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Rabbits are quite popular vegetarians in the animal kingdom. They mainly eat grass, leaves, veggies and fruits. They love and enjoy different types of vegetarian foods. Many people who have rabbits at their home ask can rabbits eat mushrooms? As you may know, mushrooms are considered vegetarian food. Lets find out.
No, rabbits cannot eat mushrooms. Though rabbits are vegetarian in nature, they cannot eat everything that comes under the vegetarian category. Same goes with the mushrooms. Even the most common mushroom i.e. the button mushroom can be quite fatal and harmful for the rabbits (if eaten).
Mushrooms, especially wild mushrooms, can be quite dangerous for the rabbits. They cannot even eat the store-brought mushrooms as they are not right for their diet. Hence, you must not feed rabbits mushrooms as well as you have to keep an eye on your rabbits while they are out in the open.
Dangers of mushrooms for rabbits
According to a handbook of the U.S FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the mushrooms contain certain compounds that can cause poisoning in the rabbits. FDA has identified a total of 8 toxins that have a direct link in the mushroom poisoning. These toxins are:
- Gyromitrin
- Amanitin
- Muscarine
- Orellanine
- Psilocybin
- Ibotenic acid
- Coprine
- Muscimol
All these toxins can be harmful for your rabbits. In fact, both cooked and raw mushrooms can have these toxins causing mushroom poisoning. Hence, when people ask can pet rabbits eat mushrooms the answer is a strict NO! Mushrooms kill rabbits.
Symptoms of mushroom poisoning in rabbits
As mentioned above, if you feed mushrooms to your rabbit, it can cause mushroom poisoning. Some of the symptoms of poisoning by mushrooms include –
- Vomiting
- Damage of organs
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy or fatigue
- Reduced appetite
- Neurological damage
All these side effects or symptoms in rabbits due to poisoning can be quite difficult to treat.
How common is mushroom poisoning in rabbits?
Overall, mushrooms are not all healthy for pet rabbits. But if you are worried about how common the mushroom poisoning is among rabbits, then it is rare. There are some mushrooms that contain high level of toxins in it.
If your rabbits consume those mushrooms (especially wild mushrooms), then the chances of mushroom poisoning is more severe.
Otherwise, your rabbits can get some of the common symptoms like fatigue and loss of appetite due to mushroom consumption.
To avoid any chances of severe mushroom poisoning, keep your rabbits away from mushrooms even when they are playing outdoors.
What are signs of a rabbit dying?
There are many signs that you can notice of a rabbit dying.
Some of the signs are – lack of appetite, seizures, breathing problems, erratic movements, abnormal fecal pellets and a huge change in their behavior. All these can be the signs of the rabbit dying and if you notice any of these signs, then call a veterinarian immediately.
What to do if your rabbit eats mushrooms?
Accidents can happen any time. If your rabbit is outdoors and they eat some wild mushrooms by mistake, then you have to take some immediate action. In order to prevent some of the catastrophic consequences, you need to call a vet as soon as possible.
Immediate treatment under the supervision of the vet can help to recover faster or to stop the condition from getting worse.
Even if this happens at your house where the rabbit eats an edible mushroom, you have to contact the vet immediately. While it is true that edible mushrooms can prove to less fatal than the wild v, it is important to visit the vet.
Otherwise, your rabbit can face some gastrointestinal problems. If that is left unchecked, it can result into sickness or even death.
What to do if your rabbit has eaten wild mushrooms?
As said above, the wild mushrooms can be more toxic and fatal for the rabbits. If you and your rabbit are enjoying outdoors, chances are high that rabbits can find some wild mushrooms there. In case, rabbits consume any wild mushrooms, you have to contact your vet.
It is better to take your rabbit as well as the sample of the mushroom with you to the vet right away. Mushroom poisoning can kick in quite fast and it has to be treated soon.
Taking the mushroom sample can help the vet to understand what treatment can work more efficiently.
Wild mushrooms that are toxic to rabbits
All the wild mushrooms are toxic and dangerous for the rabbits. They contain a toxin named Mycotoxins that can be harmful if it is ingested by rabbits.
This toxin can lead to mushroom poisoning. The two most dangerous and toxic varieties among all the wild mushrooms are – False Morels and Death Caps.
Are lawn mushrooms poisonous to rabbits?
Mushrooms of any types are not at all good for the rabbits. The lawn mushrooms may or may not be fatal for them, but they can surely cause some health hazards.
Though mushroom poisoning is rare, you still should not take any chance with the lawn mushrooms.
Are mushrooms healthy for rabbits?
The mushrooms can be healthy for many animals as they contain fiber and some great nutritional value. But when it comes to rabbits, it is a complete NO.
Mushrooms are not at all healthy for the rabbits and you should never feed it to them.
Can wild rabbits eat mushrooms?
When the answer to the question can rabbits eat mushrooms is no, it meant all rabbits. So, even the wild rabbits cannot have mushrooms as that can be quite dangerous or fatal to them.
Even the wild rabbits like to eat grass, veggies and leafy veggies.
Can baby rabbits eat mushrooms?
The straight answer to this question is – NO! The baby bunnies absolutely cannot consume mushrooms of any kind. It is not only inappropriate for their diet but it can also lead to their death.
Can rabbits eat cooked mushrooms?
No, your pet rabbit cannot eat mushrooms at all, be it is raw or cooking mushrooms. The toxic compounds that are present in mushrooms cannot be destroyed in heat.
So, even when the mushroom is properly cooked, the compounds that are toxic for the rabbits still remain there. Hence, the rabbits cannot eat the mushrooms even after they are cooked.
Can rabbits eat death cap?
If you have a question in mind about – can rabbits eat mushrooms named Death Cap or not, then you are the right place. The Death Cap mushroom is a wild mushroom which contains some of the toxic compounds in it.
Consuming this mushroom can lead to mushroom poisoning and some serious health hazards too.
Can rabbits eat store bought mushrooms?
No, the rabbits cannot eat the mushrooms brought from the stores. Though these store-brought mushrooms are edible in nature, they still contain compounds that are toxic for the rabbits. Hence, the answer is a straight no.
Can I give my rabbit mushrooms raw?
Raw mushrooms, be it is wild or edible, contain all the toxins that can be fatal for rabbits. It can cause severe symptoms like indigestion, diarrhea and more in rabbits.
In order to avoid these issues and health hazards, do not feed your rabbits raw mushrooms.
Can rabbits eat magic mushrooms?
The Magic Mushrooms contain many toxins in it. One of the most toxic compounds is psilocybin which can be very harmful for your rabbit.
Hence, you cannot feed magic mushrooms to your rabbits.
Are there any types of mushrooms that rabbits can eat?
If you are here to know can rabbits eat mushrooms of any type, then you need to know that the answer is – NO! There is no type of mushroom available that is completely safe for your rabbits.
Even the culinary mushrooms like shiitake or button mushrooms are not at all safe for the rabbits.
Are other parts of mushroom plants safe to eat?
Not a single part of mushroom is safe for the rabbits to eat. You should not give your rabbit mushrooms or any part of it.
You also should not feed them any parts of mushroom plants by mistake.
What are other healthy alternatives to mushrooms in a rabbit’s diet?
The healthiest alternatives to the mushrooms for the rabbit’s diet are leafy greens including – cilantro, bok choy, carrot tops, romaine lettuce, basil, greens of the beet, broccoli and kohlrabi.
You can give these veggies to your rabbit regularly or daily as a part of their diet.
These veggies are nutritious and contain all important nutrients in them that are essential for the growth and development of rabbit.
What do rabbits need from a healthy diet?
Just like that of humans and other animals, rabbits need a perfect combination of nutrients.
Their balanced diet must contain lots of vitamins and minerals along with water for keeping their systems and organs functioning and working properly.
Final thoughts
Now, it is quite evident that the answer to the question can rabbits eat mushrooms is a complete – NO! There is no way that you can feed mushrooms to your rabbits. Whether the mushrooms are wild or edible or store-brought, it doesn’t matter. All mushrooms can be poisonous to rabbits and hazardous for them. So, keep your rabbits away from the mushrooms.