Questions and comments about plant safety for rabbits.

[lemonthyme]

Maggie J;
Thanks for the info. I do think I remember miner's lettuce be undiserable I just couldn't remember where! I will have to try the grain grasses in dishpans. Thanks!
Karen

 

[mytdogs]

Anybody give cantaloupe rinds? Any kind of melon rind? I'm thinking just a small piece with just the bit of melon I didn't slice off for me on it....I know large pieces of juicy fruits are bad.

 

[ladysown]

yes, melon of any kind rind is a favourite around here for MOST (not all) bunnies and piggies alike.

 

[HendricksHearth]

Anyone feed Sweet Gum tree leaves? Or have offered wood to chew on? A huge old one just dropped a bunch of big branches in the last storm with new growth and raw wood, but I couldn't find anything about it online. The scientific name is Liquidambar styraciflua

Thanks!

Lauren

 

[MaggieJ]

Excerpt from an article about sweet gum that would seem to indicate that the bark is okay for rabbits.

"Damaging Agents- Few severe diseases are associated with sweetgum, but small mammals and grazing animals have caused isolated problems. Seedlings may be badly damaged by hogs, goats, or cattle in different areas. Rodents, particularly mice, and rabbits have caused considerable damage to young plantations in several areas (16). Beavers in the Georgia Piedmont cause impoundments and girdle healthy trees."

Here's the link:
http://www.forestasyst.org/hardwoods/styraciflua.htm

I googled Liquidambar styraciflua toxicity rabbits to find this. There's a lot more hits, but I have to go and get some work done, so I'll turn it over to you, Lauren.

 

[pastelsummer]

sunflowers what is known about sunflowers? I posted a thread then found this i need to know about sunflowers and dandylions

 

[Pickles]

Im not sure about sunflowers but Dandelions are very safe (assuming they havent been treated with any pesticides).

 

[pastelsummer]

no i would be growing them inside this winter. just have to get my sprout pans going

 

[Shara]

sunflowers are nummies!

 

[ottersatin]

You don't want to give your rabbit too many Sunflower seeds.
They are what is known as a Hot feed. They serve a great purpose
in the colder months by helping the rabbits to conserve heat.
Too many in the warmer months may cause dietary problems.
Everything in moderation. Moderation is the key.
Ottersatin.

 

[MaggieJ]

I agree, Ottersatin. Sunflower greens are the way to go from spring to fall... and save the seeds for the colder weather. Even then... not to many.

 

[pastelsummer]

wild geraniums ok? i have a huge plant of it by my horse feeder. lol was wondering if i could use it for the rabbit

 

[MaggieJ]

Pastelsummer, we must supply botanical (Latin) names in order to be sure of a plant's identification. I suggest you google "wild geranium" and match up what you have growing with ones on a reliable website. Then post the botanical name here and I will help you find out if it is safe for rabbits.

 

[desertbunnies]

Does anyone know if olives from a Olive tree will hurt my meat rabbits. I let them out to run in a pen and the olives drop on the ground. My buck ate 2 the other day and spit out the pit. He seems fine but would like to know for sure. Also i found them hopping up to eat the leaves off the citrus trees.

 

[Jack]

I believe that olives are cured to make them less bitter when consumed. If the high oil content doesn't harm him, he should be fine, but I wouldn't suggest him eating alot due to fat content.

 

[MaggieJ]

Welcome to RabbitTalk, Desertbunnies and Jack! :hi:

You really must use botanical names to get accurate information about plant safety for rabbits. What kind of olives? Once you have the botanical (Latin) name it is fairly easy to do a Google search putting in the botanical name plus the keywords toxicity and rabbits.

 

[desertbunnies]

I feed my rabbits peppers scraps often, Both Bell and sweet mini peppers. They love Them even the seeds! I cut the stems off because I read somewhere they are in the nightshade group.
my buck also LOVES the citrus fruit off our tree and they all love the Citrus leaves and sticks.
2 days ago I gave them some pineapple and the Doe grabbed it out of my hand!!!! She really got excited about that.

 

[hoodat]

Does anyone know if olives from a Olive tree will hurt my meat rabbits. I let them out to run in a pen and the olives drop on the ground. My buck ate 2 the other day and spit out the pit. He seems fine but would like to know for sure. Also i found them hopping up to eat the leaves off the citrus trees.

Olives contain a high amount of tannic acid. That's why they have to be treated to make them edible to humans. Personally I'd be very cautious about feeding them to rabbits.<br /><br />__________ Wed Mar 16, 2011 7:18 pm __________<br /><br />I have a neighbor with an evergreen ash (fraxinus uhdei) who trims it frquently. I gave a few twigs to my rabbit and she seems to like them. They are listed as deer browse but I can't find any information on their use with rabbits. Does anyone know of problems with this plant?

 

[MaggieJ]

Most ash species are safe for rabbits, but I know nothing about tropical or semi-tropical species. I did a quick Google search with for fraxinus uhdei toxicity rabbits but it turned up nothing useful. Hopefully, someone with firsthand knowledge of this species will speak up. Barring that, I suggest caution: feed only occasionally in small quantities and offer other safe plants at the same time. This can help to prevent a rabbit from eating an undesirable species because it is the only green available.

My rabbits do not enjoy ash leaves or twigs. I think ours if green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica). Because we have so many more popular choices to feed the rabbits, I rarely bother to offer it.

 

[hoodat]

I don't really trust the leaves. I've just been feeding bare branches so they can ammuse themselves peeling the bark. They don't seem to eat much of the bark just peel it and spit it out but it keeps them busy and helps keep the teeth worn down. I've only had to clip teeth once years ago and I hope I never have to do that nasty chore again.