Feeding Practices ~ Rabbits

[Beachbunny]

Nawma. Any fruit bearing trees, willow, branches from berry bushes, brambles, most other trees I believe, mostly for chewing to help the teeth from over growing. It also keeps the buns from boredom and destructive habits. Anytime we prune the fruit trees I save the thicker branches to give to the buns they also get the leaves while they are still fresh.

 

[VickieB]

Can you feed them branches from a Rose of Sharron bush?

 

[nawma]

My fruit trees are just babies and havent been pruned yet. But I do have pecan trees. Would that work.

 

[chris1177]

I think peach is toxic to rabbits

 

[animalmom]

Mine love rose leaves and when I trim a rose bush the rabbits get the larger canes. I have noticed with giving them rose canes that it does NOT matter to the rabbit if there are thorns or not. They seem to cope with whatever they get.

 

[Beachbunny]

Pecan wood would be fine as far as I am aware...I have given it to my buns with no issues...we have a lot of old pecan trees that drop branches every time it rains....not sure about the rose of Sharon mine is only a few years old so haven't pruned it yet.

 

[nawma]

Thanks for the info everyone. I love that I have something else homegrown that I can use to improve bunnies lives.

 

[Sycamore27]

I've read that the bark of pitted fruit trees, apricot, peach, plum, and especially cherry are dangerous to livestock and small mammals. No idea if that applies to leaves too or just bark, but if given to them they would definitely eat the bark too. I know the concerning factor is a cyanide analog in undried cherry bark and it's relative trees.

A quick google search yielded sources saying rose of sharon is and isn't safe, no clear answer. I found a thread on here about goats chowing down on it happily and numerous gardening articles saying it requires protection from rabbits to grow, others saying that they avoid it and to plant it for rabbit-proof gardening, as well as a few people and articles talking about it for domestic rabbit consumption in both the affirmative and negative. It is listed as dangerous to cats, dogs, and horses by the ASPCA.

Cheers,
Jessie

 

[Zorander]

Oregon, The High Desert

They live in a large colony. 5 does, 2 bucks, a slew of kits and a handful of giunea pigs.

I feed:
barley and wheat fodder
sprouted barley, wheat, boss and flax
a large variety of fresh veggies consentrating on mostly low oxalate greens
fruit
alfalfa, timothy and grass hays
forages from hikes
small amount of 18% Beaver rabbit pellets to keep them used to pellets if I need to feed it for any reason

I supplement with
mineral/salt lick

My feeding changes seasonally only by what is growing in my yard and what is available on my walks.

 

[Farmin' Girl]

Tennessee

Feed:

Rabbit Pellets
Grass Clippings
Timothy Hay

Supplements:

Vegetable Clippings from garden
Salt Lick
Mixed Seeds

No change in winter.