Rabbits are known for eating a wide variety of different vegetables, fruits, and just general plants you may find around the house or yard. When taking your pet rabbit outdoors, you may notice them munching on all sorts of things growing in your yard. You have to be careful about this, as some of these various plants can be toxic to rabbits. What about Creeping Charlie? Is that a plant you need to be concerned about your rabbit eating?
You may find yourself in a confusing back and forth of some saying it is, and some saying it isn’t when searching online.
Can Rabbits Eat Creeping Charlie?
True Glechoma Hederacea (also known as Creeping Charlie) is considered safe for rabbits to eat. However, you should not feed it regularly.
If your rabbit happens to be nibbling on some outdoors, there is no reason you be worried. Just make sure they do not eat a lot of it and it has not been sprayed with pesticides as it is a weed. Rabbits should have a nice mix of different vegetables they enjoy and while weeds may not be appealing to us, some rabbits do enjoy eating them.
While it’s certainly okay for your rabbit to eat it, I wouldn’t make it a staple of your rabbits diet. There are many other vegetables and plants that provide more nutrients for your rabbit compared to Creeping Charlie. One of the most important components of a rabbit’s diet is Western Timothy Hay.
Should you feed your rabbit Creeping Charlie
If you think your rabbit is bored of their food and want to switch things up, you can try to feed your bunny Creeping Charlie. That being said, it should never compose of more than 20% of your rabbit’s diet.
Additionally, you should only feed it to your rabbit if they actually enjoy it. Don’t try to force them to like it.
While your rabbit can eat Creeping Charlie, you should make sure your rabbit doesn’t eat scallions.
If you are looking for some cheap rabbit food, I recommend this vegetable pellet blend.
Should you be concerned if your rabbit eats a lot of Creeping Charlie?
Since most pet rabbits tend to turn up their noses to Creeping Charlie, it is not something you need to worry about. However, being a pet parent and having concerns is understandable. Creeping Charlie is fairly simple to get rid of without the use of pesticides. You just have to block the plant’s access to sunlight. You can use cardboard or newspaper and just lay it over the tops of it until it dies.
Alternatively, if you do not have a lot, you simply pull it out of the ground. Just be sure that if there are flowers, you are not accidentally dropping the seeds around your yard.
What Is Creeping Charlie?
Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is commonly found around yards, gardens, and parks. It is a perennial plant that will spread seed by its “creeping” stems, also known as stolons. In appearance, it is a vine-like plant with kidney-shaped leaves that have rounded scallop edges.
This plant is considered to be part of the mint family and can be used as a spice or herb for humans. Wild rabbits tend to enjoy munching on it as well as its blooming purple flowers that seem to be a favorite for bees. It is also called Creeping Jenny and ground ivy. The flowers have similar texture to bindweed, which is also safe for rabbits.