oat hay is second best. Alfalfa is not recommended.
4. If your rabbit continues to chew excessively, you might consider adding 100% cotton mats to his litter tray instead of newspaper. The cotton mats are available at drug and discount clothing stores, and they are easily washable and reuseable.
5. If your bunny is chewing from boredom, consider letting him roam for 10 to 20 minutes during the day cage-free in an indoor, enclosed area with you as a playmate. Bunnies also enjoy toys, you could add a blanket to his cage, sticks to chew or cat toys for him to move around.

Tips & Warnings

• Rabbits are social animals. Getting a second (spayed or neutered) rabbit of the opposite sex can help ease a rabbit's anxiety. Always introduce new rabbits slowly, in stages, to avoid fighting.