Search results

134 items matching your search terms.
Filter the results.
Item type






New items since



Sort by relevance · date (newest first) · alphabetically
Image JPEG image Traveller's Joy
Traveller's joy or Old Man's Beard (Clematis vitalba) is a climbing plant that is a member of the buttercup family. It is found entwined around plants in hedgerows. It is listed as poisonous to humans but like many toxic plants, it is also used in herbal medicine. It's effects on rabbits are unknown. It is better left unpicked
Located in Media / / FORAGING / PLANTS TO AVOID
Image JPEG image Sycamore
Sycamores ( Acer pseudoplatanus) are common trees in UK. The leaves are not palatable to rabbits although they may like to eat the dried leaves as they fall in the autumn. The seeds and seedlings are toxic to horses if they eat too many.
Located in Media / / FORAGING / PLANTS TO AVOID
Image JPEG image Snowdrops
Snowdrops (Galanthus spp.) are often among the plants that are listed as toxic for rabbits. This is because the bulbs contain toxins, and the leaves might do as well. If rabbits are in a garden with snowdrops, they will not the leaves until they start to wither and die. They are not harmful at this stage. Although it unlikely that rabbits will eat snowdrop leaves, if they have other forage, it is sensible not to pick the leaves or flowers for rabbits.
Located in Media / / FORAGING / PLANTS TO AVOID
Image JPEG image Primrose
Primrose plants (Primula vulgaris) may be seen in hedge bottoms during the spring. The plant is reputed to have mild toxic effects (vomiting) in humans. It is not known to be toxic to rabbits, but it is better to leave the plant alone for others to enjoy.
Located in Media / / FORAGING / PLANTS TO AVOID
Image JPEG image Oak
Oak trees contain tannins although the content varies with the season and part of the tree. There are high concentrations in acorns and there are documented cases of acorn poisoning in other species. In moderation, tannins are not poisonous. They are present in tea. Rabbits will not be harmed if they eat some oak leaves, although they are not a good choice to pick when foraging. It is sensible to avoid feeding acorns although wild rabbits seem to enjoy them without coming to any harm.
Located in Media / / FORAGING / PLANTS TO AVOID
Image ECMAScript program Foxglove leaves
Foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea) are common hedgerow plants that are easy to recognise when they are in flower. It is a biennial plant and in the first year, it forms a clump or rosette of leaves (see photo). In the second year, this rosette produces the flower spike – which may be up to 2 metres in height. All parts of the plant, including the roots and seeds, may contain a toxin, which is a cardiac glycoside, digitalis. It is inadvisable to pick foxgloves leaves for rabbits although it is unlikely that the rabbits will eat them.
Located in Media / / FORAGING / PLANTS TO AVOID
Image JPEG image Field Bindweed
Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) can be differentiated from Hedge Bindweed (Calystegia sepium) by the smaller, often pink, flowers on plants that creep along the ground on verges, waste ground and hedge bottoms. The plant is known to contain alkaloids that affect other species, such as horses and mice, if they eat large quantities. The effects on rabbits are unknown but it is a plant that is best left alone.
Located in Media / / FORAGING / PLANTS TO AVOID
Image JPEG image Daffodils (and other plants from bulbs)
The leaves, stems and bulbs of daffodils (Narcissus spp.) contain a toxic alkaloid, lycorine. The concentrations of the alkaloid are highest in the outer layers of the bulbs. There are no reports of toxicity in rabbits but the bulbs are known to be poisonous in other species, especially humans who may mistake them for onions. Many plants from bulbs are potentially toxic so it is inadvisable to pick the leaves or flowers when foraging for rabbits. However, they are unlikely to eat them.
Located in Media / / FORAGING / PLANTS TO AVOID
Image JPEG image Wild Cherry
Wild cherry (Prunus avium) is a common tree in UK. The leaves contain cyanogenic glycoside. The leaves, twigs and branches should not be offered to rabbits.
Located in Media / / FORAGING / PLANTS TO AVOID
Image JPEG image Celandine
Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) is a common spring plant that grows from root tubers. It is a member of the buttercup family, so, theoretically, it might be poisonous. It is better left alone when foraging for rabbits, although it will not matter if a few leaves make their way into picked forage because the leaves are not palatable, and they will be left uneaten.
Located in Media / / FORAGING / PLANTS TO AVOID