There will always be a need for vets. That idea, plus my huge love of animals, has led me down the path of becoming a veterinarian. I have not graduated from my course yet, but the reason behind this blog is to share my learning journey. I intend to write blog posts on subjects like the veterinarian education path, my thoughts on whether to be a general or specialist vet and how I wish to use alternative treatments like acupuncture in my practice. If you too have a love of animals and want to make this your job, then my blog will be interesting to you.
Why Is Your Rabbit Eating Newspaper?
Newspaper can make a good lining for a rabbit hutch. It's a lot easier to pull out sheets of paper when you're cleaning out the hutch than pulling everything out loose. However, you may be a little confused when your rabbit starts shredding the newspaper and eating it. Should you be worried?
Is Your Rabbit Actually Eating Paper?
Rabbits like to play and some just like to mess around with paper. They may shred it into pieces and then throw it around.
Try to watch your rabbit when it shreds the paper. Is it actually eating the paper or just biting it into pieces so it can play with it? If the rabbit is just playing with the paper, then it may just be a bit bored. You can try putting some toys in its hutch or some boxes it can play with.
However, if the rabbit is eating newspaper, you need to work out why.
Why Is Your Rabbit Eating Newspaper?
Rabbits sometimes eat newspaper in their hutches because they aren't getting enough roughage. Sometimes this is down to a dental problem.
For example, even though newspaper doesn't have any nutritional benefits, your rabbit may think it does. You need to think about what you are feeding your pet and whether its food is giving it the roughage it needs to maintain a healthy digestive system. Most of your rabbit's diet should be roughage based.
You shouldn't just feed your pet rabbit pellets; it needs fresh food as well. Things like hay and grass help keep your rabbit's teeth healthy and provide a useful source of roughage to keep your pet's digestive system working.
Sometimes, rabbits eat newspaper because they have a tooth problem. Rabbit teeth continually grow. This growth is controlled as the rabbits use their teeth. If your rabbit's teeth are too long and they aren't controlled by food, your pet may be trying to reduce their size.
Also, if your rabbit has a problem with its teeth, it may be trying to eat newspaper because it is soft and doesn't hurt its mouth. It may not be able to eat its regular food comfortably if it has a dental problem.
If your rabbit is eating newspaper, then take it your local veterinary dentistry clinic to be checked over. The vet can make sure that its teeth are OK, and if they're not, they can fix the problem. They can also give you general advice on your rabbit's diet if this is an issue.