Last Updated on March 7, 2023 by Marjon Ramos
Willow balls are safe to be eaten or chewed by rabbits as long as the willow balls you have are specifically made for rabbits.
Make sure that the willow balls are not treated with any harmful solvents or paints.
The best way to know that your rabbit will not be harmed while playing with their willow balls is to buy one from a trusted pet store.
Most pet stores that sell willow balls will only use natural ingredients that can be ingested by rabbits.
Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain in more detail why rabbits can eat willow balls:
Table of Contents
Why can rabbits eat willow balls?
Most willow balls are made from willow twigs, which makes them perfect for your rabbit’s chewing needs.
Even if they decide to eat them, it’s perfectly safe because wild rabbits eat willow twigs all the time.
Why is your rabbit eating willow balls?
Rabbits need to constantly chew on things to grind their teeth.
Rabbits’ teeth normally grow 1 cm each month, approximately.
Rabbits that are not eating hard enough food are susceptible to dental problems.
Dental problems in rabbits are extremely serious.
A rabbit that’s in pain due to a dental problem would refuse to eat or only eat a little.
Rabbits need to constantly eat for their gut to function properly.
A rabbit that’s refusing to eat would eventually develop some kind of digestive problem like GI stasis.
What should you look out for when your rabbits are eating willow balls?
Always make sure that the willow balls you buy are from a trusted pet store.
Willow balls should not contain any paint, solvents, or glue that could harm your rabbit.
You should also make sure that you supervise your rabbits when playing with willow balls.
Some rabbit owners reported that their rabbits got wrapped in willow balls while playing with them.
Also, willow baskets or any other things made from willow that are not sold at pet stores should not be given to rabbits.
Most of them are already treated with solvents and other chemicals to preserve them as much as possible.
Conclusion
As long as the willow ball is bought from a reputable pet store, your rabbits can eat it without suffering any ill effects.
In fact, your rabbits could benefit from eating and chewing on willow balls because it helps grind their teeth.
Rabbits’ teeth constantly grow at approximately 1 cm per month.
Without any hard food to chew on, your rabbits could suffer from dental problems that could lead to more serious medical problems.
Cite this article:
Sources
Image credit – “Catnip or Willow?” by Anomieus is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
