Mineral blocks ( 1/19)

Mineral blocks can provide an alarmingly high amount of calcium to rabbits that chew large amounts. The calcium content is approximately 19% and there is very little water. A rabbit would only need to eat a nineteenth of one of the bars shown in this image to meet the Recommended Daily Allowance of 500mg. If the rabbit chews large amounts, it places a high burden on the kidneys and bladder to excrete the large amount of calcium. This would be alright in a rabbit with a healthy urinary tract but could easily cause problems in a rabbit with compromised kidney or bladder function. Another problem with mineral blocks is the small particle size of the powder. These particles will be moved into the caecum by the motility of the hindgut and could add to impaction problems in rabbits that are dehydrated or have consumed large amounts of the block. They also have a very low phosphorus content and a highly inverse calcium to phosphorus ratio.