If you are wondering if eating paper will make your rabbit sick, you are in the right place. We are going to answer some questions revolving around this dilemma.

Can rabbits eat paper? What kind of paper can rabbits eat? Can rabbits eat cardboard?

These are just a few of the questions that we will try to shed some light upon in this article.

Can Rabbits Eat Paper?

The question is not if they can eat paper, which they can eat, and they usually do if given the chance.

The proper question here is how dangerous is eating paper for pet rabbits.

Will Eating Paper Make Your Rabbit Sick?

The answer to this question may vary, based on your rabbit’s eating habits. If your rabbit eats a small amount of paper, it should be able to digest it, since these cute munchers can tear the pieces of paper into small shreds.

Nonetheless, keep in mind that paper is not edible, and your rabbit does not benefit from eating paper, no matter if it is a small or big amount.

Eating paper could, eventually, negatively impact the rabbit’s digestive system, which is used to processing fibres, greens, and grass. This means that your rabbit can get sick from eating paper. The main issue caused by eating paper is moderate to high levels of constipation, but if too much paper was ingested, it can cause intestinal blockage and endanger your pet rabbit’s life.

If you know that your rabbit likes to eat paper, you should frequently check for constipation signs, such as refusing food, having a visibly swollen stomach, or hunching over, which may signal intense abdominal pain. Take your pet rabbit to the vet immediately if you suspect it ate too much paper.

Why Do Rabbits Eat Paper?

Without a proper diet, an active social life, entertaining playthings, mental stimulation, and enough physical exercise, you may notice that your pet rabbit starts to chew on paper or furniture.

Usually, rabbits eat paper and other things that they are not supposed to ingest out of boredom or lack of proper nutrition.

Rabbits need to chew, for various physical and psychological reasons, so make sure your pet rabbit is surrounded by enough non-poisonous logs and sticks, pinecones, wicker baskets and other safe items that it can safely gnaw at.

What kind of paper can rabbits eat?

There is no such thing as a safe paper for your rabbit to eat without serious consequences.

Instead of what type of paper is good for rabbits, you should concentrate on choosing the right toys and the right food for your pet rabbit, as they are essential to keeping your bunny happy and healthy.

Can rabbits eat cardboard? What about Paper Bags or Toilet Paper?

Let us take each type of paper and discuss a bit about why they are dangerous for your pet rabbit, even if they seem harmless.

Cardboard is by far the most dangerous thing you could let your pet rabbit munch on. It is thick, sturdy, and difficult to digest. Chewing cardboard is okay, in theory, as it helps prevent its teeth growing too sharp, but eating it on the other hand is not advisable.

Even if your rabbit cannot eat that much cardboard because it is harder to chew, you should protect your pet and discourage it from swallowing cardboard pieces.

Keep in mind that even if your pet rabbit likes paper bags and plays with them whenever it gets a chance, it is still paper and it is hard to digest, so it can cause intestinal issues.
What about toilet paper?

In theory, toilet paper is the least harmful to your pet rabbit, but why would you want to feed it toilet paper anyway? Just as specified above, eating too much paper of any kind can lead to constipation and even intestinal blockage.

As for paper towels or napkins, these are especially dangerous, since they have a very absorbent texture

Is Newspaper Ink Toxic to Rabbits?

Some types of ink may be toxic to small pets as your rabbit, especially petroleum-based ink, so you should avoid letting your rabbit eat newspapers or any kind of paper for that matter.

How can I stop My Rabbit Eating Paper?

It is as simple as keeping paper out of your rabbit’s sight. Keep everything that contains paper out of your pet’s reach, and you will save it and yourself a lot of trouble and visits to the vet.

Be sure to avoid newspaper or any other type of paper lining for the rabbit’s hutch.

If you want to make sure your rabbit does not want to eat paper if it comes across your notebook or your newspaper, you should make sure all your pet’s needs are satisfied. Just as humans, your bunny feels the need to munch on something when its needs are not met. Having an active social life and a healthy diet, full of fibre and refreshing water, should keep your pet happy, busy, and away from any kind of paper.

What You Should Do If Your Rabbit Ate Paper?

If your rabbit does not show any signs of trouble after ingesting paper, you should just keep an eye on it and see if it shows any signs of digestive distress.

To make sure your pet rabbit will not suffer from constipation after eating paper, you can feed it small amounts of vegetable oil, to try and prevent any potential intestinal issues.

If you notice any sign of constipation or change in behavioural and eating habits of your pet rabbit following the ingestion of paper, take it to the veterinary immediately.

As a rule of thumb, there is no such thing as paper being safe to eat for pet rabbits. Keep your bunny happy and healthy by eliminating the risk of it ingesting paper towels, napkins, newspapers, toilet paper, cardboard, or any other type of paper.

Even if it can be harmless in small amounts, why risk making your pet rabbit ill when you could easily remove dangerous items and also feed it proper and nutritious foods instead? Pet rabbits have specific needs and failing to provide them with a hospitable environment can lead to serious physical and psychological consequences.

Other Questions

What kind of paper can rabbits eat?

Sometimes when rabbits are hungry, they eat paper. It could also be because they lack fiber in their diet. If your rabbit likes to eat paper, make sure it doesn’t have ink or any other toxic material on it that could harm the rabbit.

The most popular paper for rabbits is the newspaper, newspapers that are printed with safer ink are ok to eat but if the ink is petroleum-based, keep it away from your rabbit.

However, the paper does not fulfill the nutritional need of your rabbit so try to prevent your rabbit from eating it. Eating too much paper can also negatively affect your rabbit’s health. It can cause blockage in the intestine. 

Do rabbits get bored in their cage?

Yes, rabbits can get bored in their cage. This boredom can lead to serious health problems. Rabbits that get bored, spend their time eating.

Boredom can also cause destructive behaviors, such as chewing and digging, and can even lead to aggression or depression in rabbits.

When they don’t have anything to do, rabbits can amuse themselves by chewing stuff. They'll find wires, papers, and chairs to munch upon if they have free rein of the house. A bunny requires stimulation to keep them entertained which could be in the form of exercise, games, and social contact. If your rabbit lives alone, they may grow restless.

Can I give my bunny a stuffed animal?

Yes, you can give your bunny a stuffed animal because they love playing with it. Although rabbits know that it is not a real animal, having a stuffed animal that looks like a real animal is quite amusing for them.

Rabbits enjoy tossing it around, and dragging it with them wherever they go.

They like to push it with their feet or mouth because it gives them the feeling that they are in control of the stuffed animal. It would be good to get them colorful stuffed animals so that they can play with them all day, they wouldn't get bored with it. There are many stuffed animals at pet shops to choose from, but rabbits prefer smaller ones so that they can haul them around the home.