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Addition of hawthorne berries to other foods

Salli

New Kit
Hi, I am new to this site and have been looking through some of the posts to see if I can find different things to add to my rabbits diet. I also have seen the Ray Mears prog. on hawthorn berries and was wondering if they could be used to add to the very fine particles of hay that end up in the bottom of the bag that otherwise would be difficult for the bunny to eat. As the berries (when passed through a fine sieve to remove the pips) will set into a kind of jelly I was wondering if the fine hay could be added to it to stabilise it and make it easier to eat? Just a thought as some of the bags of hay have a good quantity of 'little bits' Thanks folks, Salli
 
I think Hawthorn berries aren't suitable for bunnies though they love the leaves, flowers & twigs & they are safe. The very fine hay is likely to be dusty I'd have thought? Maybe best binned.

Foraging for wild flowers & plants is a great way to add healthy & natural things to your bunnies diet

Welcome to RU . How many bunnies do you have?
 
Hi, I am new to this site and have been looking through some of the posts to see if I can find different things to add to my rabbits diet. I also have seen the Ray Mears prog. on hawthorn berries and was wondering if they could be used to add to the very fine particles of hay that end up in the bottom of the bag that otherwise would be difficult for the bunny to eat. As the berries (when passed through a fine sieve to remove the pips) will set into a kind of jelly I was wondering if the fine hay could be added to it to stabilise it and make it easier to eat? Just a thought as some of the bags of hay have a good quantity of 'little bits' Thanks folks, Salli


Welcome to the Forum Salli :wave:

Rabbits can eat all parts of the hawthorn tree but *not* the berries!

Twigs Way (she is known as parsnipbun on the Forum here :)) wrote an excellent book - 'Foraging for rabbits' and it's available to buy in the RWAF bookshop:

https://shop.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/product/foraging-for-rabbits-by-twigs-way/

This is what she says about hawthorn and rabbits:

"All parts except the berries are edible at all times of year"
 
Thank you for the heads up. I have 3 rabbits at the moment,1 boy and 2 girls. They are in the same cage but separated by a wall so able to see each other but not mate. I love the idea of foraging for their food, it seems more natural.
 
Thank you, I kinda thought that might be the answer. I will have to move the cage then as it is directly under a Hawthorne tree!
 
Thank you for the heads up. I have 3 rabbits at the moment,1 boy and 2 girls. They are in the same cage but separated by a wall so able to see each other but not mate. I love the idea of foraging for their food, it seems more natural.


Would you consider neutering them and letting them live together? :love:
 
Thank you an interesting link. I will go to extraordinary lengths to give my rabbits a good variety of foods. Bit weird though that rabbits are unable to distinguish between what they can and can't eat. Makes you wonder how the hell they have survived in the wild? Salli
 
Seems a bit harsh, I was thinking to bread from them at some point.


Why was it harsh?

It was simply a question. You are on the Forum and it's nice to get to know our members :D

I did put a :love: sign at the end to indicate my good feelings towards you :)
 
My apologies, I meant for the poor bunny. I guess even if I bread from them at some point the poor sole will have to get the cut or I will be knee deep in bunnies!
 
I'm not sure why you feel the bunny would be 'poor' for being neutered? Much better for rabbits of both sexes to be castrated/spayed rather than having raging hormones which they can do nothing about and just lead to frustration. There are cancer dangers with un-neutered rabbits. The other big benefit, of course, is that they can then be bonded - and the majority of rabbits are happier when living with a companion.
 
As you say you would be knee deep in rabbits if they were allowed to breed at will.

It is generally considered to be better for their health to be castrated/spayed. I have a quad of rabbits who live in a shed/run set up and who have a couple of hours free range time every afternoon (small garden would be demolished if they had any longer).

I agree that foraging is a good natural way to feed your rabbits.

I personally feel that due to the high numbers of rabbits in rescue and being given away on gumtree, etc that it is better not to breed more. They are designed to breed and breed and their hormones make them very excitable. Even spayed/castrated rabbits exhibit signs of spring fever, when they can get humpy and shirty with each other due to the extending daylight.

I hope you find a way of providing a nice life style for your rabbits with plenty of forage and rabbit company.
 
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