Can they eat this tree leaves?

[Kirsty]

Hi, so my guinea pig runs are covered in leaves from this tree! Does anyone know what kind of tree it is? And is it safe for them to eat. It's only been planted a year roughly as it's in a new build area which is why it's quite a small tree I assume.

I haven't put my guinea pigs in their runs until I knew If it was safe or not for them to eat -otherwise I'll get the shovel!

Thanks

 

[Piggies&buns]

That’s a silver birch. A search online says it’s fine but I’d wait for somebody with specific knowledge on it!

 

[Eriathwen]

I feed my lot birch leaves they're safe. Although I usually give them fresh or dried and green, so being brown at this time of year they might not really want to eat them but it'll certainly do them no harm if they do take a nibble.

 

[Kirsty]

Is silver birch and bird the same thing? Sorry I'm not knowledgeable with these things haha! Would you say it's deffo a silver birch tree? As Google research is telling me they are ok x

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes it’s definitely silver birch - easily recognisable due to the white bark
Silver birch is one of the members of the birch family

 

[PigglePuggle]

Silver birch trees are interesting in that the hallucinogenic mushroom Amanita muscaria sometimes grows near the base... if you see mushrooms on the ground nearby take them away or prepare for some weird tripped out piggy antics and also probably some awful diarrhoea! Reindeer eat them with no ill effects but most other animals become intoxicated...

 

[Kirsty]

The tree isn't actually in my garden. It's just the leaves that blow over the fence