Foraging & Gardening for Rabbits - Safe herbs, garden plants, and wildflowers for bunnies

Noncomprehensive list of plants that are safe for rabbits and rodents, and tips on how to start foraging

5 min read

list of plants for rabbit-safe foraging and gardening

Why offer plants instead of just concentrated nutritional pellets and hay with a side of romaine?

Diversity in diet is always the best. Not only does it aid in enrichment for rabbits and rodents, which in itself is the top reason why forage should be offered, but offering a varied diet means all nutritional needs are met, which is especially important if following a pellet-free or low-pellet, species-appropriate and balanced diet.

We as humans have taken wild beings and manipulated their DNA through selective breeding to suit our aesthetics and our desires, be it for medical research or lopped ears, and to convenience ourselves, we develop low quality foodstuffs that meet limited nutritional baselines and nothing else. But in the end you can’t take the rabbit out of the rabbit. We are doing a disservice to them by limiting what they eat, outside strict medical necessity. Offering seasonal forage provides mental and physical enrichment, which the average house rabbit and rodent typically do not receive enough of. It promotes good health by mixing and matching different qualities in plants for a fully packed nutritional profile, and the medicinal perks (such as helping with digestion or good liver function).

Don't know if a plant is safe for a bunloaf to eat? For two decades we at bunloaf.com have seen the phrase, “if in doubt, leave it out” in regards to giving plants and flowers to our companion animals. We take issue with it! Knowledge should be sought after. Especially in a time with such abundant and easy access to a wealth of knowledge, in hundreds of languages, if you don’t know if that plant growing in your backyard is edible, you should feel empowered to figure it out! “I don’t know” shouldn’t be the final answer.

This list, as well as our safe houseplant list, is just the start of that empowerment we hope to build up with rabbit and rodent caregivers everywhere.

This list shouldn’t be taken as “I should feed this and all of this at all times”. This list is a jumping off point for you, as a caregiver to rabbits and rodents, to use to build a quality life for them. A reference point to look at and help you collect knowledge to build a rich life for your companions.

Fruit is listed as safe for many of these items, but fruit is junk food to a rabbit and many rodents. So it is safe for a healthy rabbit to consume, yes, and can be offered sparingly as a treat, some more so than others. But it is just as OK to never offer fruit to them as well. Same goes for many plants which are high in oxalic acid. These plants are safe for healthy rabbits to eat, but should be given as less than 10% of their diet due to how high levels of oxalic acid in the body can negatively affect them. Cooking these items usually lowers oxalic acid, but for a rabbit and rodent you would want to give them food that is raw, fresh or dried, rendering that method useless.

Use your best judgment regarding the rabbits and rodents (and birds) you care for, their requirements, their health, what is available around you, what they already eat, and seasonal suitability.

Always consult an experienced exotics veterinarian with any questions about, and prior, to herb use. Rabbits on any medications may have adverse reactions to certain plants.

jump to the list of safe plants here!

click here

indoor gardener?

for our rabbit-safe houseplant list

Below is a noncomprehensive list of plants, from the most common garden herbs to the most unrecognized wildflower, that are safe for consumption by rabbits, many rodents like degus, chinchillas, guinea pigs, rats, and hamsters, as well as many birds.

When foraging, the most important thing is accurate identification. There are many plants that look similar to others, and while some mimicking plants may all be safe for consumption, others can cause minor to severe reactions, including death. For example, you wouldn’t want to give poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) after confusing it with the edible Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota) or cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris).

There are many incredibly helpful books, websites, and phone apps that can aid in identification both at home and in the field. Many communities may also offer classes for plant identification and foraging tips.

When harvesting plants, ensure they are

⦿ Grown away from streets and active vehicle use

⦿ Not treated with pesticides, herbicides

⦿ Not grown on unhealthy land, such as land or ponds that receives runoff from a gas station, car wash, concentrated animal feeding operation, helipad or airport, or grown on brownfield land which may be contaminated

⦿ Healthy plants, not rotting, yellowing/browning, wilting, or showing signs of illness, and not hosting an infestation of insects or other tiny animals

⦿ Leaves that have not started to change color due to seasonal changes

⦿ Not in a high-traffic area where the ground may be saturated with road salt, or where dogs or other creatures frequently relieve themselves

Ensure you have authorization to forage on the property in which you are harvesting from. In other words, we are not responsible if you get in trouble for trespassing.

If you are interested in foraging but don’t know where to begin, purchase a plant identification book about flora native to your area, and wander around outside with it, looking up every plant you see. After a while of exposing yourself to the plants that grow around you, you will begin to be able to identify plants with ease.

There are a few websites and apps that can help with instant identification. We have a list of them compiled here. Plant identification apps are not 100% accurate, you may still need to do a bit of research to fully, accurately identify a plant, however the app may give a kicking off point to narrow down a species. They work better on very common and well-known plant species and gardened plants versus most wildflowers and grasses.

Guide to terms for “Good for”:

Digestion - aids in the health of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and can prevent bloat and stasis, especially when molting

Immune response - aids in wound healing and overall immune system health

Respiratory - aids in respiratory health and lungs

Diuretic - aids in urinary tract and kidney health

Rich in vitamins - shown to have a wide variety or high levels of necessary vitamins

Sedative - aids in calming rabbits and lowering stress

Longevity - aids in a healthy, long lifespan

Antioxidants - contains high levels of antioxidants which are said to aid in general health of the body, and longevity

Anti-inflammatory - reduce inflammation and pain

Appetite enhancement - aids in increasing appetite

Cardiovascular - aids in heart health

Enrichment - used as material toys for mental health

Joint support - aids in health of joints and body tissues

Guide to terms for “Parts”:

Whole - entire plant, including root, stem, leaves, and flower

Herb - stems and leaves of plant

Leaf - leaves of plant

Bark - bark of plant

Root - root of plant

Flower - flower of plant

Fruit - fruit of plant (excluding seed)

Seed - seed of plant

Shoots - young growth (seedling) of plant containing stem and leaf. Includes seeds grown as “microgreens”

Wood - bark and stem of woody vines, trees, shrubs. Includes twigs with or without leaves attached.

LIST CONTENTS AND MEANINGS

THIS LIST IS A CONSTANT WORK IN PROGRESS AND WAS LAST UPDATED: FEBRUARY 2024

RABBIT-SAFE PLANTS

(note: spp. means "species", denoting all plants of that genus are safe for rabbits)

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