# Hard corn ?



## Tessie (May 17, 2010)

Can I give my bun corn on the cob the hard kind :?I did give her one and she loved it but I took it away till I know it is safe.

Thanks 

Tessie


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## tonyshuman (May 17, 2010)

No, the hard parts of the kernel can get stuck in the GI tract.

Here's a good source:
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

The author is very credible.

Here's a quote:
"A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT CORN AND OTHER SEEDS
Some types of seeds (especially things like "Canadian peas" and corn kernels) have hulls that are indigestible to a rabbit, and can cause life-threatening intestinal impactions/blockages.

Corn, fresh or dried, is NOT safe for rabbits. The hull of corn kernels is composed of a complex polysaccharide (not cellulose and pectin, of which plant cell walls are more commonly composed, and which a rabbit can digest) which rabbits cannot digest. We know of more than one rabbit who suffered intestinal impactions because of the indigestible corn hulls. After emergency medical treatment, when the poor rabbits finally passed the corn, their fecal pellets were nearly solid corn hulls! Those rabbits were lucky. "


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## missyscove (May 17, 2010)

I know a little processed corn in the diet would be digestible, but I wouldn't feed whole kernels because they can't digest the hull (very few animals can, actually.)


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## AngelnSnuffy (May 18, 2010)

No corn, bad for bunnies and upsets the GI as they can't digest it and becomes and can causeblockages. Please only feed veggie safe foods. We havea Library for this.


Here's a Quicklistfrom one of our awesome Mods that is in the Library everyone! 

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=54630&forum_id=17


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## pamnock (May 18, 2010)

You can feed small amounts as a source of energy (so don't overdo it, house rabbits generally don't require extra carbs in addition to their pellets). No grain hulls are digestible, but the rabbits chew the corn, breaking apart the kernel. The hull is a good source of fiber.


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## Tessie (May 18, 2010)

So you are saying it is ok? It seems that it would be good for there teeth.


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## elrohwen (May 18, 2010)

I wouldn't feed it. I believe the carb level is too high and they can't digest the hulls. It can be very dangerous if they get an impaction from the hulls.


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## pamnock (May 18, 2010)

*Tessie wrote: *


> So you are saying it is ok? It seems that it would be good for there teeth.


Yes - in small amounts. Especially small amounts if the rabbit is on pellets and the weather is hot.


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## pamnock (May 18, 2010)

*elrohwen wrote: *


> I wouldn't feed it. I believe the carb level is too high and they can't digest the hulls. It can be very dangerous if they get an impaction from the hulls.





Lack of digestibility doesn't indicate that the food is not beneficial. The benefit of fiber to the rabbit's digestive system is the indigestible fiber, made up of lignin and cellulose (we also eat corn and cannot digest the cellulose). 

There is no evidence that that grain hulls are the cause of impaction - in fact, the cellulose in grain hulls helps in the function of the digestive system just as much as the cellulose in straw or hay. 

Rabbits do need some carbs for energy - corn is often used in feed as a source of healthy carbohydrates for rabbits.

Rumors still persist that high carb diets are the sole cause of enteritis in fryer rabbits - however, the removal of corn from fryer diets did not diminish incidents of enteritis.


It's also rumored that the hulls of whole oats pierce the rabbit's intestines - not true. Many people, including me, fed whole oats for years without problems.


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## elrohwen (May 18, 2010)

I'll differ to your experience, Pam, but everything I've read says that corn, at least in its unaltered on-the-cob state shouldn't be fed to rabbits. At least not to house rabbits.

I've also read that the hulls are not digestible and remain in the system, rather than passing through as indigestible fiber does.


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## pamnock (May 18, 2010)

*elrohwen wrote: *


> I've also read that the hulls are not digestible and remain in the system, rather than passing through as indigestible fiber does.



Corn hulls "are" indigestible fiber.  

Passes right on through, just as it does in humans.

The less refined any grain is, the healthier it is.


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## elrohwen (May 18, 2010)

I still fully agree with Claire's post above:
"The hull of corn kernels is composed of a complex polysaccharide (not cellulose and pectin, of which plant cell walls are more commonly composed, and which a rabbit can digest) which rabbits cannot digest"


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## pamnock (May 18, 2010)

*elrohwen wrote: *


> I still fully agree with Claire's post above:
> "The hull of corn kernels is composed of a complex polysaccharide (not cellulose and pectin, of which plant cell walls are more commonly composed, and which a rabbit can digest) which rabbits cannot digest"



I'm not sure of the point here - cellulose "is" acomplex polysaccharide (polysaccharides contains 3 or more molecules of sugar.) 

The complex polysaccharides are the indigestible roughages that we "do" want in a rabbit's diet for normal gut function! The cell walls of alfalfa are also composed of complex polysaccharides aka cellulose.


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## elrohwen (May 18, 2010)

Not all complex polysaccarides are cellulose.

There are few people in the rabbit world I trust, but Dana Krempels is one of them. If she says corn isn't safe, I believe her.


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## pamnock (May 18, 2010)

*elrohwen wrote: *


> Not all complex polysaccharides are cellulose.



Yes, but all cellulose is a compound polysaccaride. 

As I state above, "The complex polysaccharides are the indigestible roughage . . ." (including plant cell walls - yes, even timothy hay!) 

The case against corn as being "unsafe"and "dangerous"just doesn't hold up. It's included in most rabbit feeds and fed to rabbit throughout the world.

You might be surprised to find that wheat is actually a higher carb grain than corn (*disproving the argument that corn is too high in carbs to be fed to rabbits - wheat is higher and also commonly used in rabbit feeds, but no one utters a peep about it being "dangerous"),* and is also an important source of energy in many rabbit feeds. Wheat hulls are also added to rabbit feed as a source of complex polysaccharides - and are just as indigestible as corn hulls! (*In fact, indigestible grain hulls are added to most rabbit feeds -* *disproving the argument that corn cannot be fed because the hulls cannot be digested - neither can wheat hulls, a common ingredient in rabbit feeds*). Rabbits MUST have these complex polysaccharides for a healthy digestive system. Sources of polysaccharides include timothy hay as well as corn hulls.


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## countrybuns (May 18, 2010)

Thanks for the information Pam I was wondering the same thing about corn.


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## pamnock (May 18, 2010)

*elrohwen wrote: *


> Not all complex polysaccharides are cellulose.
> 
> There are few people in the rabbit world I trust, but Dana Krempels is one of them. If she says corn isn't safe, I believe her.



Dana has published some excellent information and I agree with most of what she states. However, it appears that she missedthe day of biochem lecture on polysaccharides. (Which isn't something you spend much time on in any medical field unless biochem is your specialty.)Unfortunately, she does not realize that cellulose "is" a complex polysaccharides, so is posting inaccurate information about corn. 

Oh- and pectic, which Dana mentions, is also a highly complex polysaccharides.


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## Happi Bun (May 18, 2010)

Ah, talk about being confusing! :lookaround 

I personally just wouldn't feed it since it sounds like a very debatable subject.


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## AngelnSnuffy (May 19, 2010)

*Happi Bun wrote: *


> Ah, talk about being confusing! :lookaround
> 
> I personally just wouldn't feed it since it sounds like a very debatable subject.


Just the point I was going to make. Seriously? If it's not on the list as safe and you haven't researched further, just stick to the safe stuff!


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## Mr. Bunbun (May 22, 2010)

i'm not sure. there are hard pieces of corn in my bunny's kibble, but not too many. jsut because a bunny likes a certain kind of food or one that's marketed towards bunnies, that doen't necessarily mean it's good. the vet told me to give my bunny less kibble, because the kibble is full of carbohydrates and my bunny had a risk of being overweight. my bunny loves the kiblle. i bet it's like fast food(or junk food)for bunnies.


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## NorthernAutumn (May 22, 2010)

You got it - any kibble that is full of different things is bunny McDonalds .

A better kibble is one that is all one same, boring colour, made of Timothy hay.


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## Mr. Bunbun (May 22, 2010)

back when i first got my bunny i used to feed it things like bread, seedweed crackers, oatmeal, carrots, etc. I found out that even though he was eating those things they weren't really good for him, especially the bread (though it was whole wheat), and carrots (which is bad in excess--bunny candy)

I have a friend who feeds his cat cheese doodles sometimes. The cat loves it, but they can't be good for him/her. They're already not good for people imagine what they must be doing to the cat.


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