BUNNY NUTRITION

Daily Diet

Before getting a pet rabbit you need to know the daily basics that come with bringing one into your home. A huge misconception about rabbits is their love of carrots and lettuce. While it’s true that rabbits enjoy carrots and lettuce, it is important that you don’t overdo it with these as they are more of a treat than a major part of their diet. Making sure you have the correct type of lettuce is also a must when it comes to the health and safety of your bunny.

But first, what SHOULD your bunny be eating every day?

Hay!

Rabbits should have unlimited hay at all times because they constantly graze, much like horses. All rabbits should consistently have grass hay, whether that’s Timothy, Orchard or brome, to munch on throughout the day to keep their digestive system healthy and moving. If there are healthy poops your bunny is well on their way to a healthy life! Young rabbits can have Alfalfa hay but it should only be given to adult rabbits sparingly. Alfalfa hay is high in calcium and protein which is wonderful for a growing rabbit but could cause complications in adult rabbits such as urinary sludge and/or stones.

All right, your rabbit now has plenty of fresh hay to eat during the day, but what else can you give them?

Pellets

While pellets are often used for variation in a bunnies diet it is important to give the correct amount and kind. There are dozens of rabbit pellets on the market that are actually not correct to feed your pet. Look for a type of pellet whose main ingredient is Timothy hay for adult rabbits or Alfalfa hay for young rabbits. Make sure the pellets don’t contain corn or seeds as this can cause blockage in a rabbits digestive tract that can be life threatening. Most name brand pellets found in pet stores have what many rabbit vets call “junk food” included with pellets and should not be given to rabbits at all.

Unlike hay, pellets should be given only once a day and should be kept to a small amount. The general idea is to give 1/4 cup of pellets per 6 lbs. of body weight per day. For young/baby rabbits you should follow the same guideline.

Our go-to for all hay and pellets is Oxbow which can be found at most pet stores!

Okay, we have hay and pellets for our bunnies checked off the list, now we can get on to the fun stuff!

Treats

Treats cover a wide variety of things from biscuits that you get from the pet store to fresh fruit. Fresh fruit is always the best option as long as it’s given in small amounts. From our experience “bunny crack,” aka banana, is almost always a huge success. When it comes to the processed fun-shaped snacks you can buy at the store, make sure you read the ingredients carefully and steer clear of anything that contains milk, yogurt or dairy. Also look out for seed treats that are marketed towards bunnies, as they are not safe as mentioned. Keep a lookout for anything containing bread and grains as this can cause gas and lead towards other stomach issues.

This list was approved by the House Rabbit Society:

Leafy Greens I (need to be rotated due to oxalic acid content and only 1 out of 3 varieties of greens a day should be from this list)

• Parsley

• Spinach

• Mustard greens

• Beet greens

• Swiss chard

• Radish tops

• Sprouts (from 1 to 6 days after sprouting, sprouts have higher levels of alkaloids)

Leafy Greens II (low in oxalic acid)

• Arugula

• Carrot tops

• Cucumber leaves

• Endive

• Ecarole

• Frisee Lettuce

• Kale (all types)

• Mache

• Red or green lettuce

• Romaine lettuce

• Spring greens

• Turnip greens

• Dandelion greens

• Mint (any variety)

• Basil (any variety)

• Watercress

• Wheatgrass

• Chicory

• Raspberry leaves

• Cilantro

• Radicchio

• Bok Choy

• Fennel (the leafy tops as well as the base)

• Borage leaves

• Dill leaves

• Yu choy

NON-LEAFY VEGETABLES

These should be no more than about 15 % of the diet (About 1 tablespoon per 2 lbs of body weight per day).

• Carrots

• Broccoli (leaves and stems)

• Edible flowers (roses, nasturtiums, pansies, hibiscus)

• Celery

• Bell peppers (any color)

• Chinese pea pods (the flat kind without large peas)

• Brussel sprouts

• Cabbage (any type)

• Broccolini

• Summer squash

• Zucchini squash

FRUITS

These should be no more than 10% of the diet (about 1 teaspoon per 2 lbs of body weight per day). NOTE: unless otherwise stated it is more nutritious to leave the skin on the fruit (particularly if organic), just wash thoroughly. IF you are in doubt about the source of the fruit and you are concerned about chemicals in the skin, then remove it.

• Apple (any variety, without stem and seeds)

• Cherries (any variety, without the pits)

• Pear

• Peach

• Plum (without the pits)

• Kiwi

• Papaya

• Mango

• Berries (any type, uncooked)

• Pineapple (remove skin)

• Banana (remove peel; no more than about two 1/8 inch slices a day for a 5 lb. rabbit…they LOVE this!)

• Melons (any – can include peel and seeds)

• Star Fruit

• Apricot

• Currants

• Nectarine

All in all we hope this answered many of your questions regarding rabbit diet and helped you better understand the importance of the digestive concerns regarding house rabbits.