rabbit gardener guide – Mercury Pets

Rabbits thrive on a healthy diet of vegetables, hay, grass, herbs, fruit and flowers, but can they eat daffodils? Rabbits do not eat daffodils, and will keep far away from them. These pretty flowers are very poisonous to rabbits and a few other animals too. They have a strong bitter taste to rabbits, which helps deter them away from eating them. Of course, this has consequences for both owners and gardeners. If you're a rabbit owner, always ensure that your rabbit never has daffodils as part of their feed. If you're a gardener worried about the impact of rabbits, some strategically placed daffodils may be the answer you were looking for. I'm going to take a look at everything that surrounds this question of rabbits and daffodils - tips for gardeners, tips for owners, and exactly what sorts of flowers rabbits can eat if they can't eat daffodils (because some flowers are definitely great for them to eat). Daffodils can be a great deterrent The upside of this is that gardeners can plant daffodils and not have them nibbled away by the neighborhood bunnies. Some clever gardeners even plant them just to keep rabbits away from their flower beds in general, so there are great tips for would-be gardeners that are having their flower gardens raided at night by hungry wild rabbits. As cute as bunnies are, not all of their munching activities are always welcome! This is also an important point to keep in mind if your rabbits run up and down the garden. Be careful if daffodils are planted among more rabbit friendly plants. [Source] Rabbits love to nibble and will nibble at anything and everything Rabbits have sharp teeth and can nibble away at all sorts of bulbs and plants quite contentedly. Nibbling is a bunny’s favorite pastime. Rabbits also hate ornamental onion and snowflakes too. They are also poisonous to rabbits, so they will not eat these either. So, what do rabbits eat? What are some of their favorite foods, since daffodils are off the menu? One of the commonest foods associated with rabbits is carrots, and rabbits do love carrots, but they also love a large array of vegetables, fruit, flowers and hay too. Throw in some herbs and pellets, and you could have the perfect rabbit menu. A constant supply of hay is a good thing One of the foods that rabbits will need a constant supply of is hay. Hay is good for everything in your rabbit, including healthy teeth, an optimal coat and a great digestive system. Hay is the great fiber of the rabbit world. Any rabbit owner should have piles of hay to offer and also check that the hay is very fresh. Hay can at times be a bit notorious for becoming not only dusty, but moldy too. If a rabbit ingests mold this could make her sick. Hay contains trace elements of protein, lots of fiber and is low in fat and sugar. Believe it or not, rabbits can become overweight, and they can suffer health issues if they are overweight. It is also important to note that rabbits have to chew hay to take care of their teeth correctly. Hay is very good for their special side to side chewing, which wears their teeth down. They also replace teeth naturally, like we grow nails, for example! If a rabbit’s teeth are not taken care of, they can literally starve to death. So, ensuring that rabbits have things to chew on that are safe and healthy is very important to their overall health. Hay is so versatile Hay is easy enough to come by, pet shops often sell it, local farms have a surplus of it and there are a few specialty hays that your rabbit might like to try. More than this, rabbits use hay for all sorts of things. When they are tired of nibbling at it, they might just snuggle down for a sleep in a ball of hay they will have prepared specially for a nap. As mentioned earlier, if you are getting hay from a farmer, for example, check through all the hay, remove hay that looks moldy, particles of grit or dirt, and other objects that could cause your rabbit an issue. Some bacteria like living on hay, so if parts of the hay you have obtained are smelly, strange in color, then throw those parts well away. You can shop online for hay too, and reputable hay suppliers will supply hay that is free from these hazards. Now to the vegetables As mentioned earlier, hay forms the bulk of your rabbits’ diet for digestive and dental health, but they adore all kinds of fresh vegetables, like carrots, lettuce, bell peppers, bok choy, the leaves of cauliflowers and the leaves of broccoli, to mention a few. You can share your veggies with your bunny and improve your health too! The list is too long to mention. Sometimes they fancy a bit of herb too Rabbits adore herbs too, this includes fresh mint, rosemary, thyme and basil for starters. So if you are growing a vegetable garden along with herbs, then putting up a fence might be a good idea. Rabbits love nibbling away at an array of herbs. Don’t feed your bunny foxgloves, wild carrot or avocado, for example. These can kill your bunny. Some fruits are off-limits too like grapes. Often because we love our rabbits so much we want to share some of our regular foods with them, this could be lethal so rather make sure you know what is good for them and feed them that instead. Some people have been known to feed their pets chocolate, doughy things and even meat. Please don’t, a rabbit’s health is down to exactly what he eats. Rabbits also do not eat any meat at all as they are herbivores. Flowers that bunnies can eat There is a myriad of flowers that bunnies can eat. Roses can be enjoyed by your rabbit. This includes the entire rose, the leaves, the stem, everything. Daisies are a loved treat, as are dandelions which are found all over most lawns, much to the annoyance of many gardeners. [Source] Bunnies adore sunflowers and would eat them all day if allowed, but being a little moderate with sunflowers is recommended just because of the fat content. A rabbits diet should be low in fat and sugars. If not, they can suffer digestive issues. Willow blooms are delicious treats for your bunny, and more than that, the entire tree can be eaten by rabbits. Just not all at once! The twigs and branches are great for their teeth and don’t have to be specially prepared either. So if you spot a willow tree, take some fallen, twigs and blooms home for your rabbit. Wash well under running water. Hollyhocks are gorgeous flowers loved by all, but not as much as rabbits love them. A rabbit can eat a whole hollyhock plant in no time and all, and come back for more. Chamomile, nettle, lavender, violets and pansies. As you can see, the list is endless. It is always better to check before you feed your rabbit flowers, but they can eat most flowers, as you can tell by the list above. Some pet shops dry the flowers in special mixes, some owners use those and also grow and supply their pets fresh flowers. If you do not wish your pets to eat your garden flowers until served to them, make sure you place fencing around your plants. Use chicken wire to reinforce the fence. As you can see a rabbits diet is only limited by the imagination of its owner as their likes are wide and varied. They also enjoy special rabbit pellets too, so plenty of fresh water should be supplied to keep your bunny well hydrated. Summary Rabbits enjoy so many foods, flowers, fruit, pellets, herbs, grass and hay. Hay should form around 80% of their diet. Always check that the hay you feed your rabbits is clean, from a good source, and is not dusty, moldy or filled with bacteria. There are many varieties of hay to choose from. A good pet shop will advise you which hays are available. Some flowers, like daffodils, are toxic to rabbits, so should be avoided completely. Generally, rabbits are repelled by their smell and bitter taste. Be careful of introducing too many foods to your rabbit at once, as this can cause him to have an upset stomach, and rabbits do not vomit, so they can really feel unwell. Also, don’t be tempted to feed him your foods or human treats like chocolate, avocado and dough. These are high-fat foods and will make your rabbit ill. Always check which foods are best for your rabbit in the different categories. As there are so many, it is easy to forget. Try and be mindful of houseplants if your rabbits are allowed to roam free there, as many houseplants can be toxic to rabbits.