Outdoor pictures

[Blue eyes]

We had a rabbit we would let out in the backyard now & then when we lived back east years ago. He would come running back indoors when I would shake a box of cheerios cereal!

When we first moved to AZ, the kids were young and we had grass growing in our backyard. This was our setup for introducing our newish rabbit to a potential bondmate (not our son!, the potential bondmate isn't shown in photo.)


Now we're in a rural part of Arizona with a natural landscape...no grass. We have some nice wild plants growing and I'd love to plop Mocha right in the middle for a photo, but I can't find out if these native plants are safe for rabbits.

Anyone familiar with chinchweed (pectis papposa)? Here are closeup and distant photos of this weed in our front yard.

 

[Mariam+Theo]

Anyone familiar with chinchweed (pettis papposa)? Here are closeup and distant photos of this weed in our front yard.
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Cute! Rabbits know if the weeds are poisonous or not. When I got Theo I asked the breeder how to tell if a plant was safe or not and she said that she would just give her rabbits a bunch of grass and they would pick through it. Now when I give Theo grass from outside I don't pick through it to remove the poisonous ones, he will only eat the edible ones. I one time tried to feed him a piece of grass and he would not eat it. Soon found out it was poisonous. I would not be concerned about your rabbit eating it, because if it is poisonous the rabbit won't eat it. I mean, how would wild rabbits live if they didn't know what was safe and what wasn't?

 

[bunnylove2024]

thanks but I already did!

 

[Blue eyes]

Cute! Rabbits know if the weeds are poisonous or not. When I got Theo I asked the breeder how to tell if a plant was safe or not and she said that she would just give her rabbits a bunch of grass and they would pick through it. Now when I give Theo grass from outside I don't pick through it to remove the poisonous ones, he will only eat the edible ones. I one time tried to feed him a piece of grass and he would not eat it. Soon found out it was poisonous. I would not be concerned about your rabbit eating it, because if it is poisonous the rabbit won't eat it. I mean, how would wild rabbits live if they didn't know what was safe and what wasn't?

That is the opposite of what I have always heard. Wild rabbits teach their young which plants are poisonous. Domestic rabbits don't have that opportunity so they have no way to know which are poisonous. If they are bred in captivity they aren't exposed to various plants. That is why there are lists for us rabbit owners on what foods and plants are toxic -- the rabbit won't know.

edit: did some more research. This is from https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-diet/poisonous-plants-rabbits/

The idea that that rabbits won’t eat a plant that is bad for them simply doesn’t make sense. They learn eating habits in the wild from older warren members. In captivity they are offered a fairly limited variety of plants to eat and they will generally be cautious about trying new foods, but make no mistake, unless it tastes bad to them, if it’s green they are likely to eat it!

Happily some very toxic plants do taste awful, ragwort for example, though it loses some of its nasty taste when dried in hay. Unfortunately it loses none of its toxicity and so is much more dangerous if it has been included in hay, as it is more likely to be eaten.

It would be unusual for a rabbit to become obviously ill immediately after eating a toxic plant. Many have an effect that builds up in the organs over time. This is a huge problem because once symptoms do show, it’s too late to do anything about it.​

 

[Mariam+Theo]

That is the opposite of what I have always heard. Wild rabbits teach their young which plants are poisonous. Domestic rabbits don't have that opportunity so they have no way to know which are poisonous. If they are bred in captivity they aren't exposed to various plants. That is why there are lists for us rabbit owners on what foods and plants are toxic -- the rabbit won't know.

edit: did some more research. This is from https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-diet/poisonous-plants-rabbits/

The idea that that rabbits won’t eat a plant that is bad for them simply doesn’t make sense. They learn eating habits in the wild from older warren members. In captivity they are offered a fairly limited variety of plants to eat and they will generally be cautious about trying new foods, but make no mistake, unless it tastes bad to them, if it’s green they are likely to eat it!

Happily some very toxic plants do taste awful, ragwort for example, though it loses some of its nasty taste when dried in hay. Unfortunately it loses none of its toxicity and so is much more dangerous if it has been included in hay, as it is more likely to be eaten.

It would be unusual for a rabbit to become obviously ill immediately after eating a toxic plant. Many have an effect that builds up in the organs over time. This is a huge problem because once symptoms do show, it’s too late to do anything about it.​

I had no idea! I will have to be more careful with what I feed Theo. What safe plant list do you suggest for rabbits?

 

[Blue eyes]

Here are a couple lists. Some have what others don't.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Food/Toxic_plants_en.pdf

https://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/safe-foods-for-rabbits

https://rabbit.org/poisonous-plants/

 

[bunnylove2024]

@Blue eyes is right, theo might just be picky but double-check just to be sure. The third link is what i found helpful but that is just me... good luck!

I had no idea! I will have to be more careful with what I feed Theo. What safe plant list do you suggest for rabbits?

 

[Hermelin]

I find that indoor bunnies will eat what ever they get, while the outdoor bunnies are careful with the plants and flowers. But they can still eat toxic fruits/nuts from the trees and bushes.

So I would never trust a tame bunny to not touch the toxic plants

 

[Mariam+Theo]

I found some pictures of Theo! I have another one but it won't upload so I will try again later.

 

[Mariam+Theo]

Here are a couple lists. Some have what others don't.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Food/Toxic_plants_en.pdf

https://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/safe-foods-for-rabbits

https://rabbit.org/poisonous-plants/

Thanks! I looked through these and I only recognized a couple. I haven't seen Theo eat any of them so I think he is fine. I will be way more careful when I put him on his harness.

 

[zuppa]

Anyone familiar with chinchweed (pectis papposa)? Here are closeup and distant photos of this weed in our front yard.
View attachment 45682 View attachment 45683

Not familiar with chinchweed but if there's chicory I see blue flowers in your photo it's quite good plant and good for rabbits

 

[Blue eyes]

Not familiar with chinchweed but if there's chicory I see blue flowers in your photo it's quite good plant and good for rabbits

Good to know. Are there blue flowers?? I didn't notice any. Did I miss them?

 

[Peneloppythebun]

Hi everyone, I just though of posting a few outdoor picture and see how the bunnies enjoy outdoors. But I can understand not all bunnies can get to go outdoors because the environment aren’t safe for them.

You can also share your own bunnies outdoor adventures. I don’t walk that far from home and don’t often take picture. So my bunnies have been to a lot more places outside my yard. But I haven’t taken any pictures of it.

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Awh!!! Your bunnies are so cute! My bun kind of looks like your grey lop

 

[zuppa]

We had a rabbit we would let out in the backyard now & then when we lived back east years ago. He would come running back indoors when I would shake a box of cheerios cereal!

When we first moved to AZ, the kids were young and we had grass growing in our backyard. This was our setup for introducing our newish rabbit to a potential bondmate (not our son!, the potential bondmate isn't shown in photo.)
View attachment 45681

Now we're in a rural part of Arizona with a natural landscape...no grass. We have some nice wild plants growing and I'd love to plop Mocha right in the middle for a photo, but I can't find out if these native plants are safe for rabbits.

Anyone familiar with chinchweed (pectis papposa)? Here are closeup and distant photos of this weed in our front yard.
View attachment 45682 View attachment 45683

In second photo I thought there's chicory blue flowers between the yellow ones?
https://commonsensehome.com/chicory/

 

[Blue eyes]

In second photo I thought there's chicory blue flowers between the yellow ones?
https://commonsensehome.com/chicory/

The chicory from your link is very pretty...I've never seen it out here though. Wish we had it. There are creosotes and globe mallows mixed in.

 

[zuppa]

Maybe I was wrong then it looked like blue flowers to me. Chicory can grow in a very hot climate and poor soil too, it actually grows in Arizona as well. Small flowers, woody stems
https://www.americansouthwest.net/plants/wildflowers/cichorium-intybus.html

https://www.americansouthwest.net/plants/wildflowers/arizona.shtml

 

[nat1234]

idk if this counts bc he's not in the grass but he's on my deck

 

[Hermelin]

idk if this counts bc he's not in the grass but he's on my deck

So cute picture and it still counts being outdoors ^^

 

[bunnylove2024]

Here are my bunnys, sorry it slipped from my mind.
My other two, pop and Dutch I don't have pics of outside yet!
Fizz, Fritz, Prep, and Nova

 

[bunnylove2024]

Here are my bunnys, sorry it slipped from my mind.
My other two, pop and Dutch I don't have pics of outside yet!
Fizz, Fritz, Prep, and Nova

I just noticed the auto correct! Instead of prep it should be oreo!