One of the most wonderful things in the world is to have a place to call your own. Once you have that place you call your own, it makes sense to create a home for a beloved pet rabbit.
Many folks out there aim to till the earth and plant flowers, herbs, and vegetables. However, if you are going to bring life--both animal and vegetable--into your indoor and outdoor spaces, you will want to do so safely.
Rabbits are great, but they have a tendency to get snoopy. Using the wrong materials or growing the wrong plants could have your furry friend getting very sick. To keep your pet safe, All Things Rabbits offers the following tips on garden safety.
Go Organic
According to Good Housekeeping, organic gardening is a method for growing plants, fruits, and vegetables that completely avoids toxic pesticides, fertilizers, and mulch that seep chemicals into the soil, water supply, and the food we eat. These chemicals are not only bad for the environment, they are also bad for your bun. When you decide to create a garden, use only organic methods in order to keep your rabbit--as well as the other animals in your local ecosystem--safe.
Toxic Plants for Bunnies
Plants produce toxic chemicals as a way to protect themselves. If it makes an animal sick, that means it is less likely to be destroyed as vegetation. However, domestic rabbits have instincts regarding what to eat and what not to eat bred out of them. Your bun could end up ingesting something quite toxic if you plant it in your garden. Pets also don’t have an awareness of what they’re allergic to--so it’s the owner’s responsibility to be aware.
Common toxic plants for rabbits include tulips, lilies, daisies, and mistletoe. Love the Garden points out that in addition to certain bushes, flowers, and leaves, a lot of the edible plants, fruits, and vegetables people like to grow in their backyards are actually toxic for buns. Among these bun no-nos are tomatoes, onions, and rhubarb.
Protecting Your Rabbit From Your Garden
If you want to be absolutely safe, the best thing you can do is avoid planting anything that would be poisonous if your rabbit got into it. If you absolutely must grow plants from the lists above, barriers and proper supervision are key. You can keep your rabbit safe while also protecting your garden from other animals that could wreak havoc on your plants.
The best way to protect your garden is to install a barrier around the garden that keeps your rabbit and other animals away from your plants. A fence is usually the best bet, but you may not have any on your property (or what you do have is too small to keep your rabbit out). If you don’t have suitable fencing on your property, you can easily search online for local fence companies who can install it for you.
You can also try things like installing a motion activated sprinkler that turns on and scares your rabbit away if they get too close. Some rabbit owners also try overpowering their pet’s senses with scents they don’t like, such as clove oil, rotting potatoes, cayenne and red pepper mix, white vinegar, apple bitter, orange peels, and peppermint.
Make Your Garden Fun
While safety comes first, you still want your bun to enjoy their time outside. So consider keeping fun toys or activities laying about. Set out a rabbit tunnel or add a treat holder you can fill with their favorite yummies. If you want your bun to have lots of time outside, you can look into a hutch where they can hang out during the day. Alternatively, if your bun is house-trained, you can also train them to go outside through a flap door whenever they want to enjoy your backyard. There are plenty of options on the market, and most people opt for a top-rated cat door.
Pets and gardening make a house a home. However, you want to be sure the two things don’t clash. Protecting your rabbits from common garden hazards is the right thing to do. Growing organic is a great way to keep toxic chemicals out of the environment and away from your rabbit as well. When it comes to poisonous plants, you can either avoid them or protect your rabbit from them using training and deterrents.
We hope some of these tips help you create the home of your dreams and a place where your rabbit can thrive along with you!
For more tips so your bun can live your best life together, be sure to check out All Things Rabbits.
Written by Cindy Aldridge