# Fertilized Grass



## Cassidy909z (Jun 10, 2013)

I rescue rabbits, so not many of my buns are with me long-term, so I keep them in wire hutches. I know this may not be the most comfortable house for a rabbit but like I said they don't stay with me long. My pet bunnies stay in the house. However I feel really bad leaving them out in those hutches with no stimulation. They get an unlimited supply of hay and food, but I feel like they're bored. I have a pretty big yard that I would like to let them run around in but here's the thing- my dad fertilizes are grass. He doesn't put pesticides down but just fertilizer. If I let my buns run around in it and they decided to eat some will it harm them?


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## Watermelons (Jun 10, 2013)

If you can find out what type, brand, formula, etc. That will help.
Spreading manure is still fertilizing but is still different then laying out chemical fertilizers.


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## Cassidy909z (Jun 10, 2013)

I don't know the brand, I can try to find out tomorrow. However I know it's chemical and not manure.


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## sgbinky (Jun 11, 2013)

Cleaning the grass may be a bit of concern. I had a Indian friend who did that. She soak them in antiseptic solution before feeding them to her rabbit. It seems fine to her. But I was shocked by it.

I believe there may be residue nitride outside the grass. Nitride content inside the grass may also be pretty high. Besides that, your neighbor or your father may had used some pesticide on the grass without your knowledge. 

It is so cheap to source hay/grass in the states. Here typically the price is steep, about $8/lb.


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 11, 2013)

There's what is called a "withholding period" for chemicals, but I think that is worked out for people, not bunnies. 

How about putting up a pen and asking your dad to leave the grass in there alone? Then you can put your bunnies in there to have a bit of a run around? 

Otherwise, if it's granular, you'd want it dissolved and washed into the soil. If it's liquid you'd want to water well to get any residue off the blades. 

You could try for some info from the agriculture department as to possible toxicity to rabbits?


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## sgbinky (Jun 11, 2013)

It is difficult to be pretty sure they are dissolved completed in most cases. Do people in Agriculture Department know this kind of stuffs? Sorry I am a city person who is living in a country without an Agriculture Department...


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## Watermelons (Jun 11, 2013)

I dont think its worth it then. Youre in GA.... Look around you should be able to find 50+ lb bales of horse hay for under 10$


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## Nancy McClelland (Jun 11, 2013)

I'd avoid the grass for sure--better safe than sorry.


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## Ilovemyrabbit (Jun 11, 2013)

Yeah I think it would be best not to let them eat any grass.


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## Cassidy909z (Jun 11, 2013)

Thanks for all the responses! Yes I can get hay really cheap, but I thought they'd enjoy running around in the yard in the sunshine. I don't think I'll take the chance though, losing a bunny is hard but losing several to grass would be a bit much for me. I guess I'll work on some other kind of stimulation idea. My whole backyard is concrete but maybe I can lay some hay down and let them run around and eat that. Only problem would be it's summer and I wouldn't want the concrete to burn their little feet. /:


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 11, 2013)

sgbinky said:


> Do people in Agriculture Department know this kind of stuffs?


Yes, if you know what the product is, you can look up online what's in it, its toxicity and all that sort of stuff. The problem is that toxicity is worked out for people, not rabbits so specific bunny info might be lacking. You can get SOME info though.


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