Safe to feed?

[GlennTheLionhead]

Hi, does anyone know if this willow is safe to feed to my buns. I snipped it from a wetland wildlife reserve so it shouldnt be sprayed with anything etc, but it looks like the tree could have some kind of disease? There are these patches of blackish mossy looking sections on the otherwise yellowish twigs, many of the leaves have black spots too… Maybe this is normal or nothing to worry about, I am not sure.

The buns have eaten willow from this exact tree a year or two ago but I don’t remember seeing these blackish spots last time. I can’t often find willow so I’m not so fimilar if this is normal.

Thanks

 

[Bam]

I wouldn’t feed that, the black spots are some kind of fungus. It might not be toxic, it could be harmless  but I’m very much for “better safe than sorry” when it comes to buns.

Willow is best in spring/early summer, when the leaves are fresh and green. Later in the season they can become hosts to various types of funghi aka “rust”, especially rainy summers. Next year maybe you can get a bunch of twigs earlier in the season and dry them for later use? Willow dries very well.

If you want to give your buns a healthy green treat  maybe you could grow some maize (corn) grass for them in a pot? It’s just popcorn maize that you sow in some potting soil, you dont wait for it to grow into big plants, just let it grow into grass, then cut some off now and then and feed as a treat/enrichment. Sow many seeds, more than you would if you were actually going to grow corn cobs. (Corn grass is ok for buns to eat, its the mature “fruit” i e the actual  corn and husks and corn cobs that are unsafe and unhealthy for rabbits).

[GlennTheLionhead]

Hey, sorry I realised that I didn’t reply to this.

You’re reply was very helpful thanks for taking the time to reply! I tossed the willow to be on the safe side and bought them dried willow sticks instead – they aren’t as much of a fan of the very dried stuff though.

The corn grass is a fantastic idea! I plan to get a big tub / container and grow a forage plot for them

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