Eating in the garden

Bramble has started to eat leaves in the garden, which I don't mind, but I'm worried they might harm him. We have a Smoke Bush (I'm not sure if that is the correct name or not) and also some large Ivy type thing. I'm sure he has eaten both of these, and he seems okay. It's a job to catch him in time! I just worry that they might upset him if he has too much.

Common English Ivy the odd leaf is ok, not something to encourage but as long as not in berry it is ok. Smoke bush I thought was a Rhus and therefore poisonous but not certain on that one :?
I would try to keep bun away from these fallen leaves until all are down and you can rake them up. In tiny amounts like any unsafe plant (except for the really bad ones) toxic levels are probably not high enough. What I mean is a nibble diluted down by lots of safe foraging is hopefully enough to dilute any toxins but i would exercise caution. :wave:

Thank you for the advice, I will try and keep him away from them. He has a habit of hiding under the bush, and then I don't know what he is eating. I shall be keeping a close eye on him when he is out!

clarebear said:

Thank you for the advice, I will try and keep him away from them. He has a habit of hiding under the bush, and then I don't know what he is eating. I shall be keeping a close eye on him when he is out!

Click to expand...

Don't worry our two are just the same! :roll: Current falling leaves are cherry and nectarine - both unsafe!

Do they eat them? It's almost impossible to stop Bramble, he runs off when I try and get a leaf off him!

Yes, a few! :roll: But they do lose interest and fortunately not eat too many, they tend to only eat fallen leaves when bored and trying to get my attention to let them back in to the warm again... pair of wimps! Other than falling leaves our garden is bunny proofed and has a fence around the borders. There's not much you can do about falling leaves from neighbours trees... although we did hack nextdoors Wisteria back before it dropped (on our side of course).

Poppy has a habit of retrieving windfall apples off the lawn before I find them.... and yes I have run around after her.... she carried an entire apple in her mouth for two laps around the garden before I could get it off her! :roll::lol:
Bunnies!!!

The latin name of the smoke bush is probably Cotinus coggygria. :wave:


From what I have read, cases of poisoning are relatively rare in rabbits. I think that although a lot of plants might not be particularly good for buns, they would have to ingest a lot in order to become acutely ill. One exception to this (there will be others!) is rhododendron which is very poisonous.


I am super paranoid about my buns and don't let them eat anything I'm not 100% sure of. But having said that I know a lot of other people whose bunnies nibble alll kinds of stuff whilst free ranging and are none the worse for it.

clutterydrawer said:

The latin name of the smoke bush is probably Cotinus coggygria. :wave:


From what I have read, cases of poisoning are relatively rare in rabbits. I think that although a lot of plants might not be particularly good for buns, they would have to ingest a lot in order to become acutely ill. One exception to this (there will be others!) is rhododendron which is very poisonous.


I am super paranoid about my buns and don't let them eat anything I'm not 100% sure of. But having said that I know a lot of other people whose bunnies nibble alll kinds of stuff whilst free ranging and are none the worse for it.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the correct name! I am getting paranoid too! Bramble has definately eaten some of the leaves from the Smoke Bush and the Ivyish thing. Doesn't seem to have upset him yet, but then I don't give him too much chance to eat them!

These are the two bushes:


The smoke bush and the ivy. Any ideas if that type of Ivy is okay?

Ahh, Cotinus coggygria "Royal Purple". Very nice

I was under the impression that all ivy was poisonous to a degree. Not really an expert though and as prettylupin says probably the odd leaf wouldn't be the end of the world. I would be tempted to pop a temporary barrier round it while he's out if he seems drawn to it.

I think that's a brilliant idea. Might get some of that nice willow fencing that will just pop into the border. Looks nice too!

Common English Ivy out of berry is fine. Don't encourage it but in my vet written rabbit plant book it says it is fine as long as not in berry. Poison Ivy is a completely different species and very poisonous obviously. :wave: