Uses for Raspberry Leaf for Meat Rabbits

Of the many foraged foods, natural supplements, and treatments that are recommended for meat rabbits, raspberry leaf pops up a lot. You will read or hear many rabbit raisers recommend raspberry leaf to support immune health and treat various issues or ailments.

There are good reasons for this. Raspberry leaf has a variety of uses and is readily available to most rabbit growers. It is easy to buy and easy to forage. It is also useful in a number of situations that meat rabbits get themselves into.

Jump to:

• Top Uses for Raspberry Leaf for Meat Rabbits
• Foraging and Gathering Raspberry for Meat Rabbits
• Saving and Storing Raspberry Leaf for the Off-Season
• If You Don’t have a Raspberry to Forage
• Other Parts of the Raspberry Plant You Can Feed to Meat Rabbits
• Using Raspberry Leaf & Plant Parts for Meat Rabbits: Immune, Reproductive, Digestive Support & More
• Disclaimer, Liability, and Cautions

Top Uses for Raspberry Leaf for Meat Rabbits

Rise and Shine Rabbitry (one of the authors of “Beyond the Pellet”) considers raspberry to be one of the “tonic weeds” and recommends feeding it regularly as an immune support and natural preventative for a number of problems.

Meat rabbit growers recommend raspberry leaf for

• Prevent kindling/birth problems
• Improves body condition in pregnant does
• Acts as a prenatal supplement for nutritional support for does and kits
• Treatment of birthing problems
• Helping does expel the retained placenta
• Tone the reproductive organs for easier delivery
• Stronger, faster delivery
• May aid in inducing labor in the case of an overdue doe*
• Aids rabbits that are stuck in delivery

Raspberry leaf also has a number of benefits for kits, grow outs, unbred does, and bucks. Raspberry can be used to prevent or treat

• Digestive problems
• Diarrhea
• Fevers
• Aids in cooling rabbits via increased blood circulation (particularly to the ears for cooling and radiation)
• It is a good forage to introduce to young kits transitioning to more weeds and foraged feeds (has a high safety profile)
• Helps treat sterile or infertile bucks
• May aid bucks in rebounding from heat sterility

*One question that has occurred to me in regards to the safety of raspberry for pregnant does: Since raspberry is often recommended for birth and labor support, and it has been recommended regularly as a way to induce labor, would it be safe for pregnant does for general immune support or for treating other issues, like diarrhea, when a rabbit is bred.

While there is not a clear yes or no answer, the body of information seems to indicate that the leaf is not necessarily an induction mechanism, but that it supports good reproductive muscle tone and function. In turn, this prepares the rabbit for good, steady contractions for a smoother delivery. So it seems that while it is a good support, the leaf is not likely on its own to cause labor in a rabbit that is not ready to deliver (such as one that is at her delivery date or overdue). That said, since we know that raspberry aids in kindling, you may want to take this into consideration for pregnant does. Having done the research, I am comfortable with raspberry leaf for meat rabbits at all ages and stages, including bred does.

Foraging and Gathering Raspberry for Meat Rabbits

Raspberry is a pretty prolific grower. It’s one of the more common and easier plants to forage. Of course, growing your own is an option, too.

One big advantage of raspberries is that you don’t need much space to grow a good patch. It will often do well in those slightly shady areas and spaces where it is difficult to plant other things.

Foraging for the parts your rabbits will use is easy. You’re going mostly for raspberry leaf, which you can just trim or pick off. You can also clip off canes and hang them upside down indoors until the leaves dry, then remove and store them.

Stems and non thorny canes (or canes with thorns removed), are beneficial too.

Some people simply clip end twigs and leaves, dry those, and feed them stem and all (which can also give rabbits something to chew on and reduce boredom).

You can keep the berries mostly for yourself, but in moderation, the rabbits can enjoy a few of those, too.

Saving and Storing Raspberry Leaf for the Off-Season

During the growing season, it’s easy to step outside and cut some raspberry leaves or canes to feed to your meat rabbits. But that doesn’t mean you can only use raspberry during the times of year when it is growing.

Raspberry leaf is easy to dry and will store well for use during the winter. Dried raspberry leaf is more portable, too, so drying some for some extra digestive or immune support during transports, sales, shows, or traveling is a smart idea.

To dry and save raspberry leaves, you have a few options:

• Cut canes with leaves, hang them to dry, and then remove and save the dried raspberry leaves
• Or, remove the leaves by picking them and either air-dry them on a screen (placed in a single layer and stirring every few days)
• Or dry them in a dehydrator (in a single layer, on low temp for 6 to 8 hours or until dry)
• Store in bags or in sealed glass canning jars
• Before storing, make sure the leaves are completely dry so they don’t mold
• This should only take a few days (if air drying)

Raspberry leaves are easy to forage, easy to prep and store, and great to have on hand all year round!

If You Don’t have a Raspberry to Forage

You can easily buy raspberry leaf online. This is perfectly safe to use with your rabbits, as it is sold as food grade.

You can also buy a bulk bag of raspberry leaf for a small amount of money. It is often sold as an ingredient for tea or as an herbal ingredient. Herb vendors and tea-making supply sites are good places to find raspberry leaf for sale.

Raspberry leaf is light but is often sold by weight, so a bulk one or half-pound bag will go a long way!

Another top trick of rabbit breeders is to buy raspberry tea from the grocery store (either loose leaf or tea bags). Just check the ingredient label to make sure the tea only contains raspberry, and that it does not contain other ingredients, preservatives, or sweeteners.

Other Parts of the Raspberry Plant You Can Feed to Meat Rabbits

In addition to raspberry leaf, rabbits can eat other parts of the raspberry plant, including

• Raspberry twigs or canes (see if you can avoid the more thorny portions)
• Raspberry stems
• Raspberry berries, in moderation -- no more than a few berries per adult rabbit per day, less for younger rabbits
• The berries are higher in sugars, which can cause issues for rabbits, so don’t overdo it, and they don’t need much
• Raspberries do offer vitamins and nutrients, but should be treated as a treat only, and never feed berries that are coated in sugar
• Avoid dried raspberries because the sugars are concentrated (and often there are added sugars, too)

Using Raspberry Leaf & Plant Parts for Meat Rabbits: Immune, Reproductive, Digestive Support & More

Disclaimer, Liability, and Cautions

As with all things, we need to state a disclaimer. New foods should be introduced to your meat rabbits gradually. All rabbits can react differently to different foods, just as all humans can. Feed at your own risk, as with any feed or supplement. We are not veterinarians, and this site cannot be held liable for the outcomes with your meat rabbits.

That said, this information has been thoroughly researched with an abundance of information gathered from hands-on rabbit raisers. We don’t share information we would not willingly incorporate into our own meat rabbit breeding programs.