Which plants are poisonous for rabbits?
Rabbits are inquisitive. They like to chew things and sample different plants and vegetation. In the wild they would learn which plants were safe to eat from their elders. However in captivity they do not have this advantage, so will often eat things that they shouldn’t. Some toxic plants, like ragwort, taste sour and hopefully dissuades rabbits from eating them. Other plants do not have an off-putting taste, so curious or bored rabbits may eat them if they find them. Our list of safe plants for rabbits can be found at the bottom of this article.
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House plants to avoid:
There are very few house plants that rabbits can eat safely. Therefore it is best to work on the theory that all plants in the house should be lifted up out of your rabbit’s reach, or sectioned off, so that your rabbits do not have access to them.
Garden plants to avoid:
- Snowdrops
- Hyacinths (including grape hyacinths)
- Bluebells
- Crocuses
- Daffodils
- Tulips
- Bulbs: any bulb-grown plant must be kept out of areas where rabbits graze
- Azalea
- Anemone
- Buttercups
- Clematis
- Cyclamen
- Foxgloves
- Primrose
- Delphiniums/Larkspur
- Columbine (aquilegia)
- Hellebore
- Comfrey
- Poppies
- Periwinkle
- Monkshood
- Woody and Deadly Nightshade
- Rhododendron
- Elder
- Laburnum
- Lilies
- Lily of the valley
- Lupin
- Lobelia
- Rhubarb
- Ivy
- Privet
- Holly
- Yew
- Grass clippings from the lawnmower should never be fed to rabbits. This is because the grass starts to ferment and causes serious health concerns for rabbits.
If you like to go foraging to collect different treats for your rabbit, be sure to avoid the following plants:
- Arum
- Bryony
- Hemlock
- Ragwort
- St John’s Wort
- Mistletoe
Other plants that should not be fed to rabbits include:
- Aconite
- Celandine
- Corncockle
- Cowslip
- Dock
- Fool’s Parsley
- Henbane
- Hedge Garlic and Wild Garlic
- Spurge
- Traveller’s Joy
- Tree Lupin
- Wood Sorrel
Recommended reading for further information:
- Here is our list of safe plants for rabbits
- Gardening For Rabbits - a book by Dr Twigs Way
- Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F)
- Supreme Pet Foods Guide to Poisonous Plants - this guide has drawings of different plants to help you recognise them
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