The New Safe Plants for Rabbits List

Aqrabuamelu said:

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There is a fifth way. Both my wife and I take a daily supplement of Inulin....

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Probiotics seem to be helping me with weight loss too. At first gut gas can be embarassing, but nowadays it doesn't faze me. It is as natural as breathing. I began probiotics to deal with irritable bowel syndrome. Those symtoms have nearly disappeared. As with the inulin supplement, any probiotic regimen should start slowly. PRObiotics need PREbiotics . Prebiotics feed the probiotics. Oatmeal is an easy to incorporate prebiotic. However, as I understand it, oatmeal is contraindicative with diverticulitus. So it is good to learn about inulin for this purpose.

Zee-Man said:

... it is good to learn about inulin

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Watch out regarding some of the online claims about Inulin; "It'll help with diabetes" and some others. I've had type 2 diabetes for years and it's slowly progressing. I'm sure from my 'sticks' readings my doc is going to put me on the needle sometime soon. Maybe the Inulin slowed it down but it sure didn't stop it. As far as gut health though, Two Thumbs Up!!
My wife hasn't had any trouble with her diverticulitis and has been enjoying oatmeal for the past few years where before it was too unpredictable and could put her flat in bed for a few days. She was so apprehensive the first couple times she tried oatmeal after starting the Inulin it was painful just to watch her.
When we were both getting used to the gas we'd play fartball at night. I'd fart. She'd fart. I'd fart. She'd fart and so on. A couple times I jumped out of bed and yelled "Halftime"! She'd look at me and say "WHAT"? I'd explain that halftime meant it was time to switch sides. She'd say "Why"? I'd say "Because I shirt my side". It's a wonder I didn't have more than a couple bruises.

Aqrabuamelu said:

Watch out regarding some of the online claims about Inulin; "It'll help with diabetes" and some others.

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I can't speak to pre- or pro- biotics helping the diabetes. I have not noticed any change in diabetes that I would associate with the regimen. My glucoise has been controlled chiefly by me respecting my cane sugar intake. If I abuse the HFCS I'll see a spike in my glucose. I began the probiotic regimen before I came down with Type II. My A1C is 5.8 and controlled by diet and Metformin. I was not bothered by insulin injections other than inconvenience and the lack of responsibility they symbolized.

I believe probiotics have helped with weight loss, but also have no real evidence. It could be the Metformin, it could be lower sugar intake alone! I can attest to the help with IBS. That has nearly vanished.

We will be cleaning our garden soon and I would like to utilize as much of the “waste” as I can. I already have an idea of some things I can give the rabbits, but I have seen mixed answers on some other things. I would like to know what, and what parts of these plants would be okay to given them. Idk if it matters but I’ll mention anyway, the first four plants have gone to seed. Here’s the list of the plants that are in there.

Broccoli.

Colliflower.

Brussel sprouts.

Romanesco.

Green beans.

Cucumber.

Tomatoes (many different variety’s.)

Thank you in advance to anyone that answers>

jaxmarblebuns said:

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We will be cleaning our garden soon and I would like to utilize as much of the “waste” as I can. I already have an idea of some things I can give the rabbits, but I have seen mixed answers on some other things. I would like to know what, and what parts of these plants would be okay to given them. Idk if it matters but I’ll mention anyway, the first four plants have gone to seed. Here’s the list of the plants that are in there.

Broccoli.

Colliflower.

Brussel sprouts.

Romanesco.

Green beans.

Cucumber.

Tomatoes (many different variety’s.)

Thank you in advance to anyone that answers>

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Do not feed the tomato plants to them. Toms, along with peppers, eggplant, and "Irish" potato are in Nightsgade family and leaves/vines are toxic.

Missy's Mom said:

Do not feed the tomato plants to them. Toms, along with peppers, eggplant, and "Irish" potato are in Nightsgade family and leaves/vines are toxic.

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ya, i was pretty certain of that but thought i might as well throw it in with the list

jaxmarblebuns said:

​

We will be cleaning our garden soon and I would like to utilize as much of the “waste” as I can. I already have an idea of some things I can give the rabbits, but I have seen mixed answers on some other things. I would like to know what, and what parts of these plants would be okay to given them. Idk if it matters but I’ll mention anyway, the first four plants have gone to seed. Here’s the list of the plants that are in there.

Broccoli.

Colliflower.

Brussel sprouts.

Romanesco.

Green beans.

Cucumber.

Tomatoes (many different variety’s.)

Thank you in advance to anyone that answers>

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They can't have broccoli

The following garden plants are cultivars of the same plant species (Brassica oleracea) and their leaves should be safe: broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprout, kale, cabbage, collards, kohlrabi, rutebega (sometimes called turnip in US supermarkets). My rabbits occasionally also chew the stems and roots.

In general you should practice moderation if your rabbits are not accustomed to these plants. Do NOT put a big pile of leaves in the cage if they do not eat such plants on a regular basis. I give our rabbits garden plants all the time (daily or twice daily) but brought them up to this level over a month of very gradual change and still typically use moderation - one or two broccoli leaves per day, at most, for example.

Also, this list may be helpful - I’ve been using it. It lists plants that are often destroyed by wild rabbits in the US. I’ve been using it as a guide for plants that are likely safe for my rabbits. Garden plants susceptible to rabbit damage

It is interesting that some plants on this list are listed as poisonous on other lists I have seen for domestic rabbits - like pepper plants. I wonder if that is due to error, or that our wild US rabbits/cottontails are a different species than the domestic rabbit and can handle different plants? Regardless, I haven’t tried feeding pepper leaves to my rabbits. It isn’t worth the risk for me, and I have a huge garden with plenty of other plants for them.

If you do want to try feeding something questionable, do it with one rabbit in a very small quantity to see how that rabbit reacts, before feeding it to your whole herd.

Be VERY careful feeding brassicas. I've lost a rabbit to a tiny piece of cauliflower leaf, another got severe diarrhea and a third rabbit had no reaction to it. I'd never include them on a safe list.

arachyd said:

Be VERY careful feeding brassicas. I've lost a rabbit to a tiny piece of cauliflower leaf, another got severe diarrhea and a third rabbit had no reaction to it. I'd never include them on a safe list.

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That is interesting. I feed brassicas to my rabbits most every day. Maybe something else is affecting your rabbits?? Do you spray with anything, like could there be chemical residue on your plants?

No. This was from cauliflower grown in a home garden, untreated with anything. If it were something environmental more rabbits would have been affected.

While rabbits can eat many garden vegetables if they have been introduced slowly, it is worth noting that rabbits are herbivores, not vegetarians. The invasive European weeds and tree branches and leaves on my Safe list are the natural food of the European wild rabbits from which our domestics are descended. Many of these plants have medicinal qualities as well and I firmly believe that including them as a large part of our rabbits' diet is hugely beneficial. I see garden vegetables as a minor part of their diet. Carrot and beet tops, for example, are better for the rabbits than the root crop itself.

MaggieJ said:

While rabbits can eat many garden vegetables if they have been introduced slowly, it is worth noting that rabbits are herbivores, not vegetarians. The invasive European weeds and tree branches and leaves on my Safe list are the natural food of the European wild rabbits from which our domestics are descended. Many of these plants have medicinal qualities as well and I firmly believe that including them as a large part of our rabbits' diet is hugely beneficial. I see garden vegetables as a minor part of their diet. Carrot and beet tops, for example, are better for the rabbits than the root crop itself.

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I agree! So my rabbits get the sweet potato vines and we will get the tubers should there be any (should be according to the vines but I haven't had a lot of luck with tubers).

I know this is kind of an old thread, but does anyone have any information regarding the safety of these plants? Western serviceberry (amelanchier alnifolia), nootka rose (Rosa nutkana), scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius)?

According to the Washington State Noxious Plant Control Board https://www.nwcb.wa.gov/images/weeds/Cytisus-scoparius-WF.pdf
"Toxicity: (Scotch Broom) Cytisus scoparius contains toxic quinolizidine alkaloids (Burrows and Tyrl 2013). Its seeds are toxic to ungulates, and mature plants are unpalatable and can cause digestive problems and neurologic dysfunction in horses (Parsons 1992 in Brossard et al. 2000, Burrows and Tyrl 2013). Reports of livestock loss have been made from the ingestion of the quinolizidine alkaloids sparteine and isoparteine (Peterson and Prasad 1998). Reproductive problems may also occur in livestock with long‐term ingestion of C. scoparius (Burrows and Tyrl 2013). The alkaloids cause the plant to have a bitter taste and can make it unpalatable to animals, which may be why loss of livestock to C. scoparius is rare (Burrows and Tyrl 2013, Kingsbury 1964). Human consumption of flowers and seeds of C. scoparius can result in nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain"

Serviceberry also looks like it has toxic principles as well. According to the Colorado State University Guide to Poisonous Plants it is listed as toxic to cattle, sheep & goats (rabbits not mentioned): Guide to Poisonous Plants – College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences – Colorado State University due to similar chemicals as wild cherry leaves:
"Toxic Principle: Cyanogenic glycosides which are readily hydrolysed by rumen bacteria to free hydrogen cyanide (HCN). All parts of the plant contain the cyanogenic glycosides except the ripe berries. The wilted leaves are more toxic than when fresh. The cyanide blocks the action of the cellular enzyme cytochrome oxidase thereby preventing hemoglobin from releasing oxygen to the tissues. Death results rapidly from anoxia."

Nootka Rose sounds like it is fine. All I could find specifically for that rose was from the USDA Plant Guide, https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_ronu.pdf
"Livestock browse Nootka rose leaves and young shoots (Parish et al., 1996)". We feed a variety of rose species here, and have not had any issues, the bunnies seem to love them.

arachyd said:

Be VERY careful feeding brassicas. I've lost a rabbit to a tiny piece of cauliflower leaf, another got severe diarrhea and a third rabbit had no reaction to it. I'd never include them on a safe list.

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I feed my rabbits Boy Choi and Chinese cabbage leaves as part of their daily salad, consisting of yellow dock, comfrey, blackberry leaves and fresh pulled fescue. When my brassicas bolt I give them the flowering tips and they will eat them first. However, I started off very slowly with everything, feeding only an inch square of each leaf, one at a time, and then increasing. They are very healthy and have had no gastric issues.

Skai said:

I feed my rabbits Boy Choi and Chinese cabbage leaves as part of their daily salad, consisting of yellow dock, comfrey, blackberry leaves and fresh pulled fescue. When my brassicas bolt I give them the flowering tips and they will eat them first. However, I started off very slowly with everything, feeding only an inch square of each leaf, one at a time, and then increasing. They are very healthy and have had no gastric issues.

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We eat something in the Cole family every day, so do our rabbits. In summer they get a bunch of mixed greens and weeds. All during our very long winter they got chopped cabbage and sweet potato mixed with sprouted oats as their morning treat everyday. They always pick out the cabbage first. No problems in them or the 24 kits they raised this winter. I want them to be able to eat and help compost what our garden grows. The garden feeds them, they feed the garden. A good circle! ( I have silver fox) does the breed make a difference?

We mostly pick fresh grasses for our rabbits along with herbs and small fruit tree branches. But will sprinkle a veggie treat or fruit occasionally. Here’s a breakfast photo I took last week:

foxbunny said:

I know this is kind of an old thread, but does anyone have any information regarding the safety of these plants? Western serviceberry (amelanchier alnifolia), nootka rose (Rosa nutkana), scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius)?

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This is one of those threads I'm always happy to see resurface... Maybe an oldie but a goodie.

The informational threads on rabbit talk are always welcome for resurrection in my book, thank you for using the search feature!