edible weeds

[Stufi]

out of curiosity, (as we have loads of them in the garden) can rabbits eat the Common Hawkweed?

i know they can eat dandylions but they are in short supply and womble seems very interested in this variety

 

[jewaller]

yard weeds

out of curiosity, (as we have loads of them in the garden) can rabbits eat the Common Hawkweed?

i know they can eat dandylions but they are in short supply and womble seems very interested in this variety

i was a thinking about myxi,,ask your exotic specialist/just incase i am wrong--but it would seem,,if you washed off the product in a bucket of clean water,to remove dirt,debris,insects-especially those which suck blood-to transmit the myxi,--that given--use your search engine.ie.google- safe lists -from several websites--adopt a rabbit-,house of rabbits--meirabbit.com-,though this weed appears to look like some that i feed,,check these websites and print out there information for-future- references,,--i have found medirabbi.com- most useful for description,pictures,identifications-:wave:--sincerely james waller /grand duke of wales-rrr,rr

 

[lilbun]

Hawkweed is fine, I believe- It appears on safe plant lists. I haven't fed it myself though so I stand to be corrected.

 

[parsnipbun]

we feed it - and I never ever wash of the dirt and insects from our weed collecting!!! i would be there all day - I collect about a wheelbarrow load of weeds twice a day for my 18 buns!

 

[willowflower27]

i feed it and again i don't wash it etc if the bunny is vaccinated the myxi factor isn't an issue and i just lapizole my bunnies every 6months or so to prevent worms.

 

[jewaller]

lots of bunnies

i feed it and again i don't wash it etc if the bunny is vaccinated the myxi factor isn't an issue and i just lapizole my bunnies every 6months or so to prevent worms.

sorry,i did not mean to be intrusive.//.in my-rehabb- facility i have 18 georgeous buns,,who thoughly enjoy weeds,-so on my website i posted pictures,descriptions-of edible,toxic plants,//.i find knowledge of plants a valuable asset for wider variety-and them toxic to-be removed during the cleaning process.//.i too not always washed the plants,,but after i see all the bugs,slugs,spiders-dirt-that fall off in the bucket,,i was glad i changed.//.today i am sad because the city decided to mow 10 acres of weeds--now i am back to scrounging like the peasant-i am..rrr...sincerely james waller.//.-grand-duke of wales:wave:

 

[katie2000]

My buns always prefer grass and weeds unwashed, I have no idea how but they always know when I have washed it (even if it has been dried) and they refuse to eat as much!

 

[lilbun]

sorry,i did not mean to be intrusive.//.in my-rehabb- facility i have 18 georgeous buns,,who thoughly enjoy weeds,-so on my website i posted pictures,descriptions-of edible,toxic plants,//.i find knowledge of plants a valuable asset for wider variety-and them toxic to-be removed during the cleaning process.//.i too not always washed the plants,,but after i see all the bugs,slugs,spiders-dirt-that fall off in the bucket,,i was glad i changed.//.today i am sad because the city decided to mow 10 acres of weeds--now i am back to scrounging like the peasant-i am..rrr...sincerely james waller.//.-grand-duke of wale.s:wave:

I fed mostly a diet of wild plants now and I generally soak them in a bucket of clean water. Not only to remove contaminants but also to increase the moisture content because my bunnies don't seem to drink at all.

I have sympathy for your plight. It's such a pain when the council mows down your prime bunny foraging area xx

 

[Stufi]

thank god, i didnt think i could restrain womble any more

but after doing some digging on comon weeds on the interweb, i found that i had a couple of this plant:

Apparently its very poisonous and is a problem with keeping livestock (as it attacks the liver etc.) so immediately i pulled all i could find.

Anyone else know of any poisonous weeds we should be aware of? (and add pics so we all can identify for ourselves) :wave:

 

[thumps_]

thank god, i didnt think i could restrain womble any more

but after doing some digging on comon weeds on the interweb, i found that i had a couple of this plant:

Apparently its very poisonous and is a problem with keeping livestock (as it attacks the liver etc.) so immediately i pulled all i could find.

Anyone else know of any poisonous weeds we should be aware of? (and add pics so we all can identify for ourselves) :wave:

Yes, that is ragwort, & highly poisonous.

There are several deadly poisonous wild plants & many are inadvisable- (could make your bunny ill).

Some like giant hogweed are dangerous to us just brushing our skin against them. They cause intense blistering..

Poison Hemlock, Marsh hemlock, Deadly nightshade. Woody nightshade (less so) berries of yew trees, poison ivy, Ragwort, would be at the top of a long list, which includes buttercups of all species for bunnies.
Sometimes only parts of a plant are poisonous, eg. seeds/ flowers /roots. Sometimes a plant can only be given at certain times eg. common dock becomes "inadvisable" after flowering but is OK before flowering.

Several of us grew up with wild plants & can identify them fairly accurately or know the areas where misidentification can occur.(Umbelliferae are difficult with poison hemlock & many inadvisable plants all superficially resembling cow parsley which is OK)

I'd say stick with the simple ones that are easy to identify.
Also it helps to research them a bit. Dandelion is a diuretic mainly in the stems, & the flower a mild pain killer.
I'd get a user friendly wild flower book eg."Field guide in colour to wild flowers"/ Dietmar Aichele/ Octopus press. Get used to identifying what's out there, & use the internet or a large referance book to confirm. You could post on here too & we'll do our best.

 

[leong]

Agree 110% with Thumps, there are so many wild plants out there that look the same, you need to be 100% sure that you have picked the right species as domestic buns don't have the natural affinity to choose the right ones. Prime example, Oxeye Daisies Vs Chamomile, one is very safe & beneficial to feed, the other isn't, question is, can you tell which one? They look almost identical by the way. If in doubt, don't feed it. If you're worried then post a "detailed" pic of the plant in question on here (make sure to include lower leaf stems, heads and if possible the soil type).

 

[raine]

I need to find photographs of edible weeds. Im not utilizing any weeds as I don't know the names of weeds in my garden.

 

[prettylupin]

thank god, i didnt think i could restrain womble any more

but after doing some digging on comon weeds on the interweb, i found that i had a couple of this plant:

Apparently its very poisonous and is a problem with keeping livestock (as it attacks the liver etc.) so immediately i pulled all i could find.

Anyone else know of any poisonous weeds we should be aware of? (and add pics so we all can identify for ourselves) :wave:

Make sure you bin it or burn it and DON'T compost it. You must wear gloves if you are handling ragwort. It's nasty stuff.
Agree with thumps re. wild plants/weeds. You really should know what you are picking and as has been said, if in doubt, don't pick it.

 

[Stufi]

Great thanks guys :wave:
I just wanted to make sure womble wasnt eating she wasnt supposed to as all of these were in the back garden, and wanted to remove any that will make her ill - as she seems to be grazing anything and everything atm :shock:

ive taken some pics of few plants that have similar looks to the dandelion (eg. Yellow petals), any ideas what these are? :

This one below has similar leaves that come off it like the spiderwart plant, yet has flowers similar to the hawkweed:

Any idea what this is? whether i should pull it up? it has feather like leaves.

 

[prettylupin]

Top one - sow thistle - bunny yummy!

Second yellow one - 'think' it's nipplewort - which is bunnysafe - but you must check this with someone else first - I can only tell nipplewort by seeing it myself.

Third one with feathery leaves - recognise it but can't name it off hand sorry.

 

[thumps_]

I agree with pretty lupin.
Top sow thistle - big yummy.
Middle unsure -
Bottom feathery stuff is yarrow. It has diuretic properties. Said to be bunny OK but mine doesn't eat it. It'll spread in your garden by root invasion.

 

[prettylupin]

I agree with pretty lupin.
Top sow thistle - big yummy.
Middle unsure -
Bottom feathery stuff is yarrow. It has diuretic properties. Said to be bunny OK but mine doesn't eat it. It'll spread in your garden by root invasion.

Gaaah.... I knew I knew it! Never fed it but book says ok. Thumps the wild plant expert! :wave:

 

[Stufi]

Thanks!!
I feel alot better now i dont know if they would but do rabbits eat nettles?
Ive seen a few books on identifying weeds - ive ordered one but its been really useful to find out which ones are safe for rabbits to eat... apart from what fruit and veg are safe as weeds are free if i find any more il post them but apart from the grass variety i think thats all thats growing in my garden...


ooh! there is a creeper like plant with a white bell like flower... often found climbing mesh fences and binding around other weeds...i think its called bindweed, this is bad isn't it?

and how about chickweed? usually found hanging out with my rosmary

so far i also think (please correct me if im wrong!)
clover: flower and leaves: good
buttercups: bad?

Is there a book or a site that shows all the different type of common weeds that are safe for bunnies? Im finding this very interesting (esp the sow thistle: it looks foul im surprised its such a well loved food :lol: i know a bit about pretty plants but weeds are definitely something i need to brush up on!!)

and one last thing
i have barley growing in a grow bag (bird seed bag went every where!) and a few strands of wheat, is that ok to eat?

 

[prettylupin]

Thanks!!
I feel alot better now i dont know if they would but do rabbits eat nettles?
Ive seen a few books on identifying weeds - ive ordered one but its been really useful to find out which ones are safe for rabbits to eat... apart from what fruit and veg are safe as weeds are free if i find any more il post them but apart from the grass variety i think thats all thats growing in my garden...


ooh! there is a creeper like plant with a white bell like flower... often found climbing mesh fences and binding around other weeds...i think its called bindweed, this is bad isn't it?

and how about chickweed? usually found hanging out with my rosmary

so far i also think (please correct me if im wrong!)
clover: flower and leaves: good
buttercups: bad?

Is there a book or a site that shows all the different type of common weeds that are safe for bunnies? Im finding this very interesting (esp the sow thistle: it looks foul im surprised its such a well loved food :lol: i know a bit about pretty plants but weeds are definitely something i need to brush up on!!)

and one last thing
i have barley growing in a grow bag (bird seed bag went every where!) and a few strands of wheat, is that ok to eat?

Creeping white bell flower plant - yes that is bindweed! Or convulvulus. I don't think it is all that poisonous but it is a nightmare for gardeners and again it should be binned or burnt and not composted.

Clover is fine.

Buttercups are the Ranunculus family - ALL poisonous for rabbits. A few dried flowers in hay should not cause issue but I would try and dig up all buttercups from your garden - they spread like wildfire.

Yep my two have tucked into some proper ears of wheat/barley from sprouted bird seed when i've pulled them up - seemed to like them! Quite safe yes.

Chickweed... not sure if it is chickweed and if it is safe actually.
Book I have and use a lot is Greenfoods for rabbits and cavvies by FR Bell I think? Got it from RWAF shop but it's on amazon too. Also use Virginia Richardson's Rabbit Nutrition book - but this is quite basic for wild plants - there is a lot more in the Greenfoods one but the pics aren't so good in this one.

I also have a lovely illustrated wild flowers of Britain book given to me by a dear friend and it's fabulous! Get yourself a wild flower book with good photographic or illustrations and then get the Greenfoods one to compare. :wave:

 

[Stufi]

i will def get myself a copy
the second img in my post 14, i compared it to pics of the nipplewort, and the leaves are different (annoying thing is the flowers and stalks look the same :roll - what i can see in google images (nipple wort appears to have rounder leaves - is this right? ) and the specimen in my pic has slender narrow smooth leaves at the tip pointy bits at the base, that almost looked like a tapered sleve - i think (clicking through loads of obscure plant names :lol it looks more like Smooth Hawksbeard (Crepis capillaris). Is this one in your book of safe things to eat?