feeding bindweed

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eco2pia

eco2pia

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so I am wondering about hedge bindweed...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calystegia_sepium

Please note this looks like morning glory but it is definately NOT morning glory, which is poisonous. I am very sure of my identificaton.

Anybody have experience/problems feeding this? My preliminary checking says edible but maybe causes diarreah? In people anyway.

I would love to feed it, because currently it is an invasive weed in my garden and as I pull it, it can't even be composted, the evil stuff just re-sprouts! One of the only things I landfill.
 
I'm glad you asked about the bindweeds. You will find them on bunny toxic lists, but I know several people who have reported feeding them without problems. The roots and seeds may be toxic, so I suggest using only the leaves and vines. I came across an interesting Italian study that was examining plant properties of folk medicine both for people and animals. It's not a cosy read, but packed full of info. Worth bookmarking!

Here's an except from P. 6, near the bottom of the first column:

"Convulvus arvensis and calystegia sepium, typical fodder for rabbits, stimulate the appetite. The latter species seems to promote better and healthier growth in rabbits."

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cac ... zVhNrW7Vyg
 
interesting...there are tons of genus's with the common name "bindweed" but they are very different plants. I may just try it in a dry doe a little at a time to see how she handles it? does that sound like a good plan? How long would you expect to have to wait to see ill effects?

i'll check the link.

It is definately not something I would seek out, but dang, the stuff grows like...well, a weed. And I hate throwing anything in the landfill, especially if it is useful!!
 
I agree that you cannot rely on common names, but you gave me a botanical name and seem sure of your identification. In Europe they have a long history of raising rabbits without commercial pellets and, unlike here, the knowledge has been passed down. It's always helpful when I can find a reputable European report in English. :)

It's always best to try a new green on one or two rabbits, in small quantities at first. There are very few plants I know of that will make them drop down dead and even fewer that a self-respecting rabbit would actually eat, but we don't want to take unnecessary risks. I'm pretty cautious about the plants I feed and have never had an adverse result, so I really don't know how long it would take to show up.

One thing we can do to minimize the risk is to offer a good variety at each feeding. That way if there is a questionable item, the amount is smaller and if it is something that seems "off" to the rabbit's instincts, the rabbit is more likely to pass it up because of the abundance of other choices. That's how I see it, in any case. :D
 
now isn't that just common sense!

I too have noticed that animals are rarely stupid enough to eat poisonous plants, not the horses I have had, nor the cats and dogs, nor the cattle, definately not the goats. (Sheep I'm not so sure of!)

This is the first time I have tried venturing away from pellets with rabbits, I am very relieved to know that they haven't had the idiot gene breed into them!
 
I have no proof that they haven't got the "idiot gene" but I do notice that they seem sensible. Rabbits not accustomed to greens may be so starved for "fresh" that they may eat anything. Even when I fed pellets, my rabbits have always had plenty of green weeds as well. So they may not be typical... I have no way of telling for sure.

Some plants (curly dock is a good example) are good forage early in the season, but later accumulate undesirable amounts of nitrates (or nitrites... I can never remember which.) The rabbits will not touch them then... although this may be due to stronger taste as much as good sense. Ditto for lamb's-quarters and red-root pigweed. (See the sticky on safe plants for botanical names.)
 
We have LOTS of field bindweed (Convolvulvus arvensis) here. My rabbits love it and eat it with no difficulty. So do the cottontails and jackrabbits. Personally, I hate the stuff (it's EXTREMELY invasive here :evil: ), and I'm thrilled that it has at least one redeeming quality (not that I have ANY intention of cultivating it on purpose!).

Here's a great site that shows the differences between the two cousins, field bindweed and hedge bindweed:

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nursery-wee ... weeds.html
 
Great link, Trinity! It really helps sort out the three species. We seem to have hedge bindweed here. I'll add it to my gather list... not that we have a lot of it, thank goodness, but it does tend to wrap around other desirable weeds. No need to separate them now. :D
 
Ha! Good luck, Ann!

Excerpt from the link below:

"Common Burdock is not a preferred food plant for mammalian herbivores, although livestock and deer will browse on it if nothing else is available. There is some evidence that the foliage may be toxic to rabbits."

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wee ... urdock.htm
 

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