# Dried Roses



## qtipthebun (Oct 17, 2012)

I've been putting organic dried roses in my tea (I'm a tea fanatic) lately, and I was wondering if bunnies could eat them too?

I know wild rabbits eat our rose bushes, so I know they're not harmful to outdoor rabbits, but does anyone know about dried roses as a rare treat for an indoor bun?

They're organic, pesticide free, if that helps.


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## MiniLopHop (Oct 17, 2012)

They love it! I grow roses and don't use any chemicals. People think I'm nuts but when they bloom I pull the petals off the bush and give them to the buns and turtles. I also get flower teas to share- lavender, chamamile, rose is my favorite and I will sprinkle some on top of their pellets. The warren goes wild!


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## Blue eyes (Oct 17, 2012)

Oh my golly. I forgot all about that. When we lived back east, I used to give my buns there the occasional rose petals. :bouquet:


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## qtipthebun (Oct 17, 2012)

I know fresh roses are fine...but dried are cool too?

Does the color of the rose matter? These are pink....they're the mini-blooms that you get at health food stores in bulk.


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## whitelop (Oct 17, 2012)

So Brandy, with the flower tea, you just crack a bag open and put it on the food? Or am i thinking of the wrong thing?


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## qtipthebun (Oct 17, 2012)

I'm loving the idea of the flower tea...although I don't share my lavender!!!


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## MiniLopHop (Oct 17, 2012)

I get it loose leaf so there's no tea bag. I have a tea difuser for mine. Theirs I just sprinkle.

I have a huge lavender bush so spring through fall I give them fresh almost daily. In the winter I have to use the dried lavender tea. I buy it in bulk from a cooking/herb store so it's not so pricy as some of the teas I have seen.


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## qtipthebun (Oct 17, 2012)

I had no idea they liked lavender. Btw, she loves the roses. I gave her a bite, and she binkied and then gave a nose kiss.


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## MiniLopHop (Oct 17, 2012)

You can't give lavender to pregnant rabbits, but since Q is spayed that won't be an issue. It helps boost the immune system and is soothing so it has been very helpful for Becky to recover from EC. Plus, it makes the blankets in her enclosure smell so nice that I fall asleep in there.


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## Imbrium (Oct 17, 2012)

out of curiosity, why can't they have it when pregnant?


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## MiniLopHop (Oct 18, 2012)

It can cause premature labor because it relaxes the uterus too much. I guess the babies start to fall out? A breeder might be able to say better, but it can be used to start labor in an over due bun.

My buns don't have a uterus any more, so it doesn't matter.


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## katherine at sacred stories (Oct 20, 2012)

This is wonderful! I didn't know they liked roses! When I read this, I happened to have a huge bowl of dried rose petals in my kitchen. Harvey and Halo loved them. Passed the binkie test

I also have lots of dried lavender and camomile flowers, too. Can I really give them the lavender? Just want to make sure the dried ones are OK? 

You have to love a creature that eats roses and lavender


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## Imbrium (Oct 20, 2012)

would petals off of roses from a store work, or is there a chance of something harmful being in them?


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## MiniLopHop (Oct 20, 2012)

I never use the ones from the store because they normally have lots of chemicals on them. You want to get flowers that are labeled as safe for human consumption or grow your own so you know there's nothing on them.

I use dried lavender in the winter. They don't seem to care either way if it is fresh or dried, it gets quickly nommed either way.


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## Imbrium (Oct 20, 2012)

what sort of store would I need to look for to find ones fit for human consumption?

(I'm really wishing I hadn't neglected our gorgeous lavander-colored rose bush to death years ago!)


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## MiniLopHop (Oct 20, 2012)

Look where they have loose leaf tea or herbs/spices. Normally it is in a more wholistic type store.

Well, this is a great time of the year to plant rose bushes before it gets too cold. Lots of the time places are putting them on clearence so they don't have to keep it through the winter.


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## Marshi (Oct 20, 2012)

My rabbits love fresh Rose petals. I would think it would be fine to give to your bunnies dried ones as well.


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## Imbrium (Oct 20, 2012)

I'm not sure it even gets "too cold" here, lol. I am sure I'd probably kill the thing again, though. it's hard enough trying to keep my tiny bunny garden alive... and I FAILED at dandelions. if I can't grow a weed, a rose bush doesn't stand a chance!


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## Marshi (Oct 20, 2012)

*Imbrium wrote: *


> I'm not sure it even gets "too cold" here, lol. I am sure I'd probably kill the thing again, though. it's hard enough trying to keep my tiny bunny garden alive... and I FAILED at dandelions. if I can't grow a weed, a rose bush doesn't stand a chance!


 how do you kill a dandelion? :?


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## whitelop (Oct 20, 2012)

Imbrium wrote:


> I'm not sure it even gets "too cold" here, lol. I am sure I'd probably kill the thing again, though. it's hard enough trying to keep my tiny bunny garden alive... and I FAILED at dandelions. if I can't grow a weed, a rose bush doesn't stand a chance!



Rose bushes are actually quite easy. I usually get miracle grow garden and flower soil, dig a hole and put some soil in the hole with the new rose. Make sure you water it every day for the first few days. Then a few times a week after that. Until it cools off more, then you'll only need to water as the soil gets dry. 
I have 8 rose bushes that I've planted just this year, one being a 40 year old neglected transplant. They're all doing wonderfully. I'll be honest, I don't weed my flower beds on a regular basis, and I didn't really do too much watering this summer. haha. 
Like Brandy said, a lot of places are putting them on clearance so you might be able to find one for just a few dollars. 

Oh and really, how did you kill and dandelion?


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## MiniLopHop (Oct 20, 2012)

The you can dump your dirty litter box around the rose bush, they love bunny poop!

yeah, how did you manage to kill a weed?


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## qtipthebun (Oct 21, 2012)

Jennifer, do you have natural grocers in your part of texas? They have them in dallas and Austin...that's where I get my roses.


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## Imbrium (Oct 21, 2012)

*Marshi wrote: *


> *Imbrium wrote: *
> 
> 
> > I'm not sure it even gets "too cold" here, lol. I am sure I'd probably kill the thing again, though. it's hard enough trying to keep my tiny bunny garden alive... and I FAILED at dandelions. if I can't grow a weed, a rose bush doesn't stand a chance!
> ...


I think I over-watered (by forgetting them out in the rain) within a few days after planting - they never germinated. that, or I planted them too deep, I think they were about 1/2 an inch under the top of the soil (I just pushed down with my finger to create a little hole and then filled it in).


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## HolyHandGrenade (Oct 23, 2012)

I thought of this thread this morning when Monty stole some of my green tea (brewed). I figured she was just going to sniff it while I was sitting on the floor holding the mug, and she dove right in before I could pull it away. :O She seems to feel fine though...little sneak!


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## MiniLopHop (Oct 23, 2012)

Sophie is very prone to diving into glasses. We now use the coered cups with straws because she would drink anything we had, including when my husband had soda! I will share my herbal tea with her though. Not that I taught her to cup surf on accident... :whistling


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## BobZ (Oct 23, 2012)

Would any kind of flower/fruit tea be ok? I've currently got some blood orange tea and a berry tea, would either be alright?


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