Onion Greens

[MamaSheepdog]

Has anyone fed onion greens to their rabbits? Our onions have huge tops on them, and I'd like to do something with them! I am considering drying them or freezing them for use in soups/stews...

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I don't think you can feed onion or garlic to the bun-rabs....sorry Sistah!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Curses! Foiled again!

 

[MaggieJ]

Your Sistah is right, MSD. Onions, garlic - any of the Alliums - are not good for most animals.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

But the tops are so nice and long and gree-ee-ee-n! <Sigh>

 

[MaggieJ]

I just chop them up and add them to whatever I am cooking that calls for onions.

 

[akane]

I know it sucks. I have tons of garlic chives but they are in the alum family and I can't feed them to my rabbits or guinea pigs. I tried drying some last fall and failed. I might attempt it again by hanging instead of laying them out this time.

 

[MaggieJ]

Chives and garlic chives can be frozen. Chop them, place on silicone paper on a cookie sheet and freeze, then put in a plastic freezer box or bag. You'll be glad in winter when you want them to add to a pot of soup or a chip dip.

 

[akane]

Freezing would work better with our high humidity in the spring and fall. They just don't dry. I have the same problem with some clothes that can't go in the dryer like my martial arts uniform. It takes 1-2 weeks to dry anything even hanging up.

 

[hoodat]

I think whether or not they are harmful to rabbits is a moot point. I've never seen a rabbit that will eat them.

 

[Stormy]

Your Sistah is right, MSD. Onions, garlic - any of the Alliums - are not good for most animals.

Hmmm... powdered garlic is recommended to be put into food for dogs to repel fleas, and horses to repel flies. Why would rabbits be so different? its strong medicine, for sure. Garlic is a major immune booster for people.

 

[akane]

powdered garlic is recommended to be put into food for dogs to repel fleas, and horses to repel flies. Why would rabbits be so different?

Rabbits aren't different. The use of garlic to treat dogs is highly debated these days because it also destroys red blood cells in them. People are just trying to dose a low enough amount symptoms don't show. At that point you are doing no different than using flea chemicals or fly sprays that dose a low enough amount not to show symptoms in the host but high enough to kill the pests.

 

[dragonladyleanne]

UH OH!!! I have been feeding my rabbits onion greens, the Argents in fact LOVE them! Why are they a no-no? In the 2 months I have had them, no one has keeled over from them. It's just a stalk or 2 per day though, as a treat, they mostly eat pellets.

 

[MaggieJ]

As Akane says, it destroys red blood cells. Likely the amount you have been feeding is not enough to cause substantial damage... but you might want to subsitute dandelion greens or another weed for the onion greens.

 

[dragonladyleanne]

Ah, ok, I didn't connect the dots on that conversation, since it started with the "garlic powder" question. I hadn't been feeding them onions every day either, I swapped it out with celery tops, corn husks, apple pieces (no seeds, I do know about cyanide in them!), and most of my onions are about done growing greens now anyway. I have some carrots that just germinated, they'll be getting those greens in about a month.

__________ Fri Aug 17, 2012 5:19 pm __________

I will make sure I do not give any onion to the doe I just bred, though! Easy bleeding would not be good during kindling!