# Willow Basket



## Rini (Jun 23, 2010)

Hi Rini has discovered she can chew bits off her willow basket. It's treated with pet safe stuff but I just wondered whether it was all right if she ends up eating a bit. I'm a little worried about it being sharp... though I would suppose rabbits would chew it up good? 
She doesn't chew obsessively but she does have a go when she's in it.


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## labyrinth001 (Aug 6, 2011)

Honey chews on willow sticks a lot and he's fine. I think he ends up eating a bit sometimes but most of it just ends up all over the floor or my bed  As long as your bunny isn't completely just eating the basket, I think it's okay. Do pieces get all over the floor when he chews it? Since he's chewing, he's inclined to ingest a little of it, but not all of it.


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## labyrinth001 (Aug 6, 2011)

Sorry, *she for your bunny. I was still in the mind of my male rabbit, lol.


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## Rini (Jun 23, 2010)

I have had to pick quite a few sticks up when she's had a good go at it. She's like that with cardboard as well though. I always think she's ate a load of the cardboard tubes/boxes as the mess on the floor isn't big enough for the amount she's chewed :/


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## labyrinth001 (Aug 6, 2011)

I've read in multiple places that cardboard is perfectly fine even if the rabbit is eating it (as long as it has no wax coating and has safe inks). It seems that it's usually safely digested. But if you're worried, you could limit the amount you give her to chew on if you feel she's eating too much of it. Maybe it would settle your mind if you err on the side of caution  

You could also try something like taking cardboard tubes and stuffing them with paper and treats so that she's trying to get other stuff out them rather than just eating the cardboard. Also, make sure she's getting plenty of hay, because that's an important part of a bunny's chew time.

Honey doesn't really like chewing on cardboard that much...I made him a cardboard house and give him little tubes and he chewed/played for a little bit but now ignores them. He prefers chewing on books


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## Rini (Jun 23, 2010)

Lol Rini loves to chew on things, when she's out downstairs she doesnt have a hay supply so I expect her to chew more. I havent found a way of giving her hay down there where she wont make a mess XD I gave her a hay box and she decided it looked better upside down (off the blanket I set up for her and on the nice hoovered carpet!)
I dont tend to give her cardboard in her condo as I expect she would just chew and eat it all day but she gets a kitchen roll tube in the dining room so she has something she can chew rather than the things shes not allowed to chew.
When ever I get a good box I give her that to play in too. I like boxes for when shes out in the run but she rarely gets outside what with the weather XD


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## labyrinth001 (Aug 6, 2011)

Haha, they do love making a mess, don't they? It's always more fun that way!  Honey is a lionhead and has a mane on his neck as well as his bum, and when he jumps out of the cage he brings bits of hay with him and gets it everywhere because it sticks to him, lol. I also have a bird and she gets seed everywhere because she loves to dig in it. I basically vacuum every other day, lol. 

I think it sounds like you're doing everything right and she's perfectly fine with the whole cardboard thing. I actually wish Honey would take interest in cardboard more because there are so many fun things to make with it...maybe as he gets older he'll start to enjoy it more.


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## gloworm*mushroom (Mar 4, 2011)

Just a little note to keep an eye out for sharp edges. I bought my buns a willow tunnel from zooplus and they started chewing it. Then i noticed a very long scratch down Bugsys ear which was quite sore. The only sharp thing in the cage was the chewed willow tunnel, and since removing it he has been okay! lol


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## Rini (Jun 23, 2010)

gloworm*mushroom said:


> Just a little note to keep an eye out for sharp edges. I bought my buns a willow tunnel from zooplus and they started chewing it. Then i noticed a very long scratch down Bugsys ear which was quite sore. The only sharp thing in the cage was the chewed willow tunnel, and since removing it he has been okay! lol


Yes I have been wondering about this and I've run my hand over the sides when shes been in just to be sure. It's quite spacey in there so its not like a tunnel where she might push through and scratch herself but I'll keep an eye out nether the less


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