Website: Plant Toxicities in Rabbits

[Miss M]

I stumbled upon an interesting site. I don't understand exactly how it works, but it appears to have a lot of info and references:

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.or ... orphs.html

 

[MaggieJ]

Interesting! It's the first toxic plant list I've seen that gives sources... a definite step in the right direction.

I've always found it easier and safer to have a list of Safe Plants and feed those because the toxic plants lists are often so vague. Some condemn a whole plant when perhaps it is only one part that is toxic. Some condemn a plant that may be toxic to a different species of animal. So this list is welcome because it seems to have references that are relevant to rabbits.

 

[hoodat]

I'm glad I read that. I had no idea dock could be toxic. I've eaten a lot of it myself (but I'm not a rabbit). I've also been looking at my scarlet pimpernel. I have a lot of it growing as a weed. Now I know not to try it out.

 

[MaggieJ]

Young dock is safe... It is a valuable plant for rabbits because it starts so early in the season and grows very fast. Once it starts putting up flower stalks, I quit feeding it. By then there are a lot of other plants available. One thing I have noticed is that a number of plants that are good when young but not good later on also become unpalatable to rabbits as they become unsafe. This is one good reason to feed a mix of plants. If you goof, the rabbits will likely eat the wholesome ones first and not bother with the other.

 

[Miss M]

I've always found it easier and safer to have a list of Safe Plants and feed those because the toxic plants lists are often so vague.

That's basically what I'm trying to do... figure out what plants I have that are safe, so I can feed them to the buns.

 

[hoodat]

Young dock is safe... It is a valuable plant for rabbits because it starts so early in the season and grows very fast. Once it starts putting up flower stalks, I quit feeding it. By then there are a lot of other plants available. One thing I have noticed is that a number of plants that are good when young but not good later on also become unpalatable to rabbits as they become unsafe. This is one good reason to feed a mix of plants. If you goof, the rabbits will likely eat the wholesome ones first and not bother with the other.

I've always believed rabbits are born with wisdom when it comes to fodder. If a rabbit refuses a plant I figure it has a good reason whether or not the literature says it is a good food.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

One must remember-- even though instinct is very helpful to our domesticated rabbits, Many domesticated species lose the ability to survive without help in a natural setting. We can foster and nurture instinct by offering variety, but feeding fresh does no good if we only offer 'bad' things without giving the rabbit a chance to select for good stuff.