Rabbits often eat plants and fruits. But there is still a common concern, whether rabbits eat lavender. In this article, we will discuss whether rabbits are attracted to lavender and how well they take it.
We will further discuss which part of the lavender can the rabbits eat. So read ahead to learn more about this topic.
Do rabbits eat lavender?
Lavender is less popular with rabbits. They prefer plants that don’t have such strong fragrances or fuzzy leaves. However, these plants will not deter them completely. Instead, they will eat lavender when there is no alternative. When rabbits enter a flower bed, they will eat plants with less fragrance.
Rabbits can eat lavender. But they will not indulge in lavender when there are alternatives with less fragrance. Rabbits generally do not prefer plants with strong fragrance or fuzzy leaves. Let’s take a look at whether rabbits eat the following lavender plants:
English lavender:
Rabbits can eat English lavender. But they are often found to be quite careful around it. Rabbits will not indulge in an English lavender as soon as they come across one. This is because English lavender is quite strong in flavor and smell.
However, if the rabbits run short on a source of food and if they come across a lavender plant then, they will definitely eat English lavender in such a case.
Spanish lavender:
Yes, rabbits eat Spanish lavender. But there are several other factors associated with it. Rabbits will not eat a spanish lavender as soon as they find one. But they will definitely eat Spanish lavender when their food source is limited.
Spanish lavenders are quite easy to grow and they grow in abundance in some regions of the country. In such places, rabbits have grown used to eating Spanish lavender and they have adopted it as one of their usual food sources.
Mona lavender:
Yes, rabbits will eat mona lavender when they have access to some. Rabbits generally like to eat herbs and plants that have low levels of fragrance and smell.
Mona lavender is quite rich in its fragrance and taste. So rabbits usually have a hard time eating this lavender. But there are some regions in the country where this plant grows at large. In such places, the rabbits have also adopted this plant as one of their staple foods. So rabbits eat mona lavender.
French lavender:
Rabbits can eat French lavender. Rabbits typically avoid plants and herbs that have high levels of smell and fragrance. But there are a large number of rabbits who live in the areas where french lavenders and other types of lavender grow in abundance.
In such regions, the rabbits enjoy eating french lavender without any worry. They indulge in french lavender every once in a while.
Do bunnies & rabbits eat lavender bushes and flowers? Can baby rabbits eat lavender?
Yes, rabbits and bunnies eat lavender bushes and flowers. Bunnies and rabbits typically avoid plants that are rich in aroma and fragrance. But they can eat lavenders.
Lavender is quite rich in nutrients. It is also free of any toxicity, so you can offer the bushes and flowers of lavenders to your pets without any hesitation. However, you should be careful that some rabbits are very sensitive to the fragrance of flowers and bushes.
In such a case, you will notice that your rabbit is acting unusual around the lavender plant. They may give it a try, but will eventually end up throwing up if they experience a reaction.
In such a case, you must be prompt at getting the lavender plant away from your rabbits and bunnies as soon as possible.
Baby rabbits can also eat lavender. There are no issues associated with feeding lavender to your baby rabbits. These plants are free of toxicity. So rest assured that they are safe for your pet, regardless of their age.
Do rabbits like the smell of lavender?
No, rabbits do not like the smell of lavender. While humans and other animals love lavender especially because of its unique smell, rabbits are quite exceptional in this case. They are not fond of the smell of lavender.
Rabbits typically do not like it if their surroundings are rich in fragrance. They do not enjoy strong smells. This nature of theirs extends to their food habit as well. So they do not enjoy food that hosts rich fragrances.
For the same reasons, rabbits are not fond of lavender in general. Lavender will not be their first pick if they are offered a range of options in food.
However, some rabbits have grown habituated with eating lavender, so they do not face any problems while eating lavender. Other than that, generally speaking, rabbits do not like the smell of lavender.
Is lavender safe for rabbits to eat? Will wild rabbits eat lavender?
Yes, lavender is safe for rabbits to eat. Lavender does not contain any toxic content. So they will not harm your rabbits or any other pets that you might have if you feed them that.
Lavenders are safe for both rabbits and bunnies alike. They are safe as long as your rabbit is not allergic to any particular type of lavender.
Another issue that might arise in such cases is that your rabbit may react to the strong smell of lavender. They may act out when they find that lavenders are so rich in fragrance as rabbits generally avoid food that is smelly.
Other than that, there should be no problem if you feed lavender to your rabbit or bunny.
Wild rabbits will eat lavender without any hesitation. Wild rabbits are used to eating fruits and flowers off of plants and trees. So they do not have the luxury to be so selective about their food.
Wild rabbits will eat lavender without any issue as it is a safe plant and does not have any toxic ingredient in it.
What part of lavender can a rabbit eat?
There are several parts of lavender that rabbits can eat. In the following section, we will take a look at what parts of lavender a rabbit can eat. Read ahead to learn more about it.
Stem:
Rabbits love to eat the stem of a lavender plant. The wood of a lavender plant is rather soft. And it is very unusual to find a lavender stem that is blossom-free. Softwood of a lavender stem almost always has flowers and leaves on it.
This makes the stem of a lavender plant quite enticing for the rabbits. It makes very healthy and nutritious food for rabbits.
Leaves:
Rabbits enjoy eating the leaves of a lavender plant as well. The leaves of the lavender plant are narrow and oblong-shaped. They are also very tender and soft, which makes it very easy for rabbits to eat.
Rabbits love to eat the leaves of lavender plants for they are often found densely packed together. So the leaves of the lavender plant make a very fulfilling meal for your rabbits and bunnies.
Flowers:
And of course, rabbits eat the flowers of a lavender plant. Although it is commonly believed that rabbits do not enjoy eating flowers that are too heavy on fragrance and taste, rabbits will eat lavender flowers.
In some territories, lavender grows in such abundance that these flowers become a go-to food for the animals.
How to keep rabbits out of farmland eating lavender?
If you want to keep rabbits out of your farmland eating lavender, here are some tips that you would like to follow. These have proven to work time and again:
Rabbit repellent Irish Spring bar soap:
Rabbits are repelled by a soap known as Irish Spring bar soap. Simply slice the soap in small cubes and take them into small pouches. These pouches may be made of cheesecloths.
Place these small pouches around your farmland. Make sure that there is a small pouch in every 5 to 10 feet interval. This tip is likely to keep rabbits away from your land.
Ammonia:
Ammonia drives rabbits away. The scent of ammonia resembles that of urine. It alerts the rabbits as they are always on the lookout for predators.
So when rabbits think that they can smell ammonia, they are immediately warned that there might be some predators around. This scares them and drives them away from your property.
So if you’re trying to keep rabbits out of your farmland eating lavender, this might be a good trick to follow.
Final Thoughts
Rabbits eat lavender. Although rabbits are not always fond of food that has a strong fragrance and taste, they make an exception in the case of lavender. However, due to the smell of this plant, rabbits will not indulge in lavender plants when they have other choices of food around them.