Rabbits and mushrooms, two things that you might often find in nature. Surely a rabbit will often dine out on this free fungus that is growing outside their doorstep, right? Wrong. You should never feed a mushroom to a rabbit as they are toxic to this poor creature’s very delicate stomach.
But what exactly are the negative effects of feeding your rabbit mushrooms? What if you have let your rabbit out and they have accidentally eaten some mushrooms? What then? Should you take your pet to the vet if you believe they have ingested fungus? Are mushrooms a no-go for all types of rabbits, including bunnies?
Well, if you need answers to these questions and a whole lot more, then you should keep reading. Not only will we give you the lowdown on how mushrooms and rabbits interact, but we will give you everything that you need to make sure that your pet doesn’t ingest this toxic substance.
Can Rabbits Eat Mushrooms?
As we have stated above, rabbits should not be fed mushrooms. Rabbits traditionally prefer to feed on grass, pellets, hay or other types of food. Rabbits are generally herbivorous and need a strong diet of fiber to get them through the day.
The dietary roughage will help to keep your rabbit’s digestion flowing as well as helping wear down their teeth, which tend to grow very, very quickly! You can also feed your rabbit beans, carrots and peas, all of which are also great sources of fiber and minerals.
The reason why they don’t eat mushrooms is that they have toxic elements that they just can’t process. One in every 20 mushrooms has the potential to be poisonous, but the robust human digestive system can easily overcome any dangerous chemicals and toxins that are held within.
Even if you have bought your mushroom at your local supermarket and it has been cleaned of pesticides and another excrement, you should still not be tempted to feed it to your rabbit. It is not what the mushroom is covered in, rather it is what the mushroom is composed of in general.
What Do Rabbits Need For A Balanced Diet?
If you are trying to feed your rabbit as naturally as possible, then you should seek out very good-quality hay. This is where the source of a lot of the fiber for your rabbit’s diet. Most people get this from pellets that are supplied by various manufacturers at most pet food stores.
You’ll need food that is very low in calories. This is because if your rabbit puts on weight, then it will be harder for it to move around. A rabbit also needs a very high level of fiber. You can get a lot of these things from vegetables such as carrots, peas, lettuce, cabbage and fruits such as apples and pears, although these are also high in sugar.
Your rabbit will need a wide variety of vegetables and fruits to keep its delicate digestive system working well. You’ll need a lot of fiber for your rabbit, as they need something that keeps their digestive system working overtime. Rabbits burn off fat very quickly and easily, so make sure that it has plenty of food at least twice a day.
How Nutritious Are Mushrooms?
For humans, mushrooms are one of the most nutritious foods that you can eat. They are full of vitamins B, C, E and K, as well as being a good source of water. A mushroom will keep whoever is eating them very hydrated. This will help to keep your muscles and digestive system completely stable.
Mushrooms are very low in calories, so for humans, they make a wonderful snack. However, numerous toxins can be found in a mushroom that rabbits simply cannot break down.
If you are picking wild mushrooms then you have to be really careful. Around 20% of all mushrooms harvested in the wild are called ‘death caps’, which are very poisonous to human beings, hence the name. If you eat one of these, then you can expect to suffer from internal hemorrhaging, kidney issues and possibly even death.
Needless to say that in the wild, these rabbits will steer well clear of mushrooms. This is because they know intuitively that mushrooms are dangerous. If you even offer your rabbit a mushroom, the chances are that it will turn its nose up at it.
Are Mushrooms Safe For Rabbits To Eat?
No, you should not even attempt to feed a mushroom to a rabbit. The chances are that your mushroom will be refused by your rabbit. These mushrooms contain microbes and parasites that will actually breed in your rabbit’s stomach.
If your rabbit does accidentally eat one of the mushrooms, then we would recommend that you take it straight away to your vets. These mushrooms will always be poisonous to rabbits, no matter how small a portion that your rabbit has eaten.
However, the chances of your rabbit consuming a mushroom are pretty remote. This is because they generally do not like the taste of mushrooms and will wrinkle their noses up at any sign of one of these foods.
Can Bunnies Eat Mushrooms?
It is probably even more dangerous for your baby rabbit to eat a mushroom, as it will severely affect their digestive system, inevitably causing death amongst your average baby rabbit.
These young rabbits have very delicate digestive systems. They should only be fed the stable ingredients of a rabbit’s diet: carrots, peas, tomato, cucumber and cabbages.
Even if you cook your mushrooms, you won’t avoid a mushroom having a very harmful effect on a rabbit of any age. You should make sure that all mushrooms in your rabbit’s vicinity are gotten rid of.
