Herbal Remedies
Nature has its own remedies to build your bunny’s immunity and to help heal them naturally.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar contains lots of vitamins and minerals that help maintain the overall health of our buns. AVC is also known to prevent urinary tract infections in your bunny; ACV is known to improve/aid digestion and therefore increase the absorption levels of nutrients through the G.I tract. On top go this AVC benefits your bunny by keeping their fur coat shiny and smooth. I recommend a teaspoon for every 1 litre of water.
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS)
BOSS is great to feed to bunnies in moult! It helps to promote a shiny coat and helps bunnies through moulting. In addition, black oil sunflower seeds are great to feed in the wintertime as they are packed full of fat, vitamin E, high levels of protein and most importantly, fibre (which is extremely important for bunnies) so it helps to provide a bunny with extra calories to burn in the winter which thus helps keep them warm. BOSS is a great source of energy: I would recommend limiting your bunny to 6 maximum daily, for a short period of time as BOSS is highly calorific.
Blackberry Leaves
A great tonic for pregnant does. Not only are blackberry plants (& berries) full of antioxidants, fibre and vitamins, but they are also great for anti-inflammatory which can help boost immunity, improve skin condition and can even help to alleviate inflammatory illnesses like arthritis.
Borage
Borage works well to increase the milk flow of nursing does, due to very high calcium levels. If your bunny is not a nursing doe, I would recommend only occasionally feeding borage due to the calcium content. Borage is also known to help with fevers (cool bunnies down) and reduce stress.
Birch (Leaves & Bark)
Birch leaves are fantastic; they are high in fibre and support the urinary function of bunnies so is great to help prevent urinary tract infections. Birch branches and bark is really good for chewing, which ultimately helps bunnies teeth to keep them worn down. Birch is also a natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory!
Chamomile
One of my personal favourites! Chamomile is both antibacterial and antiseptic so is amazing to feed to a poorly bunny to help them heal. Most of all; chamomile is perfect for a nervous bunny; and is known to naturally relax and calm the bunny. Another great use for chamomile is as an eyewash for weepy eyes! A cup of chamomile tea and honey (tsp) make the perfect tonic to use as an eyewash; both chamomile and honey are antibacterial – simply use a syringe and squirt gently into the affected eye – however, DO NOT let your bunny drink the eyewash.
Comfrey
Comfrey is great to boost the immune system and also aid digestion as it overall has good fibre content. Comfrey is also a good source of vitamin A. In addition to this, it is really good in the diets of pregnant and nursing does as a prenatal supplement.
Dandelion
Dandelions are very nutritious and is well known for their curative power. It is also known to be blood purifying. Dandelion is used in many respiratory ailments to help combat problems such as respiratory infections. Like Blackberry leaves, Dandelion is anti-inflammatory and great for diuretic health, meaning it helps reduce the risk of bladder infections and diarrhoea. Dandelions are also amazing to increase the milk flow of nursing does, this is due to the sap in the plant stimulating the bunnies glands (such as the milk gland).
Echinacea
Echinacea is a fantastic plant: which has a multitude of benefits, with the most effective being an immune booster. Echinacea is widely used in aiding “Snuffles” bunnies symptoms (alongside antibiotics of course): It is also a natural antibiotic. In addition, Echinacea is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antimicrobial and anti-viral. This is one of my favourite plants: I mix small amounts in my feed to maintain my bunnies good immune systems. It increases the production of protein (interferon) in the bunny. And it also has properties that increase the number of white blood cells in the bunnies bloodstream which therefore slows the spread of infection and gives more free white blood cells available to fight any infections. Thus improving the bunnies immune system.
Fennel
Fennel is very rich in fibre; bunnies can eat the entire fennel plant including the stalks and bulb. It is in the perennial (carrot) family. Fennel contains a large range of Potassium, Manganese, Vitamin C and a huge range of antioxidants. In fact, there is a unique antioxidant that fennel contains (called anethole), which is fantastic to help fight against inflammation in the bunny and most interestingly cancer. Fennel is brilliant to feed bunnies to help reduce bloating and gas build-up. Finally: Fennel is great to feed nursing does to increase their milk flow due to the calcium content.
Lavender
Lavender is proven to be a very mild tranquilliser for bunnies; which in essence means that it slows down your bunnies heart rate which means bunnies will feel more relaxed and calm after eating it. You may find bunnies try and avoid lavender though as it is quite a potent smelling flower: however has a range of benefits for your bunnies health such as de-stressing the bunny and helping to aid blood circulation problems and helps combat exhaustion. If you are a breeder: Lavender can induce an overdue doe- as it causes contractions to start. In addition, it helps to expel any placental materials
IF YOU ARE A BREEDER PLEASE USE WITH CAUTION
Not be fed to pregnant does as it can cause premature labour
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a really interesting herb as it has such a large range of properties to help maintain your bunnies health. First of all, lemon balm is great to help combat bloating and gas. This is because as it’s digested, it starts to break down into a chemical that relaxes the bunnies muscles. By relaxing the muscles in the stomach it can reduce gas build-up. On the other hand, the other muscles relaxing give a calming effect on your bunny. Lemon balm is also antiviral, antibacterial and can reduce the risk of diarrhoea.
