But what about the Christmas cactus? Can rabbits eat Christmas cactus? The answer is no! Christmas cactus is a succulent plant and has needle-shaped leaves with spines on them. It also contains a toxin called saponin which may cause gastrointestinal irritation in some animals.
Houseplants can be a curious rabbit’s source of entertainment, but many plants are toxic to them. Christmas plants such as poinsettia, holly, ivy, and mistletoe are poisonous. Even if your pet doesn’t eat large quantities of the plant, your rabbit could potentially bite off small pieces of the leaves or stems which could then cause pain and discomfort in your pet.
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The Most Dangerous Plants for Rabbits
There are some plants and foods of plant origin that are really dangerous for your rabbits. These are some of them:
- Avocado : Avocado is not recommended for your rabbit’s diet. This fruit has been known to cause respiratory problems in these small mammals. Avocado is considered to be potentially toxic to rabbits and may cause death. The reason for this is that it contains persin, a component that causes breathing problems. It should be noted that this component is mainly found in the fleshy part of the avocado and that consuming only the shell or skin can produce symptoms of intoxication in rabbits.
- Iceberg Lettuce – Lettuce is one of the first foods that comes to mind when you think of rabbit food, but the iceberg variety is very dangerous for rabbits. The reason? Contains lactucarium, a compound toxic to rabbits.
- Beetroot: Rabbits suffer from colic and stomach swelling after eating beetroot, so you should not include it in their diet.
- Rhubarb –Rhubarb leaves contain poisonous substances, including oxalic acid, a nephrotoxin. The long-term consumption of oxalic acid leads to kidney stone formation in humans. However, rhubarb can be beneficial if consumed in small amounts on a daily basis.
Rhubarb leaves are toxic to rabbits and can cause death within a few hours. This does not always happen but it is better to avoid it. It prevents the correct absorption of calcium through the digestive tract.
- Potato: Potatoes are very healthy food and can be used to make a variety of dishes. In certain circumstances, potatoes are very dangerous for rabbits to eat. Potatoes contain solanine, an alkaloid that is toxic to rabbits. Also, it is a very heavy carbohydrate for them and causes stomach problems, so it is best to avoid it.
Plants Toxic to Rabbits
Here are some of the many plants that can be hazardous to a rabbit’s health:
- Holly – holly is poisonous to rabbits, so make sure they can’t get at any of it. The leaves, fruit, and even the seeds are toxic to rabbits and would cause diarrhea, vomiting, and general malaise if any were ingested. If a large dose was consumed, your rabbit could suffer from dehydration, shock, coma, and even death.
- Oleander: The toxin it contains is called oleandrin and affects the heart and respiratory system of the rabbit. The effects depend on the amount ingested. It causes rapid heart rate, and breathing difficulty and can even lead to cardiac arrest within a short period of time.
- Amaryllis: The danger of this plant lies in its bulbs, which are capable of causing a lack of coordination in rabbits.
- Aconite: Its toxicity is such that it takes effect with a simple contact with the skin of the rabbit. The dose of Aconite required to kill a person can be easily carried in a single hand, and even a small amount can kill by paralysis of respiratory muscles.
- Poinsettia: Poinsettias are very popular plants during the Christmas season because of their red leaves and flowers, which are often used as holiday decorations. However, all parts of this plant are toxic to animals, especially rabbits. In fact, direct contact with the plant’s own sap can cause irritation and blisters. The sap causes stomach upset and diarrhea if ingested.
- Ivy: The leaves, seeds, and berries of ivy contain α-hederin and hederacoside C, either in traces or in large quantities, which is a toxic substance for animals. Poisoning can occur if the animal ingests or swallows dried leaves or berries, or even if they chew on them without swallowing them.
- Lily: its ingestion by the rabbit can cause abdominal pain, among other symptoms.
- Mistletoe: its fruits are especially toxic for rabbits and its ingestion can cause dilation of the pupils, excessive thirst, suffocation, convulsions, and paralysis, among other effects.
- Daffodil: any of its species is toxic to rabbits.
- Diphenbaquia: its danger lies in the stem and leaves, whose contact can cause redness, as well as burning mouth if ingested.
- Philodendron – All species of this plant are toxic to rabbits. Chewing it can cause swelling of the tongue.
- Pothos: just chewing it could cause irritation to the rabbit’s palate.
The list of toxic plants for rabbits is as follows:
- Anemone. Anemone coronaria
- Aro. Arum maculatum
- Azucena. White lily
- Estramoni Datura automobile
- Flor de Pascua, poinsetia. Euphorbia sylvatica
- Jacinto. Hyacinthus orientalis
- Lirio. Iris spp
- Tomate. Nicotiana tabacum El fruto (tomate) are the meattible
- Tulipán. Tulip spp
- Roble. Ilex aquifolium
- Adelfa. Nerium oleander
- Ajo. Allium sativum
- Aleluya. Oxalis acetosella
- Algodoncillo
- Alhelí Amarillo. Erysimum cheiri (Cheiranthus cheiri)
- Amapola of california. Eschscholzia californica
- Amaryllis. Hippeastrum spp
- Anemones. Anemone spp
- Azalea
- Yellow lily. Sternbergia lutea
- Pink lily
- Potato
- Begonia tuberose. Begonia x tuberhybrid
- Eggplant. Solanum melongena
- Indian Cane. Canna indica
- Hemp, marijuana. Cannabis sativa
- Onion. Allium cepa
- Chives. Allium schoenoprasum
- Cylinder. Philadelphus coronarius
- Green cherry. Prunus padus
- Carnation
- Moffeta cabbage. Symplocarpus spp. Symplocarpus foetidus
- Dahlia. Dahlia spp
- Asparagus
- Stramonium
- Eucalyptus. Eucalyptus spp
- Freesia. Freesia x hybrid
- Geranium
- Gladiolus. Gladiolus spp.
- Glycines
- Morning Glory,
- Gloxinia. Gloxinia speciosa
- Sweet pea
- Ferns (taxon Filicopsida, Pterophyta, Filicinae, or Polypodiophyta).
- Helenium spp.
- Ivy
- Poison ivy. Toxicodendron radicans.
- Nightshade, devil’s tomatillo. Solanum nigrum.
- Hydrangeas. Hydrangea spp
- Laurel. Laurus nobilis.
- Lilium spp.
- Lily of the valley. Convallaria majalis.
- Honeysuckle from the gardens. Lonicera caprifolium
- Magnolia spp
- Daisy
- Mustard
- Mistletoe
- Mosses (Bryophyta)
- Narcissus. Narcissus spp
- Tuberose. Polianthes tuberosa
- European white water lily. Nymphaea alba
- Elephant ear
- Orchid
- Potato. Solanum tuberosum
- Peonies. Paeonia spp
- American licorice. Abrus precatorius
- Black reed. Cytisus scoparius
- Castor, beaver, tartar, fig, hell fig. Castor communis
- Rhododendrons or azaleas. Rhododendron spp
- Rhubarb
- Elderberry
- Tobacco. Nicotiana tabacum
- Tanacet
- Common yew, black yew. Taxus baccata
- Tulip
- Tuyas. Thuja spp
- Fox grape, fox grape, or peer grass Paris quadrifolia
- Vinegar. Oxalis pes-caprae
How to Know If My Rabbit Has Been Poisoned?
If your rabbit has just chewed the leaves of one of these plants, you might not notice any signs right away. Sometimes the symptoms will appear at once, but some can take up to a week to fully develop. In either case, it is really important to monitor your pet’s behavior and overall condition in the days and weeks that follow—especially if your pet has been chewing on something new lately.
- Tearing.
- Mouth ulcers.
- Rashes.
- Diarrhea.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Seizures.
- Hemorrhage.
Rabbit Feeding
Rabbits are herbivores, and their diets consist primarily of hay, but this should not be the only food you feed them. Hay is necessary for them to maintain the health of their digestive system, but it must be supplemented with fruits and vegetables so that their body obtains all the necessary nutrients. Make sure to give your rabbit a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables from time to time, as this will also allow them to enjoy different flavors. You should also give them some pellets or other commercial food made especially for rabbits.
In the following list you will be able to know some beneficial plants and fruits for your rabbit :
- Dandelion
- Carrot
- wild mallow
- Celery
- Zucchini
- Apple
- Peppermint
- Clover
- cucumbers
- Peach
- Strawberry
- Chamomile
- Lettuce
- Pamplina
- Cerraja
- Uva
- Pumpkin
- Spinach
- With them
- scream
- Mango
- Melon
The first step in introducing new foods to your pet is to mix them with his regular diet. This prevents him from developing selectivity towards any food since he will think that all foods are similar in taste. In addition, the grass and flowers should be mixed with the hay to prevent the rabbit from developing selectivity towards any food.
How to prevent poisoning
- It is best not to place any poisonous plants in the home. Poinsettias and Christmas cacti also contain toxins.
- Always place decorations with poisonous plants out of the reach of your animals.
- Always offer cats fresh cat grass so that they can satisfy their natural urge to chew.
FAQ
What Christmas Plants Are Poisonous to Rabbits?
The holiday season is nothing without a festive plant or two to liven up the mood. But before you bring home that poinsettia ( poinsettias are a popular Christmas plant), please check if it’s poisonous to your rabbit. Here’s a list of common holiday plants and their effects on rabbits:
Christmas Rose (Hellebore). All parts of the Christmas Rose are poisonous to rabbits, but especially the leaves.
Christmas Cactus (Zygocactus). The sap from Christmas Cactus is mildly toxic to rabbits. However, it will only cause gastrointestinal irritation in small quantities, and ingestion of large amounts can be fatal.
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). The leaves and flowers have been reported to cause mouth and intestinal irritation in some rabbits. According to the ASPCA (Animal Poison Control Center), ingestion of large amounts of poinsettia can be fatal as well, although this has only been reported in one rabbit so far.
Will Rabbits Eat Poisonous Plants?
A lot of pet owners believe that rabbits eat only hay and grass. But, these furry creatures are opportunistic hunters and will eat almost anything that is edible to them. They also have a sense of smell that is much better than what humans have, which allows them to detect edible plants when they are nearby.
All houseplants are considered poisonous to rabbits because of the presence of poisonous materials or chemicals in their leaves and stems. Some of these toxins may be more toxic than others.