Introduction

• While feeding plants to rabbits can add variety, interest and essential nutrients Nutrition: dietary requirements to the diet, some plants may be harmful and cause illness, distress, discomfort and, potentially, death.
• Rabbits are incapable of vomiting and, in most cases, may suffer from stomach upset (gastrointestinal irritation).
• Salivation, skin allergies and cardiovascular (heart and breathing) problems may also be observed.
• Rhubarb leaves, while poisonous for many other animals, are not harmful to rabbits.
• Indeed, the rabbit has a fairly high tolerance of poisons, and the ingestion of a small amount of harmful plants, should not cause undue alarm. However, if any new plants are rapidly introduced to the diet, diarrhea Sticky bottom syndrome and bloating may occur.

Print off the Owner factsheet on Plants - safe or dangerous to give to your clients.

Plants toxic to rabbits

Harmful garden plants

Treatment

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.

Other sources of information

• Russel & Gerty's Guide to Dangerous Plants, Supreme Petfoods, Supreme House, The Briars, Waterberry Drive, Waterlooville, Hants PO7 7YH, UK. Website: www.russelrabbit.com.
• J C Sandford (1996) The Domestic Rabbit. 5th edn. Blackwell Science. pp 174-175.