The New Safe Plants for Rabbits List

[ladysown]

Maple leaves of all colors. Even dried. As soon the they fell I raked a bunch of them, yellow, brown, in between, and set them in a sheltered place. Dosidoe munches on them even if they are3 not a preferred food. Of course if you have a maple tree you have maple seedlings. The seedling are a much desired food until summer time. Still freshly sprouted but something about summer and the rabbits turn off them.

but not the leaves from red/chinese/japanese maples. They have something in them that can be toxic to rabbits.

 

[Zee-Man]

If this is any help: My guinea pigs eat flax plants routinely in the summer and fall. I get flax growing where I clean bird seed.

That is very interesting. After I made the post I did some more research. Flax stalks are known to produce a lot of prussic acid, which is poison for cattle. No mention was made of horses (which also have a hind gut). The prussic acid is released when the plant has some damage, mechanical or frost, but dissipates with drying. I infer that you are feeding fresh though. Is it just small amounts, or is it regular fodder? I am wondering if hind gut systems are not as susceptible to prussic acid (a form of cyanide).

 

[MnCanary]

I infer that you are feeding fresh though

Yes, it is just mixed in with the weeds I pull from my garden. There is never a large amount, maybe 5% of a bucket of weeds. It disappears, so I know they eat it. I haven't fed any to rabbits. I know that rabbits like flax SEED, because I've spilled some and they gobbled it up.

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

Do you know if rabbits can eat Wandering Jew - (maybe Tradescantia - not sure about the latin name) It grows like crazy, thought maybe I could raise some for the rabbits, but since it's an ornamental, I'm leery. - thanks!

 

[Zee-Man]

An update on sunchokes, jerusalem atichokes, Helianthus tuberosus. On a whim I cut some dead stalks with dry blackened leaves and put them in the hutch thinking the rabbits might like to chew on something. Wow! Dosiedoe went at them in preference to her pellets! She ate the leaves and the stalks both before she returned to pellets.

 

[arachyd]

My rabbits also loved Jerusalem artichoke and regular sunflower stems, leaves and flowers.

 

[ladysown]

Maple leaves of all colors. Even dried. As soon the they fell I raked a bunch of them, yellow, brown, in between, and set them in a sheltered place. Dosidoe munches on them even if they are3 not a preferred food. Of course if you have a maple tree you have maple seedlings. The seedling are a much desired food until summer time. Still freshly sprouted but something about summer and the rabbits turn off them.

they shouldn't eat the leaves from japanese or Chinese maples (the red ornamental types) they have been known to kill rabbits.

 

[Krevis1]

Awesome list ! Love it ! cilantro is great if you grew it and know it’s organic - I do They help fertilize it too! - I don’t care to feed them store bought stuff - because - well - that stuff cost more money! LOL

Didn’t see nasturtium , that’s a must-have favorite for mine

And @KelleyBee has rabbits with stomachs of steel !

 

[jencosta1]

Awesome list ! Love it ! cilantro is great if you grew it and know it’s organic - I do They help fertilize it too! - I don’t care to feed them store bought stuff - because - well - that stuff cost more money! LOL

Didn’t see nasturtium , that’s a must-have favorite for mine

And @KelleyBee has rabbits with stomachs of steel !

Where can I find the list???

 

[MaggieJ]

Where can I find the list???

The list is the first post in this thread.

Thanks to all for suggestions to add to the list. Keep them coming and I'll add them as time allows.

 

[Missy's Mom]

I found some sources that said forsythia was safe. (Who knew, its in the olive family?) I tried some out last summer as it is taking over my yard and my buns preferred to eat it over raspberry canes! A definite win as I can harvest without gloves!

 

[ladysown]

Maple leaves of all colors. Even dried. As soon the they fell I raked a bunch of them, yellow, brown, in between, and set them in a sheltered place. Dosidoe munches on them even if they are3 not a preferred food. Of course if you have a maple tree you have maple seedlings. The seedling are a much desired food until summer time. Still freshly sprouted but something about summer and the rabbits turn off them.

they cannot have leaves from red/ornamental maple trees. Those are toxic.

 

[Missy's Mom]

An update on sunchokes, jerusalem atichokes, Helianthus tuberosus. On a whim I cut some dead stalks with dry blackened leaves and put them in the hutch thinking the rabbits might like to chew on something. Wow! Dosiedoe went at them in preference to her pellets! She ate the leaves and the stalks both before she returned to pellets.

I grew them years ago, but the area they got shaded out and overtaken... since we didn't care for the tubers, I let it go. Now that I am looking for rabbit forage to cut, must revisit these! Do you happen to know if it will branch if you cut it and send up more growth during the growing season?

 

[MaggieJ]

I grew them years ago, but the area they got shaded out and overtaken... since we didn't care for the tubers, I let it go. Now that I am looking for rabbit forage to cut, must revisit these! Do you happen to know if it will branch if you cut it and send up more growth during the growing season?

I had a few plants when I had rabbits. When I was a bit short of good greens -- during a dry spell, for instance -- I cut foliage from the Jerusalem artichokes. I don't recall if they branched, but I think they must have because they always put up plenty of new growth.

 

[JG3]

Can I get confirmation that Dwarf Arctic Willow Shrub (Salix purpurea 'Nana') is okay to feed rabbits? ​

 

[Zee-Man]

they cannot have leaves from red/ornamental maple trees. Those are toxic.

As we all are wont to say, scientific names. Are we talking Acer Rubum or Acer Palmatum? Palmatum or Japanese Maple is usually ornamental. Rubum, while very pretty isn't generally considered ornamental. That is the one that grows in my yard and is definitely rabbit edible. While not red, A. Saccharum is a widely prevelaent maple in my area and is the yellow leaves that I get.

 

[ladysown]

I honestly don't know zee-man. I just know that I've had multiple reports from people after rabbits eat red maples about death occurring.

 

[bighairbuns]

Hostas (Hosta spp) the very popular ornamental landscaping plant is edible for humans and rabbits. They were originally cultivated as a vegetable before gaining popularity as an ornamental.

I often see it on the "poisonous" lists for rabbits because there have been cases of hosta toxicity in dogs and cats and I think a lot of the rabbit sources just pull their info from the ASPCA pet poison lists. The compound that causes issues for dogs and cats is saponin. Saponin doesn't have a toxic effect on rabbits. My guys love hosta leaves. They stay nice and green through the heat of the summer and have a good moisture content.

They're a hardy perennial that grows well in shade, I have them around my property in areas I can't cultivate anything else. A really nice set it and forget it food source for the buns.

The young spring shoots are delicious by the way. Tastes like a fresher asparagus. Can be used in place of fiddleheads in most recipes.

 

[ladysown]

Hostas (Hosta spp) the very popular ornamental landscaping plant is edible for humans and rabbits. They were originally cultivated as a vegetable before gaining popularity as an ornamental.

I often see it on the "poisonous" lists for rabbits because there have been cases of hosta toxicity in dogs and cats and I think a lot of the rabbit sources just pull their info from the ASPCA pet poison lists. The compound that causes issues for dogs and cats is saponin. Saponin doesn't have a toxic effect on rabbits. My guys love hosta leaves. They stay nice and green through the heat of the summer and have a good moisture content.

They're a hardy perennial that grows well in shade, I have them around my property in areas I can't cultivate anything else. A really nice set it and forget it food source for the buns.

The young spring shoots are delicious by the way. Tastes like a fresher asparagus. Can be used in place of fiddleheads in most recipes.

that is so good to know! I'll have to test it out on a tester rabbit so see what they think of it.

 

[KelleyBee]

Hostas (Hosta spp) the very popular ornamental landscaping plant is edible for humans and rabbits. They were originally cultivated as a vegetable before gaining popularity as an ornamental.

I often see it on the "poisonous" lists for rabbits because there have been cases of hosta toxicity in dogs and cats and I think a lot of the rabbit sources just pull their info from the ASPCA pet poison lists. The compound that causes issues for dogs and cats is saponin. Saponin doesn't have a toxic effect on rabbits. My guys love hosta leaves. They stay nice and green through the heat of the summer and have a good moisture content.

They're a hardy perennial that grows well in shade, I have them around my property in areas I can't cultivate anything else. A really nice set it and forget it food source for the buns.

The young spring shoots are delicious by the way. Tastes like a fresher asparagus. Can be used in place of fiddleheads in most recipes.

Dancing with joy to know this. I’m going to test it, too.