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Willow? U/D: Photos added, help with identifying please?

Oompa-Loompa

Warren Veteran
What types of willow can rabbits eat/chew? :wave:

I've been looking everywhere for willows but I can only seem to find one specific type around here where I live, so I need to know if it's safe to feed them :lol:
 
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I believe all of the willow branches can be nommed, but i'll let a diet expert confirm this.
 
I always thought most willow is safe :)

I know Pussyfoot willow is. We have a small tree of it, they don't grow very big and the rabbits will happily try to chew branches off of it
 
salix is the proper latin term for willow - there are various types but the ones you will see growing in hedges and riverbanks are Salix babylonica (weeping willow) and salix fragilis (crack willow) - both are safe -
 
Safe if you feed the leaves & young twigs. Does contain salicylate llike substances (Aspirin) so if bunny suddenly goes crackers for willow they may have pain somewhere. Advise not to feed if they're on metacam.
Benjie went crackers for willow while he had abscesses then stopped eating it.
 
Safe if you feed the leaves & young twigs. Does contain salicylate llike substances (Aspirin) so if bunny suddenly goes crackers for willow they may have pain somewhere. Advise not to feed if they're on metacam.
Benjie went crackers for willow while he had abscesses then stopped eating it.

read about this too can't remember where maybe rabbitlopedia
 
Safe if you feed the leaves & young twigs. Does contain salicylate llike substances (Aspirin) so if bunny suddenly goes crackers for willow they may have pain somewhere. Advise not to feed if they're on metacam.
Benjie went crackers for willow while he had abscesses then stopped eating it.

Isn't that found more in the bark of the tree then young twigs and the leaves?
 
Well I was actually thinking about finding some for Boris as an alternative to Metacam...if my vet still refuses to prescribe me more :roll: He has chronic snuffles and inflammation in his nasal passages so I'm thinking he might benefit from it. It was actually suggested by a user on here.
 
Well I was actually thinking about finding some for Boris as an alternative to Metacam...if my vet still refuses to prescribe me more :roll: He has chronic snuffles and inflammation in his nasal passages so I'm thinking he might benefit from it. It was actually suggested by a user on here.


That was me:wave:
Willow is invaluable here for the buns, goats and sheep, and I take it myself for a headache (if anyone is interested, I chew the twigs, and it tastes..... blinking awful!:lol:)
 
That was me:wave:
Willow is invaluable here for the buns, goats and sheep, and I take it myself for a headache (if anyone is interested, I chew the twigs, and it tastes..... blinking awful!:lol:)

Oh yeah, it was! :D Sorry, couldn't remember who it was that gave me the advice :wave: I've researched it a bit and found that a lot of people use bark from white willow as a remedy for pain and inflammation. It actually comes in tablet and extract form! I wonder if that might be something I could try for my little snuffly boy. I'm yet to find an actual willow over here yet, the only one I've seen is in someone's garden :shock:
 
Oh yeah, it was! :D Sorry, couldn't remember who it was that gave me the advice :wave: I've researched it a bit and found that a lot of people use bark from white willow as a remedy for pain and inflammation. It actually comes in tablet and extract form! I wonder if that might be something I could try for my little snuffly boy. I'm yet to find an actual willow over here yet, the only one I've seen is in someone's garden :shock:

Ask the person for some twigs snapped off, then poke em in the ground and water.
I have planted thousands of willows this way, they root so easily:thumb:
 
I can supply bags of willow for you (see my forage thread) - fresh with lots of twigs if you need any - or you could get one bag just to compare with your own willows and then if its the same you can collect yours from then on!
 
That's a very kind offer, but I live in Sweden so in that case you'd have to send me some. Not sure if that'd work at all? :)

Anyway guys.....went to my grandparents' this evening and there are loads of trees like these. Stupidly enough I didn't pay any attention to them until now....but these are willows right? :lol: Could you help me identify exactly what type they are and if they're safe for buns? :wave:
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Close up on the leaves etc., I nicked a few twigs just in case :oops:
0673149f.jpg
 
The leaves look similar to the weeping willow I had in the garden as a child, long and slightly jagged :) Never seen a tree like that though lol

Also just a guess but might be Crack Willow
 
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I've done some Googling and it definitely could be a crack willow, but it's so thick & bushy!? :lol: They all are, not just this one.
 
I've done some Googling and it definitely could be a crack willow, but it's so thick & bushy!? :lol: They all are, not just this one.

Oompa-Loompa, you have some different species of willow in Sweden from the UK. In particular Sweden uses copiced fast growing Salix viminalis as a source of fuel. It has a high salicilate content & is used in the manufacture of aspirin in Germany.
Yes, it is a species of willow but with about 400 different species & 200 hybrids, I don't know which one.
I haven't seen a willow of that shape, or leaf colour, in the UK.
 
Yeah...these ones are pretty common here. I think I've seen a weeping willow in the park, but that's the only other type I've seen.Also pretty certain that they're all planted. Never seen a willow tree in a forest, ever. Not in this part of the country at least.

But if most willows are edible, do you reckon this might be ok to feed the buns? I won't risk it unless I'm absolutely certain :wave:
 
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