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Rolled oats
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Rolled oats are often found in muesli mixes. Like all the other cereals, they are deficient in calcium with an inverse calcium to phosphorus ratio. They are high in starch so rabbits that pick oats from the muesli mix are prone to dental disease and obesity.
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COMMERCIAL DIETS
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MUESLI MIXES
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Locust bean pieces
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Locust beans are the pods of the Mediterranean carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua). The pods are hard, fibrous, and taste sweet with a chocolate flavour. They are palatable for rabbits and pieces of crushed pods are sometimes used in muesli mixtures. The pods are not harmful, but their seeds might be as they can be the right size to cause a fatal intestinal obstruction.
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MUESLI MIXES
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Flaked peas
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Flaked peas are a firm favourite with rabbits despite their low calcium content. They also contain sugar and starch. In moderation, they are not harmful. If the rabbit picks them out of the mixture and eats a lot of flaked peas, it will be eating a very unbalanced, calcium and fibre deficient, fattening diet.
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MUESLI MIXES
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Flaked maize
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Flaked pieces of sweetcorn (maize) are VERY palatable for rabbits. They are starchy and sweet, so they are fattening. The calcium content is very low with a highly inverse calcium to phosphorus ratio. The fibre content is low. Flaked maize is junk food for rabbits. They really enjoy eating it, but it contributes to obesity and dental disease.
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MUESLI MIXES
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Extrusions
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Like nuggets, 'extrusions' are a cooked mixture of ingredients. The ingredients and analysis of these vary between brands of muesli mix. The pieces can be different sizes and shapes because the mixture is squeezed through a special die. Some companies add food colourings, so the pieces are brightly coloured, which may increase the visual appeal of the mix to owners but will make little difference to the rabbit.
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MUESLI MIXES
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Dried carrot
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Dried pieces of carrot can be found in some brands of muesli mix. It is hard to understand why it is preferable to give rabbits dried carrot when fresh carrot is cheap and widely available. Some people worry that the sugar content of carrots may cause digestive upsets. This does not happen although carrots are low in calcium and high in soluble fibre so they are fattening.
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Alfalfa stems
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Alfalfa (lucerne) is used in many diets for commercial rabbits that are growing or breeding during their short lives. It has a high fibre and calcium content. It is also high in oxalates. It is found in some muesli mixes to balance out the calcium deficient parts of the diet and increase the fibre content. Not all rabbits eat it. Rabbits with dental problems may have difficulty cutting the fibrous stems.
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COMMERCIAL DIETS
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Woodruff
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Woodruff (Galium odoratum) is a perennial wild plant with a sweet scent and small white flowers that grows in woodland and shady places. It can be grown in herb garden where it flourishes. Some rabbits like it
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FORAGING
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EDIBLE WILD PLANTS
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Woody nightshade
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Woody nightshade or Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara) is a climbing plant that can be found in woodland and hedges. The berries are poisonous. It is a different plant from Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna). The leaves of Woody nightshade are not easily identifiable but there is usually a flower somewhere on the plant that makes the identity certain. It is unlikely that rabbits will eat the leaves, but it is better if they do not have the opportunity to do so.
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FORAGING
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PLANTS TO AVOID
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Wild garlic
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Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) is a common woodland plant with abundant leaves that smell strongly of garlic. It grows from bulbs and, like all other bulbous plants, it is not suitable as a forage plant for rabbits.
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FORAGING
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PLANTS TO AVOID