Thursday, May 26, 2011

Foraging

What's foraging?


It is what a lot of rabbit owners like to do. Basically foraging is finding plants outdoors, in your yard, in the woods, in a field, etc. for your rabbit to eat.


Here are some important foraging rules:


Only give your rabbit plants that you know is safe for your rabbit.


Make sure you are positive what the plant is, you don't want to mix up which plants they can or can't have!


Make sure they are pesticide-free.


Don't forage next to the road, the plants will have absorbed chemicals from car exhaust which is bad for your rabbit.


Pick healthy looking plants.


Always wash the plants before you give them to your rabbit.




Here is a list of safe plants for your rabbit:


Dandelions- a favorite of bunnies! Leaves, flowers, and stems are fine.
Pansies
Roses - remove all thorns!
clover
grass
chicory
strawberries and blueberries (I know the actual berries are a great treat for rabbits, but I would advise against feeding the actual leaves and stems to the rabbits, I have no idea if the leaves or stems are safe)


You probably won't find a lot of herbs or vegetables when foraging, but you can grow them yourself in your garden


Here is a list of herbs safe for rabbits:


basil
cilantro
lemon balm
mint
parsley
sage
thyme
rosemary


Here is a list of some veggies safe for rabbits:


dark leaf lettuce such as romaine
celery including the leaves
kale (feed sparingly could cause bloating if eaten in excess)
broccoli (again feed sparingly could cause bloating)
spinach (very small amounts occasionaly, high in oxalates too much can be toxic for bunnies)
bell pepper
cucumber (do not make this the biggest part of your bunny salad, it is mostly water and not a lot of nutrients)
carrots (feed in moderation it is sugary, you can feed the leaves too!)
cabbage (feed sparingly, too much can cause bloating)
chard
apples (technically this is a fruit, but oh well.) (feed as a treat because of sugar content, NEVER feed the seeds or core)


and there are more veggies, but I can't think of all of them right now.

1 comment:

  1. Wow! Very interesting! Hey, my whole lawn is mostly clover. Feel free to forage here anytime! Also, I have some really nice cardboard in the garage. Make sure you check it out next time you are here. Martha

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