Pyracantha poisonous or not?

Hi,
I have been giving pyracantha to my rabbits for quite some time i.e. years. I ALWAYS check on the net that any new food introduced is safe.
However, after someone noted that this shrub is fatal for humans I did a recheck and could not find the site where I originally found the info. I could only find sites stating it is poisonous for rabbits.
Which is true? IF it is deadly why haven't my bunnies keeled over in the past? I have of course stopped feeding them the handy supply from my garden. But I am curious.

rosaleen said:

Hi,
I have been giving pyracantha to my rabbits for quite some time i.e. years. I ALWAYS check on the net that any new food introduced is safe.
However, after someone noted that this shrub is fatal for humans I did a recheck and could not find the site where I originally found the info. I could only find sites stating it is poisonous for rabbits.
Which is true? IF it is deadly why haven't my bunnies keeled over in the past? I have of course stopped feeding them the handy supply from my garden. But I am curious.

Click to expand...

Rosaleen, I have seen a few sites where it's stated as toxic to rabbits:

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/toxic/biotoxin/Plant_Toxicity_Lagomorphs.htm

https://riseandshinerabbitry.com/2012/02/12/poisonout-plants-to-rabbits‏/

Rabbits may only eat a little and it does them no harm - i.e. nibbling in the garden type thing.

Have you been feeding lots, or only a little mixed in with other food?
Sometimes toxic plants don't actually kill, but they can damage kidney and liver.


Frances Harcourt Brown, retired rabbit vet, wrote an interesting article about plant toxicity:

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/free-food-for-rabbits/lant-toxicity-the-problem-with-lists

I guess it's because the pyracantha is an evergreen. (Have I got the right plant?)

Evergreens have a chemical in the leaves which is what makes them stay green year round.
This chemical makes them very indigestible and may cause impact action among other problems. Often the effects are delayed and constant exposes over the years could cause issues with internal organs.

This may by why you haven't been seeing the effects immediately.

ETA: I've also just found this information regarding the berries...

Pyracantha berries are mildly poisonous as their seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides (as do apples, plums, cherries, and almonds) and can cause mild gastro-intestinal problems when eaten raw in large quantities

Plums, apple seeds, cherries etc are all avoids due to the cyanogenic glycosides which can cause digestive upsets & more.

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Hi
Thanks for your replies and links. The two with poisonous plants I had seen recently which was why I stopped the pyracantha. Interesting article plus the info on berries. Though I have never given them berries. It may help to explain a lot!
My two current rabbits have had repeated episodes of GS. Maybe the pyracantha has been a contributory factor. Previously very little problem from GS with my other rabbits before.
I never gave them(or any other individual food) a large amount at a time. So just as well!
Thanks again