What should I do if my rabbit has eaten chocolate?

If your rabbit has eaten chocolate, seek immediate veterinary attention. The vet may need to induce vomiting or administer activated charcoal to help prevent the toxins from being absorbed into the rabbit's system.

What foods are safe for rabbits to eat?

Rabbits should have a diet primarily composed of hay, which aids their digestive process and provides the necessary fiber. They can also eat a variety of leafy greens, a small amount of pellets, and limited quantities of certain fruits as treats.

What other foods should rabbits avoid?

In addition to chocolate, rabbits should avoid foods such as avocado, rhubarb, onions, potatoes, seeds, nuts, dairy products, and anything high in sugar or fat.

Can Rabbits Eat Chocolate? (Is It Dangerous?)

Q: Can rabbits eat chocolate?

No, rabbits should not eat chocolate. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, both of which are harmful to rabbits and can cause serious health problems.

Q: What happens if a rabbit eats chocolate?

If a rabbit eats chocolate, it can lead to digestive upset, increased heart rate, seizures, and in severe cases, it can be fatal. If your rabbit has consumed chocolate, it's important to contact a vet immediately.

Rabbits are not like humans, they do not require a varied diet, however, as pet owners, it’s often nice to give your rabbit a tasty treat. One of the most popular treat foods for us humans is chocolate – It’s delicious! and although milk chocolate in excessive amounts may make us fat, dark chocolate has been shown to have several health benefits, but can our rabbits benefit from chocolate too?

Rabbits should not eat chocolate as cocoa beans contain Xanthine Alkaloid Theobromine, which is harmful to pets including rabbits. A diuretic and cardiac stimulant. Ingestion may cause low blood pressure, muscle tremors, seizures, irregular heartbeat, internal bleeding, or even heart attack.

The Rabbit Digestive System

Rabbits have very specific dietary requirements and should be provided with a diet very high in fiber. A good diet for a rabbit should consist of 80% good quality timothy hay, healthy green veggies, a small handful of pellets, and of course unlimited fresh water.

Their digestive system contains bacteria, also known as gut flora which are very sensitive to sudden changes which can upset the digestive balance.

This bacteria plays an important role in keeping the rabbit’s digestive system constantly moving. For this reason, it’s important to refrain from giving a rabbit too many treats, and never human foods like Popcorn or Chocolate.

Other Chemicals in Chocolate

Studies have also shown that some chocolates contain traces of toxic metals like lead and cadmium. Cadmium can cause damage to the kidneys, liver, and bones and while trace amounts of these substances aren’t harmful to humans, they could be a health risk for a much smaller animal like a rabbit.

Can Rabbits Eat White Chocolate?

Similarly, white chocolate is also off the menu for rabbits. Remember that no human food rule? Well, that applies to white chocolate too. Although white chocolate contains does not contain dangerous levels of theobromine, the high sugar and milk content is very likely to cause a stomach upset and hours of discomfort for the pet.

Why Do Bunnies Like Chocolate?

Rabbits have a sweet tooth and are fairly adventurous when it comes to trying new foods. It’s up to us owners to be responsible and make sure they get a healthy high-fiber diet that will not cause them any problems. Overfeeding sugary foods, even those marketed as being suitable for rabbits or human foods such as chocolate is likely to make the rabbit feel very unwell.

Unlike dogs, cats, and humans rabbits are physically unable to throw up, they have no gag reflex and lack the stomach muscles needed to push food back up the esophagus. This means that once bad food goes in, the rabbit has to suffer the consequences.

For these reasons, you should never give a rabbit anything that isn’t part of its recommended diet just because you think it is cute or funny. Rabbits are delicate animals and being careless with their diet can have serious consequences.

How Much Chocolate Is Dangerous to a Rabbit?

Even minuscule amounts of milk chocolate (as little as just an ounce) may be enough to kill a rabbit with a weight of 6lbs however the risk is even greater with darker chocolate as the cocoa (and therefore theobromine level) is much higher.

If you do own a house rabbit it’s important that you don’t leave potentially poisonous foods such as chocolate within the animal’s reach.

What Happens If a Rabbit Eats Chocolate?

Rabbits fed on chocolate are likely to at the very least suffer from diarrhea as their body tries to expel the poisonous substance, however, it really depends on the amount of chocolate the bunny has been exposed to.

In higher doses, chocolate may cause the rabbit to experience hyperactivity, high blood pressure, muscle tremors, seizures, irregular heartbeat, internal bleeding, and unfortunately death.

What Should I Do If My Rabbit Ate Chocolate?

If you are aware that your rabbit has eaten some chocolate don’t panic. Make sure the rabbit does not eat anymore and that it has access to plenty of his normal high fiber foodstuffs such as timothy hay and grasses.

If you have access to a grassed yard or garden encourage eating by giving the rabbit the opportunity to munch on the fresh grass. Monitor your rabbit for behavior changes. Symptoms of poisoning could take a while to appear so and you’ll need to carefully monitor your rabbit’s behavior for several hours.

Keep an eye out for any abnormal behavior, this is often hyperactivity but might also be symptoms associated with G.I. stasis or gas such as lethargy or lying flat to the floor. If the rabbit shows any of the symptoms described above it’s time to call the vet.

If the rabbit does do a runny poop and continues to eat and drink it may be that the danger has passed. In any case, continue to monitor for a day or so to ensure there are no further issues.

Alternative Treats for Rabbits

So, if not chocolate what should you be giving your rabbit as a treat?

Fortunately, there are a lot of different options when it comes to treats. Small fruit pieces and the occasional raisin won’t do any harm to a rabbit.

Avoid anything packed with seeds or processed sugars that look unnatural and look for ranges that include only natural ingredients. Herb mixes containing tasty dried flowers and foliage similar to what a rabbit may forage for in the wild are great.

While there are some healthy and natural ranges in stores, there is also a lot of cheap rubbish around. Remember, treats are just that and should always be given in moderation to ensure that the digestive system remains balanced and the rabbit does not start selective feeding.

Here are some other treat foods you could choose to give a rabbit as a treat:

Organic Banana chips

Carrot pieces
Apple
Dandelions

Parsley
Carrot Tops

Alternatively, why not have a go at making our delicious Banana Bliss Bites?

Wrap Up

Far from being low-maintenance pets, rabbits take a lot of care to ensure that they stay healthy. Throughout your time as a rabbit owner, it will be up to you as your rabbit’s guardian to provide them with a safe and secure environment to live in (and ensure it stays clean and safe from harmful bacteria/ parasites).

Taking them for veterinary checks (inc. inoculations, and emergency appointments) and carrying out regular ‘bunny maintenance’ activities such as nail clipping and grooming. However, of all of these important parts of rabbit ownership, none are as important as taking care of your rabbit’s complex digestive system.