Rabbit concerns with bird

[Marrie]

I have a cockatiel and I am looking into adopting rabbits from the local shelter but, I want to clear up a few concerns before hand:

My cockatiel is on a pelleted diet - often he throws some of the pellets into the floor. I would like to turn my rabbits into house bunnies. If a rabbit got any of the bird pellets, would it make them sick?

I know seeds are a no-no, so after seed I will have to vacuum, but pellets are what I leave available for the bird all day so he can eat as he likes. I can limit this to an off-limits area for the bunnies if I have to, just curious about how dangerous the bird pellets are for rabbits.

Ingredients are:

Ingredients: Ground Corn, Soybean Meal, Cracked Wheat, Wheat Germ Meal, Vegetable Oil, Sucrose, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Iodized Salt, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Citric Acid,Natural and Artificial colors, Artificial Flavors, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin K Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Biotin

 

[Colorguarder08]

I'm not sure how dangerous they are for rabbits but I have two cockatiels who continusly spit their new pellets on the floor. Tay ofter has her rabbit out near the birds but have not had a problem in the entire time she's had hers with it so much as attempting to eat the bird food. Freckles is more limited to when and where she's allowed because she likes to go under the tv so I try to limit her freedom when shes out here. But personally I haven't had any problems with either bunny attempting to eat the bird food (and our bunnies have compleately opposite taste in everything).

 

[butsy]

if i were you i would have her in a cage while you are out during the day, that way you would be sure she doesnt eat to much of the stuff.. or maybe just block off the area where your bird eats?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

It probably won't hurt a rabbit, but isn't really good either.

You should keep the rabbit in a cage or pen when you are not around as rabbits can get into things you do not want them to. You can let it out when you are home to supervise and just sweep up the bird food when they are out.

Depending on how are your bird can throw the pellets, you can just block off the area under the cage. You will still have to clean it but it should make it a bit easier.

 

[Marrie]

Thanks for the quick replies

I actually don't work (boyfriend makes enough money for everything, I have a small supplemental income from internet sales), so I am home all day/night - I only go out for an hour or two at a time and the rabbits and bird would both be in a cage during that time on the odd days I have to leave for something.

Mainly what I was worried about was it being toxic, since the bird is free flying since I am home all the time and only goes into his cage for sleepy time (which would be similar for the bunnies). I vacuum up regularly, so they wouldn't get much if any. I feed breakfast for the tiel on my desk at the moment, with lunch/dinner being done in his cage or on top of it. I can adjust that so all meals are done on top of the cage or in it (he eats dinner before bed inside)and just block off the area around the base of the cage. But it's good to know if they do happen to get a piece or two it won't be like a rush trip to the vet over it, since sometimes the bird does fly around with a pellet in his mouth (saving it for later? lol)

 

[Colorguarder08]

my two throw there pellets a good 10ft or so. So I know what it's like to worry about it.