Is lawn fertilizer safe for rabbits? Urgent advice needed please

[pyates]

Looking for some urgent advice please. My male George has been ill off and on for a bit now, see my earlier thread here:
https://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/...dly-rabbit-diet-needing-advice-please.490603/.
He came out of the vets and was absolutely fine for a week or two, eating and pooing well. I've been making gradual and contolled changes to his diet so he's getting much less calcium in his diet, but he's now going off his hay and grass again.

I'm now beginning to wonder if my recent use of a lawn fertilizer has something to do with his problems (I have never used one previously). I started using this product on recommendation from another thread in here saying her rabbits were fine with it:
https://www.richardjacksonsgarden.co.uk/shop/lawn-care/lawn-magic/?attribute_size=5 litre&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17418988699&gbraid=0AAAAADiXkIuJ228vwgb2DiezAzfftBOwG&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlYHBBhD9ARIsALRu09rs8HZ793QXVNmPOVAkR-s9_lu3RfBRqSmEJNuzzeTSbykLgHvzjBkaAn9OEALw_wcB

I have another rabbit, Connie, who has generally been fine throughout, but she is one of those rabbits with a stomach seemingly of iron and can eat pretty much anything with no reaction. George has always had a bit of a dickie tummy and sensitive to a lot of things. Here's the timeline:
1st application of fertilizer: 29th March
George hospitalised after gradually eating less and less over a period of a week or two: 16th April
Back home and eating again after gabapentin and emeprid: 19th April
2nd application of fertilizer: 26th April
I noticed he wasn't on full speed again about 2-3 days ago, but it could have been gradual as of course they are very good at hiding issues.

Any fertilizer issue may have been made worse by the fact that the weather has been extremely dry for the past few months so the fertilzier may not have been washed in fully. However the lawn does look fantastic, the deepest of greens. I've now read that whilst these products are generally 'pet safe', they are not suitable for grazing animals. What is the concensus, does anyone use commercially available fertilizers on their lawn? Is it a bad idea and have I made a terrible mistake? I realise this may all just be a coincidence, but I'm desperately trying to solve his issues.
(I'm going to keep them off the grass for the foreseeable whilst I water it to hell and until the affected grass grows out.)

 

[Shimmer]

I wouldn't use commercial lawn fertiliser with grazing rabbits - 'pet' usually means dog in so many instances. A lot of them have other things in, such as selective weed / moss killer, although this says it doesn't - but it doesn't list the ingredients, either. If you do really need to use it, do a sectioned off area and keep rabbits off for several cuts, which should be removed rather than left on the ground as you don't want the rabbits to eat it later. It should be fine for composting. Dry weather definitely won't help as the feed will just be sitting on the soil and the grass isn't growing as fast as it might be - so it's not particuarly good for the grass, either, at that point. It's just safer not to put anything on the grass with any pets that have access to it.

I would keep them off the grass that has been treated for now, until you are sure there is no residue on the ground and the fresh grass growth has been cut and removed for several cuts.

Moulting can affect some rabbits if they ingest a lot of fur - either their own or their companion's. All my furries are still moulting more than usual for the time of year. Extra grooming to remove the loose stuff helps a lot.

 

[Cinnabun14]

My father used weed killer and fertilizer on our grass (even though I protested...). We kept the rabbits off the lawn for three days, then there was a beautiful rain that washed everything away for the rest of the week. The rabbits were only allowed out briefly (about 30 min) each day until the rain stopped. Our girls are okay, but I think the rain helped a lot. Also, our rabbits seem to have iron stomachs as well, so that's probably another reason they ended up okay.

I hope George gets better soon!

 

[Omi]

I agree with Shimmer. I would not use lawn fertiliser with grazing rabbits. I would find it particularly concerning that it seems impossible to establish exactly what the ingredients are in the product you've been using. With the dry weather that we've been having it is similar to sprinkling the feed over the rabbits' food.

However, I don't think it's possible to determine that George's issues are connected to the lawn feed. They might be, but they might not.

What has the vet suggested as a plan for treating the kidney stones? Also in your previous thread you said that the vet noted that his teeth were sharp, which suggests he might need a dental. I think I would want to have another discussion with the vet as George is clearly not completely happy.

 

[Shimmer]

My father used weed killer and fertilizer on our grass (even though I protested...). We kept the rabbits off the lawn for three days, then there was a beautiful rain that washed everything away for the rest of the week. The rabbits were only allowed out briefly (about 30 min) each day until the rain stopped. Our girls are okay, but I think the rain helped a lot. Also, our rabbits seem to have iron stomachs as well, so that's probably another reason they ended up okay.

I hope George gets better soon!

It's not just the immediate risk of ingesting chemicals. The grass takes up the fertiliser, weedkiller, etc, and then that is eaten by the rabbits - hence the advice to wait for several grass cuts (and to remove the cut grass) to minimise the risk of it being ingested.

 

[pyates]

I agree with Shimmer. I would not use lawn fertiliser with grazing rabbits. I would find it particularly concerning that it seems impossible to establish exactly what the ingredients are in the product you've been using. With the dry weather that we've been having it is similar to sprinkling the feed over the rabbits' food.

However, I don't think it's possible to determine that George's issues are connected to the lawn feed. They might be, but they might not.

What has the vet suggested as a plan for treating the kidney stones? Also in your previous thread you said that the vet noted that his teeth were sharp, which suggests he might need a dental. I think I would want to have another discussion with the vet as George is clearly not completely happy.

Whilst he was hospitalised, the vet did do a full dental on him. He picked up swiftly thereafter, so it appeared that his teeth were the cause of his initial downward spiral. The vet said to wait and see how he goes re the kidney stones, as the only feasible option seems to be removal of one kidney, which I would really like to avoid if possible. So whether it is the grass fertilizer or kidney stones causing this episode, I am unsure. I've started him on Gabapentin and Emeprid again, but I think I will need to speak to the vet anyway.

 

[redmal]

I hope George's problem was tooth related, rather than calcium and he is back to normal very soon.
I have a big garden, so Prince gets all sorts of weeds every day. Today he had plantain, dandelion, fresh grass, avens, various mints, lemon balm (also a mint I think), coltsfoot, all from the wilder parts of the garden. I just found a patch of garlic mustard which I plan to try him on this afternoon, I usually give a fair handful of stuff I know he eats and likes plus a few small bits of the new thing. If he is enthusiastic about the new thing (he seems to like variety) I try a bit more next time. If not I try again once and if he still turns his nose up I don't give it again. Is this OK? He seems super-energetic, eats hay with gusto and his poos are textbook perfect.

One other question - if the lawn has rabbits eating it why does it need fertilising? (I admit we aren't lawn lovers !)

 

[Cinnabun14]

It's not just the immediate risk of ingesting chemicals. The grass takes up the fertiliser, weedkiller, etc, and then that is eaten by the rabbits - hence the advice to wait for several grass cuts (and to remove the cut grass) to minimise the risk of it being ingested.

Yep, I agree with this. We asked my dad not to, but at the last minute, he changed his mind. I wouldn't recommend this practice as safe either; it's just something that happened, and we were lucky to get through unscathed.

 

[pyates]

One other question - if the lawn has rabbits eating it why does it need fertilising? (I admit we aren't lawn lovers !)

It was a new lawn laid just last year. Winters up here are quite harsh and the grass looked terrible in March after snow had melted. So I decided to get some fertilizer. Really wish I hadn't now!

 

[Omi]

I hope George's problem was tooth related, rather than calcium and he is back to normal very soon.
I have a big garden, so Prince gets all sorts of weeds every day. Today he had plantain, dandelion, fresh grass, avens, various mints, lemon balm (also a mint I think), coltsfoot, all from the wilder parts of the garden. I just found a patch of garlic mustard which I plan to try him on this afternoon, I usually give a fair handful of stuff I know he eats and likes plus a few small bits of the new thing. If he is enthusiastic about the new thing (he seems to like variety) I try a bit more next time. If not I try again once and if he still turns his nose up I don't give it again. Is this OK? He seems super-energetic, eats hay with gusto and his poos are textbook perfect.

One other question - if the lawn has rabbits eating it why does it need fertilising? (I admit we aren't lawn lovers !)

Your method of feeding new wild plants to Prince sounds fine to me. It's what we do here anyway. The variety of plants that rabbits can eat safely is large and we always give a mixture from our garden. I feed all the plants you mentioned, apart from coltsfoot, which I've never seen here. Good luck with the garlic mustard. None of my rabbits have ever liked it.

 

[redmal]

Well, I tried garlic mustard. Prince ate a bit, thought he might not like it, and also there was cleavers on offer! I gave him a bit of time and he went back and cleared the rest (2 leaves). I think it goes in the "OK when nothing else available" pile.

 

[redmal]

I decided to get some fertilizer. Really wish I hadn't now!

Sorry, I was just wondering why the lawn needed fertilizer when the rabbits were fertilizing it with their own product for free!; - ))