What do rabbits eat

Timothy hay pellets can be given to bunnies in small quantities. An average-sized pounds adult rabbit only needs one-quarter cup of pellets daily. If your rabbit is under five pounds, feed just one-eighth of a cup. Rabbits under one year old can be fed alfalfa pellets. Be sure to feed grass hay rather than alfalfa if you are feeding your young rabbit alfalfa pellets. Do not buy the rabbit pellets that have dried corn, nuts and seeds added, because those foods can potentially be very harmful for rabbits.

Rabbits count vegetables and herbs among their favorite foods. Most greens found in a supermarket are safe for rabbits, with a few limitations and exceptions. See the list of foods to avoid below. No more than two cups daily of fresh vegetables should be given to adult rabbits.

Dwarf breeds and rabbits under five pounds should get just one cup of fresh veggies per day. A variety of two or three vegetables is ideal.

Add one new vegetable at a time, and watch for signs of loose stool or diarrhea because, as mentioned above, bunnies have delicate digestive systems. Certain vegetables can be given every day, while others should be fed sparingly, one or two times a week. Do not feed your rabbit potatoes, corn, beans, seeds or nuts. Fruit should be given to your bunny one or two times a week. See our List of safe foods and plants page for what's safe, and Poisonous plants and foods to avoid to know what not to pick from your garden or you could even remove them altogether if your rabbits have free range time outside.

Fruit should be classed as a treat - even though it's nutritious, it's also high in sugar which can upset their stomachs causing an imbalance in the healthy gut bacteria, leading to serious problems such as obesity or death. Therefore it needs to be fed in moderation, roughly up to 2 tablespoons worth per day.

Rabbits have a sweet tooth and love treats. They would happily eat them all day instead of their hay so you must refuse their cute begging faces and make sure they get a balanced diet! They will readily take human food from you even though it is very bad for them, so please don't allow them to eat any human food or starchy goods such as bread, rice, potatoes, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, crisps etc.

Suitable treats for bunnies are small chunks of fruit and veg eg. Carrot, apple, broccoli, herbs. See our treats page for more examples. Rabbits should have access to fresh water all day every day. A ceramic dish is best as it's harder to tip over, and the more natural way they can drink from it compared to a bottle usually encourages them to drink more. Hay and grass keep your rabbit healthy by keeping the gut moving and preventing blockages and GI Stasis.

Chewing on hay grinds your rabbit's ever-growing teeth down to a safe level, preventing ulcers, abscesses and eye problems. Rabbits need to eat their body-size in fresh hay each day… continue reading. A rabbit's main diet is hay, but they can also enjoy fruit, vegetables, herbs, plants and weeds.

Here is a list of safe foods that bunnies can eat… continue reading. Diet What do rabbits eat? Common myths. Meal planner. Feeding tips.

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