a rabbit eating hay as part of their diet

If you think feeding your bunny will be a cinch, you may be surprised to learn that it's not that easy! Rabbits have a very delicate and complicated digestive system. This means the way you feed your bunny is very important.

Veterinary research has shown that many common rabbit conditions could be prevented by simply feeding the correct diet. Whether you have a young rabbit or a big bunny, it's essential to know what rabbits need to eat. Here's all you need to know about the dos and don'ts of feeding rabbits.

Why a Rabbit’s Diet is so Important

A rabbit's digestive system is designed to never be empty. It must constantly have food working its way through the intestines and stomach. This is only possible if rabbits have a high-fibre diet with moderate amounts of protein and low in carbohydrates.

What are the Effects of a Poor Diet in Rabbits?

Unfortunately, a poor diet can lead to common conditions like:

Some of these conditions can be fatal in just a few hours, making it even more important to ensure you give your rabbit the best possible diet.

If your rabbit stops eating, speak to your vet immediately for advice.

What Should I Feed My Rabbit?

It might be tempting to spoil your bunny with carrots, dandelions and other sweet treats, but pet rabbits should have the same diet as wild rabbits. Wild rabbits mainly eat grass and hay, making their diet very high in fibre.

Nowadays, lil bunnies and adult rabbits are fed too much concentrated mix. An ideal balanced diet should be made up of 80% hay and grass, 15% fresh greens and 5% pellets or nuggets.

Selective Feeding in Rabbits and How to Avoid It

Rabbits fed a concentrated mix tend to pick out their favourite bits. This is called selective feeding, but these bits are usually high in sugar and low in fibre.

To avoid selective feeding, feed your rabbit pellets or nuggets instead. They're high in fibre and nutritionally balanced for good digestive health, but must still be fed in moderation.

How Much Pellets to Feed My Rabbit?

Rabbits should have around 1 level tablespoon of pellets per kg of ideal bodyweight every day. The rest of their diet should consist of an unlimited amount of hay and grass, and some fresh vegetables - a pile of veg the size of their own body each day should do the trick.

Avoid sugary rabbit treats from pet shops as they have poor nutritional value.

And don't forget to give your bunny access to clean water at all times. Ideally, in a heavy, ceramic water bowl that can't be tipped over, a bottle is fine, but a bowl is naturally easier for them. Give them fresh water a couple of times a day, and more often when it's hot, so they don't run out, and when it's cold, when the water may freeze.

What About Rabbit Feeding Hay?

So, what sort of hay should you feed your rabbit? Generally, hay sold in bales for horses is of better quality than the bagged hay you'll find in a pet shop. Good fresh hay will smell sweet, be dry and mould-free, but not dusty.

Don't store it in bags, as it sweats and goes mouldy, especially in warmer weather; instead, store it somewhere dry and out of direct sunlight.

When feeding hay, use a rabbit hay feeder to keep it from getting dirty with droppings or urine.

Can You Feed Rabbits Grass?

Ideally, your bunny should be allowed to graze on fresh grass in your garden in a secure run for a few hours every day. But this isn't always possible; you can get around this by growing grass in pots or trays. Or you can let the grass in your garden grow long and pick some every day for your rabbit to nibble on. Packs of freeze-dried grass are also available from pet shops.

Grass must always be eaten freshly cut. NEVER give your bunny lawnmower clippings, as they ferment quickly and can cause tummy upsets.

How to Get Your Bunny Interested in Eating Grass

Sometimes rabbits aren't very keen on grass or hay, but don't worry, there are ways of encouraging your bunny to eat both of these.

You can tempt them with a toy, chop it into small pieces, and mix it into their pellets or veggies. There are different types of hay; your bunny may prefer one type to another.

Hay can be soft, coarse, long-stranded, short-stranded, green or brown; some even contain wildflowers and herbs, which may well tempt them to give it a taste.

What Vegetables and Greens Do Rabbits Eat?

We all know that veggies are good for us, and they're good for our bunnies, too! You can give your rabbit some fresh veg and greens every day. A variety of these will keep your rabbit interested in their food.

However, while your thumper will probably like most veggies, it's worth mentioning that some veggies might not always like them.

Good Vegetables to Feed Rabbits

Among other options, rabbits love natural foods like these, which is great because they are very good for them too:

  • Broccoli
  • Celery
  • Clover
  • Parsley
  • Coriander

Vegetables to Avoid with Your Rabbit

It's hard to think of vegetables as being harmful. But the organic treats in your pantry or fridge don't always offer your bunny the same nutritional value they do for us.

Don't believe the cartoons. Carrots and sugary fruits aren't very nutritious for bunnies; they're high in sugar, so they should be avoided.

Dark leafy greens like kale, spring greens, and dandelions are high in calcium, so they should be fed in moderation. They shouldn't be fed to your bunny if they have a urinary or bladder problem.

Always wash vegetables and greens before you give them to your rabbit. And only give your bunny fresh veggies. If there are any signs of wilting or they've gone off, just throw them away!

Want more information on which organic goodies your bunny can and can't chow down on? Then check out our collection of helpful guides: 

  1. What Can Rabbits Eat... Part One
  2. What Can Rabbits Eat... Part Two
  3. What Can Rabbits Eat... Part Three

Can You Feed Your Rabbit Commericial Mixes?

Your rabbit doesn't NEED a mix. They're generally healthier if fed just hay, grass and vegetables.

However, some owners feed their rabbits a commercial mix. Some are made from extruded feed, where the pieces of food all look the same, and others are made from a blend of different types of dried cereals and vegetables.

If you decide to feed your rabbit a dried cereal and veg mix, leave the food in their bowl until most of it has been eaten to prevent selective feeding.

If you're unsure how much to feed your rabbit, check the feed packaging for recommended amounts. Weigh it out to avoid overfeeding, as this can lead to obesity and bladder problems.

rabbit diet of hay

What Should I Do if I Need to Change My Rabbit’s Diet?

If you do, it's important to do this very slowly, ideally over a couple of weeks. This will give your rabbit's digestive system time to adjust to the changes. If you want to move your rabbit onto a healthy diet, feed them hay, grass and greens. If you're feeding a mix, change it to high-fibre pellets or nuggets. Grass and greens should be introduced gradually to prevent tummy upsets and diarrhoea.

How to Safely Change Your Rabbit's Diet

When changing your rabbit's diet, mix new foods into the same feeding bowl with their usual food in small amounts.

Do this for 3 to 4 days. If your rabbit seems to be happily accepting the new diet, gradually increase the quantity of new food over the next week or so and reduce the old food until they're eating 100% of their new food.

Make diet changes very slowly and in small amounts at first, and always keep an eye out for any changes in their eating behaviour, such as:

These could be a sign of a potential problem, which means you may need to act quickly. If in doubt, ask your vet for advice.

Everypaw Rabbit Insurance

Here at Everypaw, we want to help you keep your bunny healthy and in tip top shape. So, when it comes to your young rabbit’s care, Everypaw’s Rabbit Insurance could be just the cover to look after your little thumper.

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Lapis - https://www.vetlexicon.com/lapis/

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

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