Dried poppy heads in hay UD/ photo - ideas?

Got another bale of hay, it's got some gorgeous wild plants in it like dried clover but others I don't recognise like a gorgeous purple petal and dried green leaves.

But, I've also found what I think to be dried poppy heads/seed cases (unless another flower is very similar looking). As I understand from Medirabbit and another website, poppies are poisonous. Is this just the petals and fresh poppies meaning the 'poison' wanes when it has been dried out, or does it remain whatever?

Dotdot wrote:Got another bale of hay, it's got some gorgeous wild plants in it like dried clover but others I don't recognise like a gorgeous purple petal and dried green leaves.

But, I've also found what I think to be dried poppy heads/seed cases (unless another flower is very similar looking). As I understand from Medirabbit and another website, poppies are poisonous. Is this just the petals and fresh poppies meaning the 'poison' wanes when it has been dried out, or does it remain whatever?

Poppies are poisonous to rabbits and I think all part's of it but they may not be poppies.

This is always handy to have in your favourites list http://www.jspca.org.je/pets_toxins_info.html

Hudad found Poppy in a big pile of hay earlier. He knew she is a drama queen but he didn't think she was poisonous

Father Jack wrote:Hudad found Poppy in a big pile of hay earlier. He knew she is a drama queen but he didn't think she was poisonous

I don't think theres another that would look the same I would query it

Thanks Maysie, yeah I thought they were poisonous but some lists weren't very comprehensive.
As you said it may not be poppies, will try and get a photo, they are fairly small. It's always so hard to decipher things when they've been dried out!

Father Jack, that's a poppy I wouldn't mind finding!

Here's a photo. I've realised they aren't scaled very well, the board there is probably half an inch thick. So these heads are fairly small and as you can see some are tiny so was wondering if they're too small for poppies?

Any thoughts on other plants like this?
I will check out some plant identification websites too and see what I find.




Tomorrow I will have the task of dissecting the bale and pulling all of these out!

I'm like 95% sure they are poppy seeds. Here is a URL that has a similar picture. I think it is the seeds that are so toxic for rabbits.
http://www.growingthehomegarden.com/2009/07/poppy-seed-harvesting.html

they are poppy seeds hun I would not give the buns that hay I had poppies growing in my garden but kept pulling them out I've not seen any for a year or so now

I thought so thank you both.

I will be going through the bale and pulling them all out, I only just got this bale too and it was a mission to find anywhere that had some!

Where did you get the hay from? My understanding is that Poppies are not only poisonous to rabbits but also to horses so the hay would not be suitable for them. I would be tempted to return the hay. Those are definitely poppy seed heads - I would guess from their straight sides (rather than round globe shape) that it is a common red poppy.

cheryl'n'bruce'flo wrote:Where did you get the hay from? My understanding is that Poppies are not only poisonous to rabbits but also to horses so the hay would not be suitable for them. I would be tempted to return the hay. Those are definitely poppy seed heads - I would guess from their straight sides (rather than round globe shape) that it is a common red poppy.

Cheryls got a good point, they might not even realise.

Plus, the time it will take you to do it you may as well buy bags elsewhere for a bit more and not have to sift through it all.

I got it from a farm supplies shop 40 minutes away. The place I got the last bale from which was gorgeously green, unforunately ran out until the next harvest . Ive been to so many places throughout norfolk and suffolk so I'm setting myself even further afar with this place (still norfolk though), who knew I'd struggle finding good hay living in farmer land!!

I emailed them this morning to let them know as I too understood they're poisonous to most animals. They were surprised to hear it as they've used the supplier for years and they've always had good clean bales, I also mentioned there being lots of stalks, roots,dirt and huge green weeds. Apart from the stuff in there I can tell it would otherwise be a good bale.

They've offered me to take it back and get a replacement bale. They're getting more in Monday so they're going to take a look at them all to make sure they're better before I spend an hour and twenty minutes travelling.

Mum has popped out to the doctors so will get a couple of bags to last the weekend.

Cannot fault them on their customer service though.

And that goes a long way doesn't it? I can cope with the odd bad batch of hay as long as the seller is willing to admit to a problem and act appropriately.

It's great that you have warned them and they are going to act on it

I hope no bales have gone to any animal servants who are not as on the ball as you

cheryl'n'bruce'flo wrote:And that goes a long way doesn't it? I can cope with the odd bad batch of hay as long as the seller is willing to admit to a problem and act appropriately.

absolutely