# corn cobs - safe or harmful?



## phx_punk_girl

i gave my bunny a peice of corn on the cob today.it was the frozen kind. didnt cook it, but thawed it out. anyways, sheloved it. she also seems to like gnawing on the cob. is it ok for herto eat corn cob? she didnt eat all of it or even half, but its just ikesomething shes been chewing on. not sure if she ate it, but i think shedid. 

oh, also, is it ok to give rabbits radichs? i know its ok to give them the greens, but what about the actual radish??


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## bluebird

Corn on the cob is okay in moderation,I dont know about radishes.bluebird


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## BlitzensmyBunny

I have read sevral times do not feed your bunniescorn....It is bad for their digestive system, and they have a hard timepassing it through their systems....I am not the best answer person forbunnies...But that is just what I've heard. Not sure about radishesthough. Hope this helps!


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## AmberNBuns

I have heard many negative opinions aboutcorn. I actually thought about giving my buns someyesterday. But then I did a search and found another sitethat people were saying that the indigestibility and the highcarbohydrate content is really bad for rabbits, not to mention thatthere is a fungus that can grow on corn sometimes that will give yourrabbit some problems. To me, it is not worth therisk. There are a lot of foods that rabbits can have withmuch less concern attached.


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## AmberNBuns

To specifically quote what I have found - 

""Rabbit Rouser" wrote in message

Would really advise against this. There are more nutrionally suitable
things to give rabbits other then corn. popped or not the carbs turn into
sugar which can cause severe gut flora upsets - yes even after only once
piece."

_____________________________________________

"From: "Edwin Starr" 
Mycotoxins come from fungus that grows on grain and are EXTREAMLY carcogenetic
feed manufacts need to test for them and we need to use proper feed storage
procedures.

More info on Mycotoxinins and Aflotoxins can be found at
http://morfz.com/rabhaz.html


What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?

Is there another word for synonym?"

_______________________________________________

"http://agnews.tamu.edu/dailynews/st...SC/Oct1102a.htm

See also
"Also, absolutely NO "rabbit treats" containing seeds, corn, nuts, honey,
and dried fruit. Plain, unhulled or hulled sunflower seeds can be given as
a very rare treat, but the prepared "treats" are harmful to your bunny.
Corn is not digestible, most nuts are too high in oil, honey is simply not
needed -- your bun will only gain weight that will be tough to loose, and
dried fruits have very high levels of concentrated sugar, fresh fruits are
much better."
fromhttp://www.arlgp.org/Education/rabb...rocery_list.htm

"Most boxed rabbit foods in pet stores are about the worst thing that you
can buy. Some even have harmful ingredients such as corn and too many
treats," says Rick. "Rabbits have complex digestive systems and don't
digest corn well," Nancy adds. A good, nutritious rabbit feed usually comes
in pellet form and should have higher fiber content and low amounts of
protein and treats. You should give rabbits their treats separately."
fromhttp://www.petroglyphsnm.org/rabbits/rabbit.html

If you want carbs, feed something safe like carrots. I have seen some
sights that say corn is ok, but then again I also draw attention to the
chocolate debate here not too long ago. I have always heard chocolate is
toxic to a great many animals yet apparently some people here have no
problem feeding it to their bunnies.

I am sure I could ingest arsenic in minute levels on a daily basis; if I
didn't overdose I might develop a tolerance to it. But what is the point?
The corn contained in some pelletized food has been rolled and crushed and
is in so minute of a quantity as to be negligible. However, if all you fed
a rabbit were pellets, you would soon no longer have a rabbit."


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## batbunny

i have these little corn cobsthat can be microwaved to make popped corn. thats the only way ill giveit to batman, even though the package says they can eat them just likethat. as far as i know, radishes are fine- just dont everdo it, as theycan cause gas/bloating.


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## phx_punk_girl

thank you all very much. im new to the whole bunny parenting thing. and i almost feel bad now for giveing her that corn.


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## pamela227

Don't feel bad about giving your bunny corn,phx_punk_girl. I give those little corn on the cobs to Oreo every oncein a while. You just have to remember that everything you give to yourbunny aside from its food &amp; hay should be given in moderation.

~pam


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## bluebird

"If all you ever fed a rabbit was pellets youwould no longer have a rabbit."No, high quality pellets and water areall many rabbit raisers feed their rabbits. thats all mine got for manyyears.There is a small amount of corn in my feed the label doesnt sayhow much.I feed purina as do many breeders i have spoken to.bluebird


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## AmberNBuns

*bluebird wrote: *


> "Ifall you ever fed a rabbit was pellets you would no longer have arabbit."No, high quality pellets and water are all many rabbit raisersfeed their rabbits. thats all mine got for many years.There is a smallamount of corn in my feed the label doesnt say how much.I feed purinaas do many breeders i have spoken to.bluebird



I agree and disagree with this one. (BTW, this was a quotefrom another web page, not directly from me...) I think thatas far as a pellet-only diet goes, there are many grades of rabbitfood. If I buy the cheap grocery store pellets, Kibblesthrows a fit. 

(Have you seen the Blockbuster ad with the hamster and rabbit, wherethe hamster is being an "actor"? He said "...these are brownpellets. I specifically... asked... for GREEN!"That is an exact description of what my Kibbles does. Thepellets go everywhere, and he will throw his feed dish.)

You do get what you pay for when it comes to rabbit pellets.But I think this statement mostly spawns from the common knowledge thata diet based on free chioce hay, supplemented with a ration of pelletswill prevent obesity and keep intestinal blockages from forming as aresult of ingested hair.

I don't intend to start a debate, but I felt obliged to share thereasoning some people have for this opinion. I am sure if youbuy high grade pellets you could use them exclusively, but I am surethat many people would agree with me when I say that I wouldn'trecommend it.


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## bunty

I know my little piglets eat all day and wouldbecome little beach balls if fed only pellets. I thought they alwayshad to be eating to keep the digestive thing working


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## AmberNBuns

They do need to graze pretty constantly, but ifthey have all-you-can-eat hay then there will be no risk of the GIstasis, as far as I understand it. I believe that if a rabbitdoesn't ingest anything for 24 (or is it 48?) hours then theirdigestive systems will empty itself out inducing GI stasis.If they eat every daythen you shouldn't need to worry aboutthat...

I feed mine pellets twice a day, and a handful of fresh stuff each day,and always keep their timothy hay stocked. And I give them atouch of alfalfa mixed in with their timothy. It gives themsomething to forage for...


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