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why dry bramble leaves?

rabbitapril

rabbitapril

Mama Doe
For the last 12years i have gone out daily with a pair of scissors and cut carrier bags full of bramble to feed to my bunnies. I have always fed them fresh, complete with thorny stems. some eat the thorny stems but others deftly eat the leaves from the stems and leave them on the floor r for me to stand on (ouch) I always thought this is what rabbits naturaly eat, so i am a bit puzzled why its being suggested to dry them and remove thorns. at times when iv had a poorly bun bramble leaves was the only thing they would eat with the exception of raspberry leaves which all buns and guinea pigs love, but the problem with raspberry leaves is they only grow in summer months. Raspberry and bramble leaves also help prevent scours. I leant a lot from an exellent book that i got most of my information from. While i cant say i have never had a "tummy bun" this is definiltly the food they seem to crave most as they recover, this being my own personal experiance.
 
If you've never had a problem feeding them to your rabbits then there's no reason you shouldn't feed them as you are doing. Some people might be worried about thorns causing a problem but as your buns avoid them or eat them with no problems I wouldn't worry. :)
Helen xx
 
rabbitapril said:
For the last 12years i have gone out daily with a pair of scissors and cut carrier bags full of bramble to feed to my bunnies. I have always fed them fresh, complete with thorny stems. some eat the thorny stems but others deftly eat the leaves from the stems and leave them on the floor r for me to stand on (ouch) I always thought this is what rabbits naturaly eat, so i am a bit puzzled why its being suggested to dry them and remove thorns. at times when iv had a poorly bun bramble leaves was the only thing they would eat with the exception of raspberry leaves which all buns and guinea pigs love, but the problem with raspberry leaves is they only grow in summer months. Raspberry and bramble leaves also help prevent scours. I leant a lot from an exellent book that i got most of my information from. While i cant say i have never had a "tummy bun" this is definiltly the food they seem to crave most as they recover, this being my own personal experiance.
Click to expand...


I do exactly the same. This winter we 'cleared' a totally overgrown area close to us of about 10m by 20m of fierce-some bramble bushes! It was an impenetrable thicket - now its just a mass of short stems! But I definitely agree with the 'ouch' factor!! Especially as I have two buns in the bedroom at present - so bare tootsies on brambles. On a technical note - because they have very very deep roots, brambles in particular are very rich in nutrients.
 
Well, wildie buns seem to manage them fine! :lol: I wouldn't worry about it if I were you, just feed them as they are.
 
This is interesting, I've fed raspberry leaves/canes for a few years but not brambles, because of the inconvience of the thorns no doubt, must try offering some this weekend.
 
Mine eat the brambles in my garden, I don't need to cut them back, they do it for me! :lol:
 
I brought thornless blackberries and raspberries :lol:

Drying is probably suggested to provide a supply in winter. You don't need to dry them to feed though.
 
bunnies eat them fresh in the wild - they wouldn't wait til they were dried out!!

Ive had some bramble growing from over the fence and into my garden, the roots have also shooted up from the ground on my side of the fence. These shoots are not there any more 'cos Daisy scoffed them all!! And actually as you have mentioned it i will chop the new growth that comes back over the fence and feed it to them!
 
I only dry them to store, or to post, (in an enclosd box for up to 3 days, to prevent mould growth). Most buns manage the thorns fine.
Brambles neat, is fine as far as I'm concerned.

My particular bun gets the tiny barbed thorns embedded in his fur when he chin scents his food. The fur/thorn tangles are difficult to remove. Dried leaves are also a useful fiber increment when his hay intake falls as he needs a dental, because they are easier to chew dry.

ETA Another personal reason to dry them is that Thumper's tooth roots are impinging on the floor of the eye sockets. Undue pressure on cortical bone is a potential source of pain.

I'm delighted to meet others who also give them to their buns.
 
Last edited:
thumps_ said:
I only dry them to store, or to post, (in an enclosd box for up to 3 days, to prevent mould growth). Most buns manage the thorns fine.
Brambles neat, is fine as far as I'm concerned.

My particular bun gets the tiny barbed thorns embedded in his fur when he chin scents his food. The fur/thorn tangles are difficult to remove. Dried leaves are also a useful fiber increment when his hay intake falls as he needs a dental, because they are easier to chew dry.

I'm delighted to meet others who also give them to their buns.
Click to expand...

i had a beatiful angora but when i fed him bramble i would cut tue leaves from the thorny stalks because as you say they can be problematic in long fur,
Also, who gets very strange looks from people when they see you collecting bramble??!! It wasnt so bad when the berries were on because they just thoght i was "blackberrying".
 
rabbitapril said:
i had a beatiful angora but when i fed him bramble i would cut tue leaves from the thorny stalks because as you say they can be problematic in long fur,
Also, who gets very strange looks from people when they see you collecting bramble??!! It wasnt so bad when the berries were on because they just thoght i was "blackberrying".
Click to expand...

I agree with the long fur problem. In fact my bun is mixed breed with some lop in him & has short fur which is very soft & glossy, but grass seeds & small fragments of broken hay also get stuck in the depths of his face, although he is a fastidious groomer. I sometimes wonder whether he failed to learn a good eating technique as a baby - something I can't teach him!!

Yes, I get some very strange looks from rather staid neighbours. I'm probably doing something illegal. I always use secateurs, & asked the Council Park Ranger's permission, in return for spot weed killing the hemlock which they can't identify. :lol::lol:
 
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