Domestic Animal Breeds

The Correct Diet for your Rabbit

As like us humans even rabbits need a good healthy diet in order to thrive. This does not mean lots of carrots like Bugs Bunny eats but rather a diet balanced with pellets, vegetables and hay.

Hay for rabbits, bunnies and or hares

Let’s start by talking about hay and why it is so important for your rabbit(s) to have in their everyday diets.

There are a few reasons why your rabbit, bunny and or hare need hay:

1: Roughage

Rabbits all get hairballs even those that have the shorter finer rabbit coats. Any animal with fur that cleans itself by licking at its coat is going to get some hair in their system.
Hair does not digest and will eventually cause blockages if it is not expelled either by coughing it up or getting it through their system.
Hay or even Apple tree twigs provide roughage for the rabbit and prevents their bodies system from clogging up. Much like fiber does for humans.

2: Teeth

A rabbit’s teeth never stop growing and if they do not get roughage such as that of Hay or once again apple twigs their teeth will eventually grow into their jaw. This causes all kinds of health issues for the rabbit and is rather painful.
Hay and or twigs help them to grind their teeth down and keep them as an acceptable length so the rabbit can eat and function properly.

There are all sorts of good quality hay and roughage products you can get for your rabbit(s), but it is best to ensure that it is organic and natural.

Pellets for rabbits, bunnies and or hares

Pellets are necessary for the rabbit as they provide the rabbit with a good source of nutrients and fiber that the rabbit needs.

A good rabbit pellet should contain at least 18% fiber but no more than 24% as you do not want to over flow the rabbit’s system with fiber either.

Bunnies need special bunny pellets like Alfalfa pellets whilst older rabbits can have the normal everyday rabbit pellets.

Always read the instructions or pellet content before buying them. And never buy more than a six-week supply of pellets at a time as contrary to what you may read, they do go off. Just like humans’ animals can also get sick from old stale food.

Older rabbits should not have to many pellets a day and their diets should only consist of around half a cup of pellets to 6 lbs. body weight.

Vegetables for rabbits, bunnies and or hares

Vegetables are important for all kinds of species including rabbits. They, like us, need fresh vegetables every day or every other day in their diets.

It is also advisable to give them two to three different vegetable types at a time too.

There are some vegetables that rabbits should not eat, and these are vegetables such as:

  • Beans
  • Rhubarb
  • Avocado
  • Light colored lettuce such as ice-berg lettuce
  • Silverbeet
  • Potatoes
  • Cauliflower

Here are some vegetables and herbs that your rabbit, bunny and or hare can eat and will love:

  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Flowers such as roses, pansies, hibiscus, nasturtiums
  • Cabbage
  • Summer Squash
  • Zucchini
  • Cucumber leaves
  • Arugula
  • Frisee Lettuce
  • Spinach
  • Turnip leaves
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Kale
  • Endive
  • Basil
  • Raspberry leaves
  • Cilantro
  • Dill Leave
  • Dandelion leaves
  • Mint
  • Watercress
  • Basil
  • Wheatgrass
  • Fennel
  • Red or green lettuces
  • Mustard greens
  • Swiss chard
  • Sprouts
  • Beet greens

Fruits that you can feed your rabbit, bunny and or hare as a treat

Fruit is full of carbs and should not exceed around 10% of the rabbits daily or every second day diet. Most fruit is more nutritious with the skin on for the rabbit but there are some exceptions to the rule. The fruits that you do leave the skin on for make sure you wash them to get rid of any harmful chemicals that may be on them.

For fruits like apples and plums try remove the pips as they can be harmful the rabbit.

Fruits you can feed to your rabbit, bunny and or hare:

  • Berries
  • Apricot
  • Currants
  • Pear
  • Peach
  • Papaya
  • Pineapple (no skins)
  • Apple (no pips or stems)
  • Plum
  • Mango
  • Kiwi
  • Banana (no skin)
  • Star fruit
  • Cherries
  • Melons (they can eat both skin and seeds)

Feeding the rabbit, bunny and or hare

Rabbits of different ages have different nutritional needs and should be fed a accordingly.
Here is a rough guide as to the feeding requirements of different age group sets:

General guide for feeding rabbits of all ages:

Hay

  • Ensure a good quantity of fresh hay one to two times a day. You may need to top up the hay during the course of the day especially in bigger hutches that hold a lot of rabbits. You can put at least four to five handfuls per rabbit.
  • This can be plain grass hay, apple twigs, timothy hay or any other hays that may be recommended for rabbits or your particular breed of rabbit
  • If rabbits are getting runny stools cut down on the pellets

Water

  • Make sure water bowls are cleaned each day
  • Fresh water should be given to the rabbit(s) each and every day
  • Water should be topped up at least once a day
  • Make sure there is enough water for the entire rabbit hutch

    • Pellets

    • Make sure there are dedicated food bowls or troughs only for the animals’ pellets
    • Keeping them separate will ensure no contamination to the pellets
    • Make sure the food bowls are always clean
    • There must be enough food bowls for the entire hutch
    • Give the rabbit(s) fresh food each day
    • Each rabbit should have at least ½ cup of pellets per 6 lbs. of body weight
    • Do NOT keep pellets for more than 6 weeks at a time

    Vegetables

    • Rabbits need fresh vegetables each day
    • They should have clean bowls for just their vegetables and enough of them for the entire hutch
    • Choose from the list above and ensure each rabbit has a minimum of 2 cups per body weight of 6 lbs. of chopped vegetables
    • Clear out vegetables that were not eaten from the previous day, so they do not go off or contaminate the fresh vegetables.
    • Old stale vegetables can have a negative impact on the rabbit’s health

    Fruit

    • Fruit is more of a treat for the rabbit(s)
    • Once again there should be clean fruit food bowels enough to accommodate each rabbit in the hutch.
    • Choosing from the list above they can have around 1 tablespoon per 6 lbs. body weight per rabbit.
    • Make sure stale fruit from the day before is cleared out of the bowel/hutch

    Feeding Senior Rabbits/Hares that are 6 years of age an over

    • For frail senior rabbits you can stick the normal adult rabbit feeding plan, but you may want to swap out the regular pellets with Alfalfa ones. They will still need their ½ cup per 6 lbs. body weight per rabbit.
    • Take all pips out of fruit and do not leave touch skins on any of them the can have 1 tablespoon per 6 lbs. body weight per rabbit.
    • They will still need their normal daily hay supply
    • Plenty of fresh clean water every day
    • 2 cups per 6 lbs. body weight per rabbit of vegetables

    Feeding Young adult to adult Rabbits/Hares that are 1 to 5 years of age an over

    • This age group need ½ cup per 6 lbs. body weight per rabbit of fresh pellets daily
    • 1 tablespoon per 6 lbs. body weight per rabbit of fresh fruit daily
    • Unlimited daily hay supply
    • Plenty of fresh clean water every day
    • 2 cups per 6 lbs. body weight per rabbit of vegetables

    Feeding Young Rabbits/Hares that are 7 months to 1 year of age an over

    • This age group need ½ cup per 6 lbs. body weight per rabbit of fresh pellets daily
    • And no more Alfalfa start to introduce them to hay like that of Timothy Hay.
    • Start slowly introducing vegetables to them you can start with about 1 t-spoon per rabbit of fresh vegetables daily
    • Start to introduce fruit with around 1 t-spoon per rabbit per day
    • Plenty of fresh clean water

    Feeding Baby (bunnies) Rabbits/Hares from birth to 6 months old

    • In their first 3 weeks of life they will only need their mother’s milk
    • From around 3 to 7 weeks of age you can start introducing the bunnies to Alfalfa pellets and normal pellets as well as their mother’s milk
    • From 7 weeks to a year they can have access to unlimited pellets or a mix of Alfalfa and pellets (best solution).
    • From 7 weeks they can start to have unlimited hay
    • No fruits or vegetables until they are at least 12 months old.
    • Plenty of fresh clean water every day

    If you are ever in doubt about pellets, fruit or vegetable check with your local pet supply store, rabbit farms, vets or animal shelters. They are sure to be able to help you with what is best for your breed of rabbit(s).
    Always ensure that your rabbits’ food and water is fresh each day so they can maintain their health

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