Do rabbits Eat Dahlias? – Health Risks and Prevention

Yes! if given the chance a rabbit may eat dahlia, but it is toxic. Dahlias are a popular garden plant, which is often grown as a cut flower. In addition to being planted in the ground, dahlia tubers can be grown in large containers or pots. Though rabbits generally avoid eating plants that have been treated with chemicals, there are some vegetables and fruits that they enjoy munching on. Some of these include green beans, peas, and carrots. Check out our list of rabbit-friendly plants for more ideas on bunny-safe flowers and veggies.

If you provide your bunny with a pot of dahlia tubers – either directly from your own garden or by purchasing them at a nursery – it is highly likely that he will decide to dig up this pretty flower! If you want to grow dahlias in your garden, attempt to protect them using natural methods of rabbit control. For example, you could surround the plant with a wire cylinder or try sprinkling cayenne pepper around the base of the flower.

What would happen if my rabbit ate dahlia tubers?

Though the blooms of this flower make it extremely popular with many gardeners, they are actually poisonous for your bunny. This means that he definitely shouldn’t eat any parts of the plant (including seeds and leaves). If eaten in large quantities, even smaller pieces of the tuber can be fatal. While your bunny may see a Dahlia as a nice little snack, he is at risk of experiencing a serious bout of gastrointestinal problems.

What are the symptoms?

If your rabbit has chewed on or eaten any parts of this plant, you should contact your vet straight away. You will need to take your bunny into the surgery immediately in order for treatment to be started without delay. The vet may run tests such as an x-ray and blood tests in order to determine whether there has been damage done to your companion’s internal organs.

The results could lead to serious complications such as bleeding ulcers or pancreatitis (inflammation) in severe cases. If these conditions aren’t treated quickly enough, it could lead to septic shock. If you notice any of the following symptoms in your bunny, consult your vet immediately:

• A high temperature (fever)
• Diarrhoea
• Stomach pain and cramps
• Breathing difficulties

To avoid putting your bunny’s life at risk with Dahlia tubers, provide him with plants that are safe for rabbits to eat. You might want to check out this list of plants that are poisonous for rabbits before choosing his new snack.

Prevention from rabbits

To protect your flower tubers from rabbits, you could grow the plant in a large container which is impossible for these animals to get into. Alternatively, you could place wire mesh around the pot or encase it in another material that rabbits won’t be able to chew through. If you want to protect your dahlias by putting up physical barriers.

You can try and make sure the rabbit is not hungry before taking him out for a walk by feeding him plums

Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent rabbits from eating dahlias that have been planted directly into the soil and thus growing within reach of a hungry bunny! If you suspect that your bunny might dig up your prized dahlia tubers, it is best to keep them somewhere out of reach – such as inside an old fridge or under the freezer compartment in a garage.

If you notice that one dahlia plant has been decimated overnight by a voracious rabbit, it may be sensible to remove this plant from the vicinity of your garden – at least until it recovers from its injuries. If a rabbit is known to have eaten a particular plant, it is wise to keep this in mind for future gardening plans.

If you have been growing dahlias as cut flowers for many years and now suddenly find that rabbits are eating them, there may be a reason for this change in behavior. Make sure that none of your other plants have been treated with chemicals before enjoying these beautiful blooms! There may also have been a recent change in weather patterns or habitat which has led to more rabbits being present in your garden.

Frequently asked questions

Q. How do you keep rabbits from eating dahlias?

A. There are several ways to protect your Dahlia tuber from hungry bunnies. You could pour hot chili sauce over the top of the plant when it is dormant in the colder months, encase it inside a wire mesh cylinder or pot it inside an old fridge. If you want to protect your dahlias by putting up physical barriers to keep rabbits out, check out this list of plants that are poisonous for rabbits before choosing his new snack.

Q. What would happen if my rabbit ate only part of a Dahlia tuber?

A. Though chewing on parts of this may not be fatal, there is a chance that your bunny will suffer from gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, stomach cramps, and pain. It may also lead to more serious complications such as bleeding ulcers or pancreatitis (inflammation). If any of these symptoms appear in your bunny, take him straight to the vet for surgery.