Rabbit advice please

potsofmoney_(I_wish)

If this thread is more appropriate in Greenfingers please move.

My bunny lives outside and has quite a good outdoor space as well as access to the garden when we're outside. I enjoy my gardening and grow a lot of herbs are there any particular plants apart from dandelions (which are banned) that bunnies particularly like? I'm planning some more planting when the weather warms up and would like to keep it as pet friendly as poss as I also have a very curious puppy who eats anything.

Many thanks

slummymummyof3

Hope the puppy doesn't fancy a taste of the bunny!

LittleTinker

We have a bunny who regularly runs outside in the garden and she has never really eaten any of my plants, including veggies and herbs. Must be because we keep her well stocked up with her own food.

I always work on the assumption that a Rabbit will only eat what it knows it can eat.

ann_marie77

Hi Pots,
My bunny (Humbug) loves his dandies and clover in the summer, maybe you could grow some in a big pot and pull the heads off before they turn to seed. I give him loads of vegetables as well, especially cabbage, carrots, cauliflower leaves and the middle storks. You may want to try an apple now and again as well.

Also Hosta's are apparently the rabbit version of candy, mine has attacked my mam's beloved hosta's a few times when running about the garden in summer. :rotfl: :rotfl:

Sprout stems or twigs from apple trees are also especially good to keep their teeth in good condition.

You may want to try this link http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/growyourgreens.asp as they have a section for growing your own greens for the rabbit.

LittleTinker wrote: »

I always work on the assumption that a Rabbit will only eat what it knows it can eat.

True in wild rabbits, and probably in pet rabbits as well, although they don't know when to stop and will excessively eat so you need to be able to control the amounts that they get.

I know mine would eat all day if allowed, although he's 9yrs old now and had teeth problems when he was younger and I can never keep the weight on him now, so I deliberately overfeed him. :rolleyes:

ClareEmily

The notion that rabbits instinctively avoid toxic plants is false!

Plants found to be Poisonous to Rabbits[Garden plants]

Aloe vera Foxglove
Amaryllis Hemlock
Anemone Holly
Antirrhinums Hyacinth
Azalea Hydranger

Buttercups Impatiens
Bluebells Iris
Bittersweet Ivy
Bryony

Caladium Jerusalem cherry
Carnation Juniper
Chocolate Kingcup
Clematis Leyland cypress
Crown-of-Thorns Laburnham
Cyclamen Lord of the angels
Columbine Lilly of the valley
Chrysanthemums Lobelia


Daffodil Marsh marigold
Dahlias Monkshood
Deadly Nightshade Meadow saffron
Delphinium Mistletoe
Dieffenbachia Morning glory
Dracaena Narcissus
Dog Mercury Oleander
Onions
Evergreens
Fig Peony
Figwort Philodendron
Fools Parsley Primrose
Privet
Poppies Schefflera
Ragwort Spurges
Rododendron
Runner bean leaves
Rubarb leaves
Tomato leaves
Ruber plant
Most house plants/ ferns
Tulip
Yew
Wisteria
Woody nightshade
MOST INDOOR PLANT ARE POISONOUS
Lawn sprays and fertilisers.

andi9666

ClareEmily wrote: »

The notion that rabbits instinctively avoid toxic plants is false!

Plants found to be Poisonous to Rabbits[Garden plants]

Aloe vera Foxglove
Amaryllis Hemlock
Anemone Holly
Antirrhinums Hyacinth
Azalea Hydranger

Buttercups Impatiens
Bluebells Iris
Bittersweet Ivy
Bryony

Caladium Jerusalem cherry
Carnation Juniper
Chocolate Kingcup
Clematis Leyland cypress
Crown-of-Thorns Laburnham
Cyclamen Lord of the angels
Columbine Lilly of the valley
Chrysanthemums Lobelia

Daffodil Marsh marigold
Dahlias Monkshood
Deadly Nightshade Meadow saffron
Delphinium Mistletoe
Dieffenbachia Morning glory
Dracaena Narcissus
Dog Mercury Oleander
Onions
Evergreens
Fig Peony
Figwort Philodendron
Fools Parsley Primrose
Privet
Poppies Schefflera
Ragwort Spurges
Rododendron
Runner bean leaves
Rubarb leaves
Tomato leaves
Ruber plant
Most house plants/ ferns
Tulip
Yew
Wisteria
Woody nightshade
MOST INDOOR PLANT ARE POISONOUS

Lawn sprays and fertilisers.

Hi thanks for above list please add

PETUNIAS

to that aswell. I have tried to avoid all the poisonous ones for my rabbits, but now we have a dog so they only get to go in their run, labrador wouldn't give them chance to eat plants!!

:rotfl:

clutterydrawer

LittleTinker wrote: »

We have a bunny who regularly runs outside in the garden and she has never really eaten any of my plants, including veggies and herbs. Must be because we keep her well stocked up with her own food.

I always work on the assumption that a Rabbit will only eat what it knows it can eat.

sadly not true, with domestic rabbits at least....i used to let mine out and they would go straight for whatever was most toxic *sigh*

they like most herbs and various veg..have a look on the net to check what's safe.

you can also grow "weeds" like plantains and chickweed. they love these and although you may not want weeds in your garden at least itll provide a fast growing food source and save the herbs for human consumption.

4li5on

Leaves from rasberry and blackberry plants are very popular with our bunny. He'll fair snatch your hand off for them.
Otherwise, I'd agree with all of the above. Our bunny prefers the leaves on celery rather than the main stem (although he eats the stem later!) and loves to crunch on apple. Pea pods are a summer favourite, as is kale.

Loopy_Girl

I know there are several like minded bunny folk who hop (I'm sorry...!!:D ) around the board and was wondering if anyone had any idea what the bunny was up to.

Basically, he has a thick layer of sawdust in his living room and we give him a pile of hay to eat. He doesn't like a manger and has always preferred it to be in a wee pile that he munches away at.

Anyway, very recently he has started pushing the hay round the living room so it covers nearly every inch of the floor on top of the sawdust - it's freaky actually!!! One minute it's all sawdust and then it's covered in a carpet of hay!:eek:

Am thinking maybe boredom as he hasn't been able to get out as much (and even when I do let him out he has a quick scoot round and then goes back in! sod this cold he must be thinking!!) but there is toys and a blankie in his hutch to keep him amused.
Still eating and drinking and all that jazz...

Any thoughts anyone?:A

ann_marie77

Decorating probably!

My bunny likes to empty his bed of all his bedding, although more in the summer months. It's a bit annoying especially after I have just spent 20 minutes cleaning and scrubbing his hutch out.

He also likes to empty his feeding bowl to look for treats so his fresh food ends up tipped all over his hutch.

Loopy_Girl

Oh I see...geting sick of his 'Chez Bunny' apartment is he?!!!! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: