Can Your Rabbit Eat Chocolate? (Facts & Food Alternatives)

Chocolate is commonly known as a sweet dessert treat that most humans enjoy. However, you don’t want to offer this to your pet rabbit not just because it’s unhealthy for them.

This treat also contains a high amount of sugar your Rabbit’s digestive system cannot take. Although some types of chocolate, such as dark chocolate, can be 100% cacao-based, some compounds from it are still a big no for your pet’s body.

In fact, the PETA organization included chocolate in their list as one of the poisonous foods for your Rabbit to eat. It can significantly threaten their health and sometimes end their life. However, the severity of the poisoning varies depending on the type of chocolate and the amount your Rabbit consumes.

But, it’s still best that you avoid exposing your pet to chocolate because there are times that they can accidentally consume this sweet treat.

Chocolate Can be Addicting

If you noticed, chocolate could be addicting for humans, that is because it contains caffeine in its content. According to the National Library of Medicine, caffeine is a powerful stimulant that can make anyone dependent on the substance they are taking; this can also be found in some sodas and coffee.

Therefore, giving chocolate to your pet rabbit should not be encouraged because this may lead to addiction.

Chocolate Toxicity

Your Rabbit’s digestive function works differently than other pet animals. So, there is a list of foods they can safely eat and foods that can cause serious issues for their health. And one of the foods your pet should not eat is chocolate.

Chocolate is made from the fruit of Theobroma Cacao Trees, which has a chemical structure of theobromine and caffeine. Both of these are toxic for your Rabbit if ingested in high doses.

Since rabbits have a different metabolism process, they slowly absorb the chocolate toxins, which are lethal to their gastrointestinal tract. One report from Veterinary Manual stated that chocolate toxicity could occur to your Rabbit if they fodder on even small pieces of chocolate. And clinical symptoms could occur to your pet in six-twelve hours after the chocolate intake.

It’s best to go to your Rabbit’s doctor immediately to further examine it and to give medication to avoid further problems.

Symptoms of Chocolate Toxicity

If you suspect your Rabbit accidentally eats pieces of chocolate, it’s best to keep an eye on them in the coming hours. There are signs that you should be aware in chocolate toxicity:

Increased In Heart Rate

You can constantly check your Rabbit’s pulse rate every hour to ensure an increase in their pulse. A regular pulse rate of a rabbit beats from 140 to 180 per minute. Two hundred beats and above is considered alarming already.

Shaking

Your Rabbit can begin shaking after chocolate intake because of a pulse rate increase in its body. It is a natural reaction of their physical body, especially if there’s unfamiliar substance contact in their body.

Breathing Heavily

If your Rabbit seems out of breath, it can mean that its body is distressed. Breathing is connected to the pulse rate of their heart, so naturally, if there’s an increase in the heart’s beating, they will also be breathing heavily.

A lot of sugar from the chocolate can also affect their breathing because it increases adrenaline throughout your Rabbit’s body.

Seizures

Seizures from your pet should not be overlooked; this can mean they are experiencing a serious issue with their body. Immediately go to your vet if they have a continuous seizure because it can lead to a heart or nervous attack and death.

Dehydration

Even for humans, too much intake of chocolate can cause dehydration because of the rich content of sugar from it. As for your pet rabbit, dehydration can cause further problems; they should always be hydrated because it will help them with their pooping activity and release waste from their body.

Things To Do After Chocolate Intake

Remove Excess Chocolate from Rabbit’s Mouth

If you find out that your Rabbit is still munching on some pieces of chocolate, remove the excess immediately. Avoid further intake of this sweet treat so that your Rabbit will not experience further serious issues from the toxins of chocolate.

It’s also best to know how much chocolate your Rabbit has eaten. This will help you assess how serious the threat of toxins is for the Rabbit’s body. You can also tell the vet about this information so that they can provide better treatment for your pet.

Provide Fresh and Clean Water to Decrease the Chance of Dehydration

One of the first things you should do is offer fresh and clean water for your pet and engage them to drink it to decrease the chance of dehydration in their body.

Look out for alarming symptoms.

Although there are cases that some rabbits do not get affected after eating a small amount of chocolate, it’s still best to keep an eye on any possible symptom of toxicity to avoid risking your pet’s life.

Seek Veterinarian Assistance Immediately

If you are unsure whether your pet is experiencing chocolate toxicity, you can always ask for assistance from your trusted veterinarian. They can take examinations and provide treatment for your Rabbit. After all, they are the experts people who can determine what’s best for your pet.

Food Alternatives

Instead of giving them chocolate, you can always fodder your bunny with more healthy treats that can contribute to the overall nutrition of their body. Here is a list of the safest foods you can offer your pet.

Key Takeaways

Chocolate is toxic for your Rabbit because it comes from a fruit tree of Theobroma Cacao, which has a chemical structure of theobromine and caffeine.
Eating chocolate can be addicting because of the caffeine substance in it.
Chocolate toxicity is a serious risk to your Rabbit’s health, and you should look at some of its signs. This includes heart rate increase, shaking, seizure, breathing heavily, and dehydration.
Engage your Rabbit to drink water to avoid dehydration from the chocolate intake.
For your peace of mind and your Rabbit’s safety, always ask for a veterinarian’s help.