Cheese and Rabbits: Undigestable Lactose
Cheese is 100% a dairy product. It is created from the manipulation of the raw state of milk and is technically defined as: a food consisting of the coagulated, and compressed and ripened curd of milk separated from the whey.
Cheese naturally undergoes a fermentation process that causes the sugars found in milk, called lactose, to change into lactate, an organic acid.
The presence of lactate in cheese marks it as a dairy product and is why any lactose-intolerant individuals cannot eat cheese, including rabbits, which are naturally lactose intolerant!
Can Rabbits Eat Dairy
The only time a rabbit can and, indeed is required, to ingest dairy is when it is a baby and nursing on its mother’s milk.
Why can baby bunnies ingest milk, but mature adults cannot?
Because all mammals are born with the ability to synthesize a specific enzyme: lactase.
Lactase breaks down the lactose sugars of the mother’s milk and allows the baby to benefit from the high protein, fats, and other nutrients of milk during a most crucial time in their lives.
However, as time passes and the young mammal grows, they start to lose the ability to synthesize lactase and will naturally turn to other foodstuffs for energy and sustinance.
So, Can Baby Rabbits Eat Cheese?
Just because baby bunnies can digest dairy, doesn’t mean they should ever be offered cheese.
The cow, goat, or sheep milk that is used to make cheeses undergoes quite extensive chemical and physical property changes and is essentially a foreign and indigestible foodstuff for any rabbit, at any lifestage.
Can Cheese Kill Rabbits?
While cheese does not contain any immediately toxic or poisonous components to rabbits, the formation of it preserves the high protein content and dense nutritional quality of milk, resulting in a product that is super high in:
- Protein
- Fats
- Calcium
Many cheeses are also high in salt and some even contain unique molds and bacterias.
These all happen to be nutrients that rabbits do NOT need in very high amounts. For this reason, if a rabbit eats a large amount of cheese they could be in danger of death.
Remember, rabbits are high-fiber obligates and require 75-80% of their total diet to be in high fiber plant material. High fibers keep rabbits’ teeth trimmed, their guts happy, and their immune system strong.
Learn more about offering your bunnies fiber rich food in our post on How Much Hay to Feed Rabbits.
In addition, the rabbit’s sensitive digestive system is not that great at breaking down dense fats, large quantities of protein, or molds, as they are not a natural part of their diet.
Ingesting too many fats and proteins at once, or a strange cheesy mold, can cause serious bloating and constipation and may even lead to deadly GI Stasis in rabbits.
Finally, a rabbit requires just about 200mg of calcium per 2.2lbs body weight.
Any more and your rabbit can quickly suffer from bladder sludge and a whole host of related ailments (check out Rabbit Wet Tail as an example), potential kidney stones, and urinary tract infections or clogging calcified crystals.
So yes, ingesting cheese can kill your rabbit! You’d do best to steer clear of cheese when thinking about a treat for your bunny.
How To Help A Rabbit That Eats Cheese
If you have found that your rabbit has ingested a bit of cheese, call your local veterinarian and follow any suggestions they share and be sure to observe the bunny closely over the next 12 hours.
If it was just a small amount of cheese, your rabbit may be able to pass it without issue. However, larger amounts or very strong cheeses can cause an immediate negative effect.
The best way to assist your rabbit is to:
- Be in constant contact with your local veterinarian, bringing your rabbit to see them if at all possible.
- Provide your rabbit with fresh water and unlimited amounts of hay. They may need these to help pass the cheese.
- Follow any of the specific instructions or steps suggested by the veterinarian.
What Human Food Can Rabbits Eat
The only foods that both humans and rabbits can eat are certain garden fresh veggies, fruits, and herbs.
However, because none of these foods contain the high fibers that rabbits require, and some contain lots of sugar, all must be offered as infrequent treats in small and enjoyable amounts.
When we want to give our bunnies a nice treat, we always turn to these safe and healthy plant foods snacks. Some examples of our rabbit’s favorites are:
- Nutritious zucchini
- Sweet peaches
- Mint herb
- Cucumber
Feel free to browse our post archive for more information on nutritious treats for rabbits!
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Can Rabbits Eat Cheese
Can Bunnies Eat Cheese Balls?
Absolutely not, cheese balls are a highly processed food that are void of nutrition and are unhealthy and unsafe for rabbits to consume.
Can Rabbits Eat Cheez-its?
No, we do not recommend offering your rabbits these processed, cheesy crackers as they will be hard to digest, can cause blockages, and are not nutritionally beneficial to rabbits.
Can Wild Rabbits Eat Cheese?
No, a wild rabbit’s bodily system will react to cheese the same way your domesticated rabbit will.
Never leave cheese outside in an accessible area, as curious critters may nibble once to many on it and find themselves in trouble.
Final Thoughts On Do Rabbits Eat Cheese
Any type of dairy product, especially cheese, is never appropriate to offer your rabbits.
While cheese isn’t immediately toxic to rabbits, it can cause seriously harmful reactions and imbalances in rabbits that can lead to death.
Remember, the best diet for bunnies is one that is high in coarse, fibrous plant materials such as hay and rabbit pellets.
If you want to offer your bunny a special treat, look to garden fresh and raw veggies, herbs, and fruits and leave the diary for your own enjoyment!
You can make cheese at home! Check out this video for an nice home-made cheese suggestion.