Wax melts are a popular way to scent your home, but are they safe for rabbits?
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the debate over wax melts and rabbits and explore whether or not they are safe to use around these animals. We’ll also provide some tips on how to keep your rabbit safe if you do choose to use wax melts in your home.
What are wax melts?
Wax melts are a home fragrance product that, upon heating in a warmer, release the scent of the ingredient(s) within. Wax melts typically contain paraffin wax and essential oils.
Paraffin wax is a petroleum by-product commonly found in candles. Essential oils are concentrated liquids containing aromatic compounds from plants.
Wax melts typically come in a plastic clamshell, wrapped in a label that gives scent and ingredient information. One side of the clamshell has a flap that can be lifted to expose the wax inside to heat from an electric or tea-light warmer. The other side is made of metal, which heats up when in contact with the warmer.
Are wax melts safe for rabbits?
The quick answer is that Wax Melts are safe for rabbits if they are made with Toxin-free Materials.
There are many factors to consider when determining if an object is safe to use around your bunny. It might be easy to think that anything in your home is safe for bunnies because you know they are not going to eat it or get into it. Unfortunately, this is simply not the case. Many times people will leave out food items that drop on the floor and an adventurous bunny may decide it tastes good enough to eat. There are also many other objects around the home that can pose a serious threat to rabbits if eaten by one, including candles! If you have ever thought about using wax melts around your house with a candle warmer there are a few things you should know before doing so:
1) Materials Used
The first thing to consider is the materials used by a specific brand. If a company creates a product that is 100% natural soy or beeswax, those are great because those materials are not going to be as toxic as others which do not contain any beeswax or soy ingredients. The next thing you need to look at is how it is made and if it smells good enough for your rabbit to want to eat it!
2) Scents
If you have ever melted wax you know that there can be some pretty unpleasant scents that come from using low-quality products which should never be around an animal, let alone a small furry animal with a sensitive nose like rabbits!
Some companies will use chemicals to make their melts last longer and produce a stronger scent throw, which makes it easier for you to smell them as well.
The problem with this is that those chemicals can be dangerous for a rabbit to ingest and could cause severe internal damage that requires medical attention, which can end up costing a lot of money long term if your rabbit ends up eating wax melts on a regular basis, even if they are 100% natural soy or beeswax!
How to use wax melts safely with rabbits?
This is really simple, you just have to keep a few things in mind:
- NEVER leave a candle or wax warmer unattended with your bunnies around
- ALWAYS purchase high quality all-natural soy or beeswax melts from a company that does not use any chemicals in the making of their products. This is incredibly important to keep your bunny safe!
The best option would be to purchase melts from a company that has both all-natural ingredients and does not use any chemicals whatsoever in the making of their product. This will ensure your bunny will never have to worry about getting sick from something so many people enjoy using around their home. Not only should you keep bunnies safe by purchasing the best quality products possible, you should also never leave a wax warmer unattended with your bunny around, just to be safe!
Are there any benefits of using wax melts with rabbits?
The benefits for rabbits of using wax melts are slim to none. Although most bunnies will not eat the melts, they could lick it off their fur if they do get some on them, which can cause irritation or possibly an allergic reaction depending on the ingredients used in the wax.
If you choose to use wax melts with your bunny you should also be aware of any ‘after effects’ that may happen including vomiting and diarrhea, both of which require immediate medical attention if noticed after exposure to wax melts.
Are there any risks associated with using wax melts around rabbits?
The Major risks are Eating, Skin Damage if touched and The risk of respiratory issues after touching or ingesting. There are also other objects around the home that can pose a serious threat to rabbits if eaten by one, including candles.
Eating
If your rabbit eats wax, there are a few things it could mean. They might have just eaten a little bit off their fur while grooming themselves after being scented by the wax and didn’t even realize what it was. They might have eaten a little bit and dislodged it from their teeth by chewing or they could have eaten a lot and there’s a chance that it could be stuck in their digestive tract. If you notice any symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, not eating their food etc. take them to the vet right away because if the wax has solidified inside of your rabbit’s stomach, surgery will be required to remove all blockages which can become fatal without medical attention!
Skin Damage
If your bunny comes into contact with melted wax on surfaces like furniture, upholstery couch cushions etc., the wax itself may begin to harden and clump onto their fur. Not only would this ruin/ruined furniture, but as the wax begins to harden it has a chance of pulling off patches of your bunny’s fur or skin if they were to become stuck in the middle. If you notice little clumps on their fur take them to the vet immediately because depending on how much wax got onto them it could require a lot of medical attention.
The risk of respiratory issues Because of Breathing Toxins
This can occur whenever a rabbit is exposed to any kind of fumes or chemicals that may be harmful to their respiratory system. If your bunny comes into contact with wax and they start showing symptoms such as labored breathing, wheezing etc., take them straight to the vet because it’s possible that the toxins in the wax could cause your bunny serious issues if not removed from its respiratory tract immediately!
Alternatives to using wax melts around rabbits
You can use a moisturizing lotion or a glycerin soap instead of wax melts. Although these products may not offer the same amount of scent, they are completely safe to use around rabbits and won’t cause any issues if they get a little bit on their fur while grooming themselves.
You can also avoid all of these risks by using scented candles that have been specifically made for human noses instead!
Are candle scents bad for bunnies?
Another factor to consider when determining if an object is safe to use around your bunny is the ingredients used for scents.
Just like with wax melts, you want to make sure that there are no harmful chemicals in products designed for scenting the home because those types of things can be toxic! If a company uses natural essential oils or 100% soy wax, you should generally be fine.
It’s also important to know where the scent comes from and what it smells like. Some bunnies would naturally rather have sweet smelling items around their home while others prefer unscented objects which do not overwhelm their sensitive noses.
If you ever purchase scented items specifically made for rabbits , make sure they are all natural contain only high quality ingredients like the wax melts mentioned above.
Are soy and taper candles safe for rabbits?
Scented soy candles are completely safe for rabbits to be around. They are 100% natural, contain no harmful chemicals whatsoever and the only ingredients are the wax they’re made from and the essential oils used for scenting them.
However, if you have a specific brand of scented candle that you enjoy using in your home but is not specifically designed for bunnies, make sure any scents used on it are all-natural with no harmful chemicals included!
What scents are toxic to rabbits?
Scents that are toxic to rabbits include anything with a strong chemical smell, such as perfume and cologne. A safe alternative would be to try and find products that use natural essential oils if you really want the home to smell like something!
Rabbit’s have sensitive noses just like humans do, which means there are some scents out there that can cause discomfort for them depending on how sensitive their noses are. For instance, if someone has seasonal allergies to certain types of flowers, those flowers may also be unpleasant for a rabbit to smell and could trigger side effects.
The best way to know if the scent of something would be toxic for your bunny is to simply ask someone who has rabbits! If you do not have any friends or family members who own bunnies, another good option would be to try and find reviews online.
Conclusion
Although you’re able to purchase soy wax melts from many different stores, it’s important to remember that your bunny always comes first. Before purchasing anything around the home be sure you ask yourself ‘is this year product safe for bunnies’, because these types of decisions can become life or death in some circumstances!
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Dr. Elly Cameron is a veterinarian who has always loved animals. She grew up with cats and rabbits, and knew from a young age that she wanted to help animals in whatever way she could. After completing veterinary school in New Zealand, she and her husband moved to North Carolina in 2009. There, she worked as a small animal veterinarian, seeing cats, dogs, and of course her favorite patients – rabbits! In the last few years, Dr. Cameron has been working as a locum vet while she concentrates on raising her two young daughters. She also started writing this blog to help other rabbit lovers out there.