This is my post for #freewriters 2848 prompt rank it! hosted by @mariannewest
Rudy's stomach issues are back to normal, and he is no longer constipated. Constipation is one of the top problems when it comes to a rabbit's health, and it can be deadly.
Every day while I clean his litter box and take the old grasses he did not eat out of the cage, I will set a carrot in the "window" of his house and he will eat it and go back to sleep for another hour or two.
Yesterday I tried once again to give him celery instead of a carrot. He wasted no time running out of his house and boxing my hand. He also had a few words to say to me. I wish I knew what he is saying, or maybe I don't want to know. I never knew rabbits could make a noise.
I call it talking because he will run right up to me and start squeaking. I will move to the other end of his cage, and he will run to where I am and squeak at me some more.
They say rabbits don't eat the bottom part of a carrot in the wild because they are underground, so they only eat the tops. Whether rabbits eat them or not, Rudy loves carrots. So a carrot, if I had to rank it! would be his favorite food. I even gave him a few blueberries, and he went for the carrot first.
We saw a wild rabbit eating the flowers from this weed, so I researched it before cutting it for Rudy.
It is called Bidens alba, but some call it Spanish needle. I have always called it a pain to get rid of. But now that I have researched it, I am finding it is a beneficial weed.
It is used to treat inflammation, arthritis, eczema, and skin infections. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties, and is used to treat colds, flu, and urinary tract infections. Some studies show that it may have anticancer properties, and it could inhibit the growth of cancer cells. It is used to help with urination and flush out toxins. I do not know how you use it for these things.
But you can make a poultice from the leaves and put it on a wound, it helps with healing and scarring. It is also said to treat MRSA. It can also help your immune system.
Bidens Alba has been used safely and effectively in traditional medicine for centuries. In Jamaica, they make a tea from the leaves (or the flowers soaked in rum) for colds and toothaches. I think the rum would help, A LOT. The flowers are also edible.
Not a very good picture, but this is why I hated this weed. I have always called it Preacher's lice. Every flower will turn into these little burrs. When you brush up against it, they stick to your clothes, not in a cluster like in the picture, but each little sticker gets you.
I need to research every weed on my property. There is no telling how many weeds I have that are good weeds. Another weed I found was Chamber Bitter, and I found it can help people who suffer from kidney stones. As far as Bidens Alba goes, how would you rank it? photos are mine