Forage Favourites

Hey bunny slaves,

Hope everyone's had a decent day even though it's a Monday!

I've been looking on the Galen's Garden website for forage and my mind is boggled with the thousands of different things possible to buy and feed buns, along with being expensive and most only available in bulk I'm a bit put off by ordering... I've struggled to find any other good websites too. It all seems v. expensive!

I'm going to be at the forage day on the 31st and obviously looking forward to the options of having different things I can give Neo from outside locally, but that's a while off and I'm wanting to start doing some basic bits on my own.

I guess my main question is, what is your bun's favourite 'easy' forage, and can you show me pictures?

I'm also on the RU Facebook page (you've probably seen a post or two from me) so later this evening I will post a picture or two asking for help with identification if you can offer me a few minutes to let me know if it's safe or not!

One question I have at the moment would be about branches. I know that some trees are safe, but how do you know if the branch itself isn't bug infested, or a sick tree etc. Can all the branches be eaten with the leaves and flowers? Any suggestions of foragers who are a bit less seasoned with it and remember easy helpful tips would be great - or those who are seasoned and aren't mega-foragers :lol:

I've had a look at some of the threads but a few had conflicting information

my bunnies love that sticky weed, it's their favourite foraging food at the moment, besides the tall rough grass, the one you can make a whistle out of with your thumbs. maybe i am the only one who use to do that when we were kids.

I haven't bought forage, but been learning a lot from the people on here!

My rabbits are really enjoying gorseweed (sticky weed), cow parsley (I'm being super cautious and only giving them stuff I'm completely certain is cow parsley, based on a 'v' shaped stalk), wild garlic and willow leaves. Alongside the old favourites of bramble and dandelions, of course.

tlcwrites said:

I haven't bought forage, but been learning a lot from the people on here!

My rabbits are really enjoying gorseweed (sticky weed), cow parsley (I'm being super cautious and only giving them stuff I'm completely certain is cow parsley, based on a 'v' shaped stalk), wild garlic and willow leaves. Alongside the old favourites of bramble and dandelions, of course.

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hello tlcwrites, is it ok to give them wild garlic. i have a book foraging for rabbits by twigs way, in there it said hedge garlic is a no no. maybe wild garlic is different. hope some on here can let us know.

Fergie likes dandelion (only dried - fresh he won't eat!), he LOVES plantain and thinks hawthorn twigs are good for chewing

He isn't keen on bramble leaves though, but he is fussy. Going to try and find some sticky weed that my dog hasn't been near this week to try too

My bunnies love the prunings from fruit trees, apple, plum, pear, etc. They really love the lichen that grows over the bark too. I've also watched them carefully pick blackberries off bramble. It's funny watching them curl their lips over their teeth so they don't get prickled. I buy the packets of dandelion and marigold forage from Jollyes. It's very often on 'two for one' offer.

Rita said:

hello tlcwrites, is it ok to give them wild garlic. i have a book foraging for rabbits by twigs way, in there it said hedge garlic is a no no. maybe wild garlic is different. hope some on here can let us know.

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I've been calling it wild garlic, but this website refers to it as garlic mustard/jack-in-the-hedge. It's where I ID'd it from. My girls love it.

http://www.therabbithouse.com/blog/2014/06/04/rabbit-safe-weeds/

tlcwrites said:

I've been calling it wild garlic, but this website refers to it as garlic mustard/jack-in-the-hedge. It's where I ID'd it from. My girls love it.

http://www.therabbithouse.com/blog/2014/06/04/rabbit-safe-weeds/

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Ooh I'd never heard of that stuff!

Wild garlic is a definite no no though. This is the stuff I mean https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=384

Also I am fairly sure that plum is not edible either? I always believed that any fruit baring tree where the fruit has a stone like plums, cherries ect were not bunny safe!

I tend to stick with plantain, dandelions, hawthorn, brambles, willow, goose grass and apple twigs. I've also got a rose that I know has had no pesticides near it and want to get some lavender

Mine love jack in the hedge/ garlic mustard - I've got tons in my garden so I know it isn't sprayed or peed on. Can take pics if you need them? It's people safe too and has a very subtle slightly garlicky flavour so it's easy to tell if you have the right plant.

Does anyone know if rabbits can eat campion (red/pink) and wild parsnip (yellow flowers). They are not mentioned in my forage bible!

Campion was mentioned on the forage day and is fine but bunnies tend not to be mega excited about it

Don't know about wild parsnip

Lopsy loves hawthorn, fresh or dried, flowers or no