parsnip leaves

Question
Hi there. I could not find any parsley at the store today so I bought parsely root and took the leaves from that bunch to feed my rabbits.. I'm reading now that parsley root.. aka parsnip is TOXIC? what about the leaves? i didn't give them the root. i'm taking the stuff away from them now but they forsure have eaten some. please help asap if possible.

Thanks

Answer
Dear Lauren,

I would not consider this an emergency.  Some sources say that parsnip leaves can be eaten in salads like celery, although others say they contain toxins.  If there are any toxins, they are not *acutely* toxic, and it's likely that a rabbit will be able to detoxify any remaining compounds effectively.  Domestic cultivars of parsnip contain far fewer problematic secondary metabolites (e.g., plant toxins) than their wild counterparts, so I would not worry.

That said, it might be best to stick to parsley, and not use parsnips for bunnies.  Cooking is required to deactivate some of the compounds in the root, and though these may not cause problems in small quantities, why worry when there are so many other great veggies to give them, as described here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

Hope that helps!

Dana