Edible plants for rabbits

Rabbit-lovers will know that there is nothing bunnies love more than to have a good old munch on fresh plants. Not only is chewing a great boredom buster for rabbits, but fibrous plants can also help to support their dental and digestive health.

That being said, not all plants are safe for bunnies, so it’s really important that rabbit owners ensure all the vegetation their bunny has access to are safe for rabbits. To make things a little easier, we’ve created a list of some of the most common plants that are safe for your rabbit to nibble on.

Safe plants for rabbits:

Dandelions

This plant is pretty easy to identify, as it has bright yellow flowers which mature into attractive spherical seed heads. The plant also produces lots of toothed leaves that your rabbit will enjoy munching on.

Hawthorn berries

Hawthorn plants grow as shrubs or small trees and bunnies love to nibble on the twigs and leaves. The berries aren’t poisonous, but rabbits are less keen on these.

Marigold

Marigold plants produce beautiful flowers, that are yellow, orange or white in colour, and they also have feather-shaped leaves which grow from the base of the plant.

Rose

Rabbits can safely eat both rose flowers and leaves.

Shepherd’s purse

This plant, often considered a weed, produces lots of small flowers with white petals. Unlike most other plants, shepherd’s purses are able to flower all year round. This plant also has a few pointed leaves, which grow from its stem.

Plantain

Plantain often grows among other grasses. This plant can be identified from its flower heads, which consist of long stems with little tufts at the end. The base of the plantain plant consists of many spear-shaped leaves which become stringy like celery when they’re torn apart.

Sow thistle

Sow thistles have toothed leaves, covered in prickly spines, which grow from the stem. The further up the stem these leaves are, the less defined they become. This plant also produces bright yellow flowers, which look similar to dandelion flowers.

Sunflower

Sunflowers are yet another plant that rabbits find tasty and are safe for them to eat.

Willow leaves

The ornamental willow tree produces lance-shaped leaves which you bunny can safely munch on.

Yarrow

This plant has small clusters of flowers which are white or pink in colour, they also have long leaves which are covered in small hairs and distributed evenly along their stems.

Rabbit monitoring

If your rabbit is allowed to run freely around your garden, it’s always best to have a really good look around to make sure you are able to identify all the plants your rabbit will have access to as being safe for bunnies. And always ensure you monitor your rabbit at all times to make sure they’re not nibbling on plants you haven’t noticed.

When to contact a vet

If you think your rabbit might have ingested a toxic or unidentifiable plant, or if they start to show any unusual signs, you should always contact a veterinary professional straight away.