From innocent flowers to bitter weeds, danger lurks in your own backyard. As pet rabbits hop and explore outdoors, toxins hide in plain sight disguised as harmless greenery. Even in the sanctuary of your home, a nibble of a toxic bloom can be deadly. Don’t let your furry friend become victim to the sinister nature of seemingly benign plants. Protect your pets from the 20 most poisonous plants that threaten rabbits. Discover which deadly plants are lurking in your landscape through this lifesaving guide. Learn to identify these killers hiding amongst the flora, evade their hazards, and act fast if your bunny is at risk. It’s a matter of life and leaf, so keep your rabbits safe from floral peril with vital knowledge.
What to do if you believe your rabbit has eaten a poisonous substance
Rabbits are curious creatures that will nibble and taste many things in their environment. Unfortunately, some common garden and house plants can be toxic or even deadly to rabbits if ingested. If you suspect your rabbit has eaten any part of a poisonous plant, it is important to act quickly. Here are some steps to take:
- Identify the plant – If you do not know what plant your rabbit ingested, but can provide a description or photo of it, contact your vet or a poison control hotline for assistance identifying it.
- Look for symptoms – The most common signs of plant poisoning in rabbits include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, breathing problems, tremors, and seizures. The onset and severity of symptoms depends on the amount ingested and potency of the plant.
- Contact your vet – If you believe your rabbit has eaten any part of a toxic plant, call your exotic vet right away. Many plant toxins can cause serious damage within hours, so fast veterinary care is crucial.
- Bring a sample – When you go to the vet, bring along part of the plant for identification and toxicity reference. This will help guide treatment.
- Induce vomiting – If the ingestion just occurred within the last few hours, your vet may induce vomiting to expel toxins before they are absorbed.
- Supportive care – There are no specific antidotes for plant poisoning in rabbits. Treatment focuses on providing supportive care, such as IV fluids, pain medication, anti-seizure drugs, and supplements as needed.
- Prevent further exposure – Once back home, thoroughly rabbit-proof your house and garden by removing or fencing off any toxic plants.
- Monitor closely – Check your rabbit closely over the next 24-48 hours for any return of symptoms. Delayed effects can sometimes show up even after initial improvement.
Rapid action is essential for the best chance at recovery. With aggressive supportive medical care, many rabbits can recover fully even following significant poisoning. Call your exotic vet anytime you believe your rabbit has ingested something toxic.
1. Nightshade
All parts of nightshade plants, including the leaves, berries, stems and roots, are poisonous to rabbits. Nightshades contain alkaloids such as solanine and atropine. These can cause digestive upset, nervous system depression, confusion, hallucinations, respiratory failure, coma and death in rabbits.
Some examples of nightshade plants to avoid are:
- Potato – Petioles, stem, green skins
- Tomato – Leaves, stem, unripe green fruit
- Eggplant – All parts
- Bell pepper – Leaves, stem, unripe fruit
- Tobacco – Leaves
Keep rabbits away from any area where potato or tomato plants are growing. Do not feed rabbits potato skins, leaves or vines. Provide tomatoes, bell peppers and eggplant fruits only after ripening to red, orange or yellow colors. Remove and discard all green portions. Keep cigarette butts or tobacco products out of reach.
If ingested, nightshade plants can cause symptoms within a few hours, including dilation of pupils, trembling, difficulty breathing, and death in severe cases. Seek veterinary help immediately if ingestion is suspected. There is no antidote, but prompt supportive care improves chances for recovery. Prevent any further access to nightshades in the environment.
2. Hydrangea
Hydrangeas are flowering woody ornamentals that contain cyanide-like compounds throughout the plant, making all parts toxic if eaten. Ingesting hydrangea can cause stomach upset, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, seizures, coma, respiratory failure and death in rabbits.
To keep rabbits safe, avoid planting hydrangea in outdoor spaces accessibly to pets. If potted hydrangeas are kept indoors, place them out of reach of rabbits. Symptoms of hydrangea poisoning may show up right away or be delayed. Seek veterinary care even if your rabbit seems normal after ingestion, as toxic effects can develop over hours or days.
With prompt supportive treatment such as IV fluids, blood pressure support, anti-seizure medication, and monitoring, rabbits often fully recover from hydrangea poisoning. Prevent any further exposure by removing plants from your home and yard after an incident.
3. Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums contain pyrethrins and other insecticidal compounds that can be poisonous to rabbits. Ingestion causes gastrointestinal upset, hypersalivation, incoordination, tremors, and neurologic excitation.
Avoid planting chrysanthemums in areas accessible to rabbits. Remove indoor plants to prevent curious pets from nibbling. Seek veterinary treatment if ingestion occurs. With decontamination and symptomatic care, most rabbits recover fully.
4. Lilies
True lilies like Easter lily, tiger lily and daylily cause kidney failure in rabbits within hours if any part is ingested. Cats are also severely poisoned by lilies. Just chewing on a leaf or flower petal, or getting pollen on their nose can be deadly.
All parts of true lilies are toxic to rabbits – stem, leaves, flower, pollen and even the water in a vase. Other lily varieties such as peace lily, calla lily and canna lily are not true lilies and are not toxic.
Lily poisoning causes vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, dehydration, increased thirst and urination. Untreated, rabbits develop kidney damage and fatal renal failure within 12-36 hours.
Seek emergency veterinary care immediately if a rabbit ingests any lily part. With very prompt aggressive treatment, kidney function may be restored before permanent damage occurs. However, the prognosis is grave if treatment is delayed more than 18 hours after exposure.
Remove all lilies from your home and yard to prevent deadly lily poisoning. Choose safe alternatives for floral arrangements and landscaping. Monitor your rabbit closely for any signs of sickness after potential lily exposure.
5. Cannabis
Cannabis plants, also called marijuana, contain THC and other compounds toxic to rabbits. Ingestion can cause depression, incoordination, weakness, hypothermia, seizures, coma and death.
Keep cannabis plants, dried leaves and edible products locked away from pets. Seek veterinary help if exposure occurs. Supportive care focuses on keeping the rabbit hydrated, warm and preventing seizures. Prognosis is good with prompt treatment.
6. Onion
Onions, leeks, chives, garlic and related root vegetables can damage red blood cells in rabbits, leading to anemia. Feeding large amounts may also cause gastrointestinal upset.
Avoid giving rabbits any foods containing onion or garlic. Keep gardens free of onions and leeks. Seek medical care if significant ingestion is suspected, as the resulting anemia can become severe enough to require a blood transfusion. Monitor your rabbit closely over the next 1-2 weeks for signs of worsening anemia. Remove onion-related foods from the diet.
7. Poppy
Poppies contain toxic alkaloids that can cause respiratory depression, stupor, coma, seizures and death in rabbits. All parts are poisonous. Common garden poppies, opium poppy, California poppy and Mexican prickly poppy should all be avoided.
If your rabbit ingests any poppy plant parts, seek veterinary help immediately. Call poison control for advice on inducing vomiting if ingestion was recent. IV fluids, oxygen support and other treatment will be needed. Monitor closely for delayed respiratory effects.
8. Hemlock
Water hemlock contains deadly neurotoxins that affect the nerves and muscles. Ingesting even a small amount can cause seizures, paralysis and death in rabbits within hours. All parts of the hemlock plant are poisonous, including the roots, stems, leaves and flowers.
Seek emergency veterinary care immediately if hemlock poisoning is suspected. Prompt treatment to decontaminate the gastrointestinal tract and provide IV fluids and anti-seizure medication may save the rabbit's life. Monitor closely for the next several days for delayed onset of symptoms. Thoroughly inspect and rabbit-proof your outdoor property to prevent exposure.
9. Potato plants
As a member of the nightshade family, potato plants contain toxins called glycoalkaloids that are poisonous to rabbits. The green skin, leaves, stems and young shoots are especially toxic.
Do not feed rabbits:
- Potato skins
- Potato tops or vines
- Sprouted potatoes
- Green or damaged potatoes
Ingesting any of these can cause digestive upset, neurological signs like trembling and seizures, respiratory failure and death in rabbits. Seek prompt medical attention if any exposure occurs. Remove potato plants entirely from outdoor spaces accessible to rabbits.
10. Rhododendron
Rhododendrons contain toxic compounds called grayanotoxins that affect sodium channels in cell membranes. Ingestion causes excessive salivation, weakness, vomiting, difficulty breathing, paralysis, coma, seizures and death in rabbits. All parts are poisonous.
Seek emergency veterinary care immediately if any exposure occurs. Aggressive decontamination, IV fluids, oxygen support and other therapy is needed. Even with treatment, prognosis is poor once major symptoms develop. Prevent access by removing rhododendron plants from landscaping within reach of outdoor rabbits.
11. Tomato plants
As a nightshade, tomato plants contain alkaloids like tomatine and solanine that are toxic to rabbits. Ingesting the leaves, stems or green unripe fruit can cause digestive upset, nervous system depression, paralysis and death in severe cases. Ripe red tomato fruits are safe in small amounts.
Seek prompt veterinary treatment if your rabbit eats any tomato plant parts other than ripe fruits. With supportive care, rabbits often recover fully. Thoroughly rabbit-proof any outdoor garden areas with fencing to keep rabbits away from tomato plants and other nightshades.
12. Iris
The underground storage roots (rhizomes) and above ground foliage of irises contain irisin, irritin and other toxic compounds that can cause digestive upset, limb weakness, liver damage, and neurologic excitation in rabbits. In some cases, muscle tremors, seizures or death may occur.
Remove irises from outdoor landscaping in areas your rabbit can access. Closely supervise indoor rabbits to prevent nibbling on iris plants or flower arrangements. Seek medical attention as a precaution following any ingestion. Provide supportive care at home which may include medications to prevent seizures.
13. Daffodil
Daffodils contain lycorine, an alkaloid that causes vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, seizures, liver damage and cardiac arrhythmias when ingested. All parts are toxic, including the bulb, leaves and flowers. Ingestion of any part can be fatal.
Remove daffodils from areas accessible to rabbits. Keep cut flowers out of reach. Seek immediate veterinary help if any exposure occurs. With decontamination and intensive hospital therapy, rabbits have a fair prognosis for recovery if treated early before severe symptoms develop.
14. Ivy
English ivy, Boston ivy and other climbing ivies contain triterpenoid saponins that irritate the gastrointestinal tract. Ingestion causes drooling, vomiting and diarrhea in rabbits. The berry-like fruits are especially toxic. If large amounts are eaten, unsafe drops in blood pressure, trouble breathing, seizures, kidney failure, coma or death could occur.
Remove ivy plants from areas rabbits can access. Keep cut ivy out of reach for rabbits kept indoors. Seek medical attention if significant vomiting or diarrhea occurs after ingestion to avoid dehydration. With supportive care, most rabbits recover fully.
15. Hyacinth
Common garden hyacinths contain alkaloids that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, skin irritation, abnormal heart rhythm and even death in pets. All parts are toxic, including the bulb, leaves, flowers and stems. Just chewing on a leaf or getting hyacinth pollen on the nose is dangerous.
Keep rabbits away from areas where hyacinths are growing. Do not allow access to hyacinth flowers indoors. If any exposure occurs, wash skin, mouth and nose well with water to reduce absorption of toxins. Seek prompt veterinary treatment, as toxic effects worsen over time without intervention. Supportive care can allow complete recovery in most cases.
16. Rhubarb
Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid crystals which cause kidney failure if eaten in large amounts by rabbits. The stalks are not toxic. Remove rhubarb leaves from outdoor areas accessible to rabbits. Do not feed the leaves or let rabbits chew on the bitter-tasting foliage. Seek veterinary guidance if significant ingestion occurs. With supportive therapy, rabbits often recover fully.
17. Foxglove
Foxglove contains cardiac glycosides which affect the heart. The entire plant is toxic. Ingestion causes vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal heart rhythms, seizures and death – often within just a few hours.
Remove foxglove from landscaping and prevent rabbit access. Seek emergency veterinary care if any ingestion is suspected. With aggressive decontamination and hospitalization for cardiac monitoring and anti-seizure medication, rabbits have a fair chance of recovery if treated very quickly.
18. Buttercup
Buttercups contain protoanemonin, an irritant which causes drooling, vomiting and diarrhea in rabbits if ingested. Large amounts can lead to ulceration and bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract.
Remove buttercups from yard areas accessible to rabbits. Seek veterinary attention if ingestion leads to severe vomiting/diarrhea to avoid dangerous dehydration. With medication for pain and fluids/nutrition support, most rabbits recover fully.
19. Yew
Yew trees and shrubs contain taxine alkaloids that are extremely poisonous, causing seizures, cardiac arrhythmias, respiratory failure and death when ingested by rabbits. All plant parts are toxic. Just nibbling some leaves or chewing on berries can be rapidly fatal.
Keep yews out of reach from outdoor rabbits. Seek emergency veterinary help immediately if any exposure occurs. Prompt aggressive treatment is required to decontaminate, provide life support, prevent seizures, and stabilize heart rhythm. Even then, the prognosis is poor once major symptoms appear. Prevent any access to avoid this deadly toxin.
20. Wolfsbane
Wolfsbane contains potent cardiac glycosides similar to foxglove. Ingestion causes vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal heart rhythms, tremors, seizures and death in rabbits. All plant parts are toxic. Just a small amount can be rapidly fatal.
Remove wolfsbane from landscaping in areas rabbits can access. Seek emergency veterinary care immediately in case of any suspected exposure due to the severe, rapid effects. Decontamination and intensive hospital treatment may save the rabbit’s life if started before major symptoms arise. Prevent any further exposure to this deadly plant.