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Medicinal uses of blackberry leaves?

S

Stator

Warren Veteran
Has anyone used blackberry leaves for medicinal purposes in rabbits?

I have fed them a couple of times when one of my rabbits shows a minor sign of discomfort, probably related to their stomach. The rabbit is always very keen to eat the handful of blackberry leaves I give them, even if they aren't interested in other foods. It's always seemed to work well and has them back to eating their normal foods very quickly.

I'm not recommending it as a treatment for rabbits who are properly ill (clearly they need to see the vets), but from my experience it might help stop them from becoming ill when you see the first signs.

It could just me being paranoid and they would have perked up on their own anyway.

Does anyone else have experience?
 
I think there is a lot of information on this in 'Foraging for Winter' thread Tim.

Lots of information on what leaves can do and be foraged from etc :wave:
 
Yes. There is a thread of mine about wish and her slow gut which blackberry leaves are mentioned to be helpful. At three pages that might be more manageable. :lol:
 
they are what sorted Alvins tummy out last year, thumps sent me some and they really helped... motivated me to keep the diet as wild as possible last summer... just waiting on it all growing again and ill be foraging every day.
 
I wonder if they have a slight laxative effect. I have noticed that feeding treats made of blackberry and raspberry leaf can give Sprocket sticky normal poos and it comes through quite quickly. But if your bun is bunged up then it might be helpful. :?
 
Georgeypudding said:
do you just pick them and feed them prickles and all :wave:
Click to expand...

If using fresh ones I remove the prickles on the stem, although the buns are perfectly happy to munch them prickles and all I figure I might as well remove them incase they ***** a wound could be infected etc.

Currently I'm feeding them the dried leaves I made by cutting the whole bush down at the end of last winter. I just pulled the leave clusters off and put them in a tray and they have dried out nicely.

I also agree Kitty that too much can cause a problem. A couple of my buns munched away too much of the plant last year and the next day they had a few sticky poos.
 
Georgeypudding said:
how do you remove the prickles please :)
Click to expand...

I dunno about other people but I kinda take out the stem and the prickles come too. I fold it in half and then gently tug the bit where it was attached to the plant, most of the time the rest of the leaf stays in tact.
 
I use my nail to push the teeth the wrong way and snap them off. Sometimes you do get pricked yourself. I only do the ones on the back of the leaves. I don't try and take the edges off the leaves themselves.
 
There is natural aspirin in blackberry and raspberry leaves. I always have both growing in my garden. If they feel under the weather or if they stop eating they work wonders.
I pick them the same as Schuette.
 
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