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Decorative bark (garden)

Angie B

Wise Old Thumper
Forgive me if this is in the wrong section but it just didn't seem to fit anywhere else!

I'm thinking of getting some decorative bark for my borders later on this year, once we've sorted the garden out. Does anyone know if it is toxic to rabbits as obviously it will come from lots of different trees, or will they naturally avoid it anyway? I do try and keep them off my borders anyway as I have flowers in there that I rather like and weren't bought/planted for rabbit food ... but my rabbits are rather dense :roll: so I was just checking. They wouldn't be able to chew much of it as they're under constant supervision whilst free-ranging BUT if/when my back is turned ... Although on saying "toxic" they have eaten enough of my definitely dangerous plants over the last almost 2 years and have had no ill effects - a bite here, a flower/stalk there - but bark is different as I wasn't sure if it could block bowels? I dunno. There's the question anyway; can I have decorative garden bark in my borders or not? Thanks! :wave:
 
Personally I wouldn't risk it unless there is a way you can prevent them getting to it...like an open puppy pen along the border or something.
 
I think most bark is non toxic, but if you want to be extra careful, then you could try to get children's play area bark, though this is likely to be more expensive. I have always used normal bark, but usually try to fence of most areas I don't want buns to go as I have many toxic plants like euphorbia and foxgloves.
 
Personally I wouldn't risk it unless there is a way you can prevent them getting to it...like an open puppy pen along the border or something.

My garden's quite large really so I couldn't do this, but thank you :wave:

I think most bark is non toxic, but if you want to be extra careful, then you could try to get children's play area bark, though this is likely to be more expensive. I have always used normal bark, but usually try to fence of most areas I don't want buns to go as I have many toxic plants like euphorbia and foxgloves.

A good idea, thanks! Again though I don't want to fence it off as it wouldn't look right in my garden and I wouldn't be able to tend the borders either; I'll look into the play area bark though. I wonder what the difference is then, as bark is bark surely? Unless it's treated differently perhaps?

Thank you, both :wave:
 
We've got decorative bark, and rupert and tia walk on it, they've never eaten it though - they're fine :D I didn't even think that it could be bad :?

ps, there's not really any difference in play area bark, i asked this question many years ago when i worked in a country store x
 
We've got decorative bark, and rupert and tia walk on it, they've never eaten it though - they're fine :D I didn't even think that it could be bad :?

ps, there's not really any difference in play area bark, i asked this question many years ago when i worked in a country store x

:wave: Thank you :)
 
All my borders are mulched with standard bark / woodchip bales from B&Q or Homebase. I've never had a problem with the rabbits on it. The front garden is fenced separately and is about 50% bark. Some of the rabbits are on it regularly. They have never tried to eat it but do sometimes like to rearrange it if I fill in their favourite dips under the bushes.
 
We have the kids play bark at the back of our garden where the climbing frame and trampoline is. Our buns have escaped onto it quite often but have never tried eating it thankfully. Why is it they always go an sit under the trampoline right in the middle where you can't get to them? :roll:
 
I used to have it and didn't have any issues with the buns.it was bog standard stuff from homebase. I don't think they ever tried to eat it
 
Some mulches are poisonous to 'pets' such as hops and cocoa I think. I'm guessing that's dogs/cats but I'd avoid it for rabbits too. I would think bark chippings would be fine though - it might even say on the bag.
 
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