• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

FAO Jack's-Jane: a question regarding dried herbs/forage

MimzMum

Wise Old Thumper
Hello Jane, I hope all is well with you this evening. I wonder if I might ask some advice for a friend's rabbit?

If you recall, one of our newest members, InTheStarlight, had a wee bun, Stormy, who was diagnosed with possible ulcers or abdominal cancer. His thread is here:
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...er-Cancer-or-Something-else.&highlight=Stormy
He has since gone to the Bridge, but during his illness my friend's other bunny, an REW lop, Bindi, developed a mild case of head tilt at their vet's office during a bout of stasis he was being treated for there. He is improved now but we were wondering if the list of herbs/forage you mentioned in Stormy's thread would be of any benefit to him as he's still recovering and Starlight wants to add anything she can safely do to his aftercare.

She asked her vet about the following herbs from your list but the vet is unsure and wouldn't sanction their use...perhaps she is not familiar enough about such things to make a good recommendation:
Broadleaf plantain
Chickweed herb
Coltsfoot leaf
Mallow herb
Shepherd's purse
Yarrow
And about how much of these, since they are dried, can she feed each day?

Bindi has had a 7-10 day course of baytril (yes I thought that a bit short too) and may still be taking panacur and metacam, but no other meds that I know of as explained to me by Starlight.
He is a frequent ear problem bunny and has recently needed his dentals done more often. I think he just had one before he took ill.

I ordered these dried herbs from Galen's Garden and am holding them to be shipped to her if she'd like to offer them to Bindi.
Can any of these cause him any harm? He can be a picky eater when unwell, moreso than most, and of course we had hoped some of these would've arrived in time to help Stormy. She is still grieving him and as such hadn't had time to post, so asked me to do so for her.

I got two of the bags of yarrow so I could feed some to Mimzy as well. I know it's a good blood cleanser and to prevent/treat flu in humans so I hoped to add this to his diet. :)
Thanks so much for reading and we'll be most grateful for any advice you can offer. :)
Blessings to you. xx
 
:wave:

I think you might have meant to ask Judy (thumps_) about this. She is the expert. She has A LOT more experience in using various weeds in a holistic approach to managing her Bunnies health problems. I would drop Judy a PM. She may not visit RU every day, but I am sure she will reply as soon as possible.

I would hate to give you the wrong advice !!
 
any of these would be good - preferably in fresh form - but I see you are in Alaska otherwise I would put you on my fresh forage order list.

Some of have particular gut/mucus membrane properties other just general 'tonic'.

As Jacks jane said - Thumps is your person.

PS Geoffs people on here may be able to send you the dried herbs in a more naturally dried state (Galens Garden are excellent and very knowledgeable but they have to buying their herbs mostly and they are those mass dried by machine usually rather than slow dried by sun - Geoffs people dries by sun).

However if your friend is wanting regular small amount Galens Gardens may be better for being used to international postage!

If you wanted I can check how much international postage would be for one of my large boxes if dried willow (wind dried).
 
I'm not Thumps_ but there is nothing there that I wouldn't or haven't fed to my guys;)
I would also be confident to feed as much as bunster wanted each day (he may well vary his favourites day to day) BUT only AFTER they have been slowly introduced:thumb:

Yarrow, Mallow and Plantain I can send fresh or dry
Chickweed and Shepherds purse have gone over here now but I can gather again in the spring. Coltsfoot I could do either in early spring if it is the flowers you want or a month or so later if it is the leaves.

Also if you want the best system cleanser (IMO) try cleavers, an excellent herb:thumb:
 
I'm not Thumps_ but there is nothing there that I wouldn't or haven't fed to my guys;)
I would also be confident to feed as much as bunster wanted each day (he may well vary his favourites day to day) BUT only AFTER they have been slowly introduced:thumb:

Yarrow, Mallow and Plantain I can send fresh or dry
Chickweed and Shepherds purse have gone over here now but I can gather again in the spring. Coltsfoot I could do either in early spring if it is the flowers you want or a month or so later if it is the leaves.

Also if you want the best system cleanser (IMO) try cleavers, an excellent herb:thumb:

I was worried about fresh stuff going off on the long journey to the Alaskan interior??? but your dried stuff would be excellent. In terms of dried I only have dandelions and willow at present . . my own buns ate the rest before I could dry it :lol:
 
:oops::oops::oops:

That'll teach me for skim reading whilst at work eh?

Quite right, I will NOT be able to send fresh but could send dried:wave:

Thanks Parsnipbun for thinking of us:love:
 
Thank you parsnipbun and Geoff's people for your advice and offers. :) Forgive me please for being MIA from this thread, my son had dental surgery this last week and I've been swamped with work taking care of him.

I did try to find cleavers at GG but they weren't in stock. I was only able to ship in the ones I listed. Can you perhaps suggest how I should introduce these herbs to bun and in what quantity to acclimate them to these new foods?

I will pass your advice on to InTheStarlight when I ship her the herbs if she still wants them. :)

I do wonder how different willow is between Britain and the US/Canada? We have a website here that offers hand dried willow of which I buy copious amounts because sometimes it is all my bunnies will eat. The leaves are long and tapered and the stems thin. It is often woven into wreaths as well.

Do you happen to know if the yarrow is better to stimulate appetite or would one of the other herbs be preferable?

Thank you again, very much! :)
 
Back
Top