So you either have a got yourself a rabbit already or you are thinking of going out and getting one. Well, like all creatures on this earth they need to eat! So what do Rabbits eat? You had better put away that big juicy steak because rabbits are full blown herbivores! Our furry vegetarian companions need a quality diet mainly consisting of grass or hay, pellets and veg with the occasional fruit as a treat. Looking after a rabbit doesn’t have to be a full time job, if you get into the right cleaning routine and if you learn the proper health requirements and what rabbits eat you can look after your bunny with just a few minutes per day.
Rabbits Eat Hay and Grass
Rabbits really need to have access to fresh grass or straw at all times. Rabbits can have sensitive digestive systems and grass or hay provides vital roughage that prevents any blockages. There are many other benefits of giving your rabbit hay:
- Giving your rabbit grass and/or hay can reduce the dangers of hairballs (unlike cats, rabbits can’t vomit hair balls up which leaves them susceptible to blockages).
- Giving your rabbit grass and/or hay helps prevent overgrown teeth
- Giving your rabbit grass and/or hay helps prevent obesity
- Giving your rabbit grass and/or hay helps prevent dental disease
- Giving your rabbit grass and/or hay helps prevent diarrhea
- Giving your rabbit grass and/or hay helps prevent Boredom
The most ideal hay for your rabbits is known as “timothy hay”. Timothy Hay is recommended by vets for herbivores such as guinea pigs, chinchillas and rabbits because of its high fiber, low protein and low calcium content, which is ideal for small vegetarian animals.
Rabbits Eat Pellets
Rabbit’s will always want more pellets! The average rabbit will need ¼ to ½ a cup of pellets each day however a rabbit’s diet should not consist of only pellets. Look for a pellet that is high in fiber but low in protein and calcium (like timothy hay). You will want to go for a brand that focuses mainly on the pellet and not filler like dried fruit, corn, seeds and nuts. Fiber is essential to a rabbits digestive system so make sure you read the ingredient list and ensure your rabbit gets the basic vitamins to ensure all around good health!
Rabbits Eat Vegetables
Veggies are super important! There is a reason bugs bunny is always chomping on a carrot! The average rabbit that is over 12 weeks of age will require around 2 cups of vegetables per day.
As a general guide you should give your rabbit 2 different types of vegetables from this list:
- Alfalfa, Radish & Clover Sprouts
- Basil
- Bok Choy
- Brussel Sprouts
- Celery
- Cilantro
- Clover
- Escarole
- Green Peppers
- Mint
- Peppermint Leaves
- Radicchio
- Radish Tops
- Raspberry Leaves
- Wheat Grass
To ensure your rabbit eats enough Vitamin A, make sure your bunny eats one of these vegetables each day also:
- Beet Greens (Tops)
- Broccoli (Mostly leaves/stems)
- Carrot & Carrot Tops
- Collared Greens
- Dandelion Greens & Flowers (No pesticides)
- Endives
- Parsley
- Pea Pods (the flat edible kind)
- Romaine Lettuce (No iceberg or light-colored leaf)
- Watercress
Rabbits Eat Fruits
Often with household pets it becomes tempting to give them a treat. This is all well and good but these treats often tend to be human treats such as chocolate! Unfortunately for rabbits, too much sugar can be a big problem for them! Fruits are an excellent alternative to other pet treats and they can also be used during training for positive reinforcement. Fruits should be given to your rabbit leniently and only as a treat but the following list are great options:
- Apples (Make sure there are no seeds or stems)
- Blueberries
- Melon
- Orange (Peel the orange first)
- Papaya
- Peach
- Pear
- Pineapple
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Bananas (Careful with these, they are sugary)
- Grapes (Careful with these, they are sugary)
Rabbits eat Chew toys Rabbits love to chew! In the wild rabbits are constantly digging and chewing and without these habits they are going to get some long teeth and claws. If you have a house rabbit, and you haven’t already purchased some chew toys, no doubt you will already be seeing nibble marks on furniture and cables around the home.
What not to feed Rabbits
Whilst it is really important to feed your rabbit the right foods it is almost more important to not feed your rabbits the wrong things! Unfortunately rabbits are a bit like little children, they don’t know what foods are bad for them and they will eat lollies and sweets until the cows come home! The problem is rabbits actually have very delicate and sensitive digestive systems that mean you have to keep the sweets to an absolute minimum!
As a general rule of thumb make sure your rabbit stays clear of the following foods:
- High carbohydrate foods such as chocolate, bread, potato’s and/or potato peals or pasta’s.
- Lettuce – This one may come as a shock to some people but with the exception of a few types of lettuce you should steer clear completely. Lettuce causes diarrhea for your rabbit and cause a buildup of gas (which rabbits can’t expel) which may even kill your rabbit. Clovers also have this same effect on our fluffy friends so steer clear of these when your bunny is in the garden!
- If you let your rabbit roam free in the garden then make sure they don’t eat any of the following flowers: Bulbs such as Tulips, Poppies, Arum Lilies, Deadly Nightshade, Daffodils, Jasmines, Ivy, Foxglove, Delphiniums, Honeysuckle, Hemlock, Primulas, Bluebells, Fairy Primrose, Snowdrops, Buttercups, Anemonies, Iris, Larkspur and Dahlia.
- Some other things your rabbit should steer clear of include mown/cut grass and mice or hamster pellets. Too much fruit or vegetable can also be bad for your rabbit as they can be difficult to digest in large quantities.
What Do Wild Rabbits Eat?
These days if someone thinks about a rabbit there is a good chance they think of a cute fluffy little thing hiding in a nice warm hutch! Whilst this is true let”s not forget about all of the rabbits in the wild! Despite our list of what do rabbits eatit just isn”t feasible for the average wild hare to jump in the car and go down to the local pet store to purchase some high fiber pellets or timothy hay! So what do wild rabbits eat? To answer this question we need to take a quick look at the habitat of the wild rabbit.
Wild rabbits can usually be found in grassland and meadows. Because of this they love to eat dandelion and all sorts of wild plants. In particular wild rabbits eat flowers, wild grasses, weeds, vegetables, herbs and even wood! Wild rabbits are very good at detecting what they should and shouldn”t eat themselves which means they have quite a varied diet.
Wild rabbits can also enjoy the same sort of diet that a domesticated one can! That means all kinds of vegetables, fruits (on occasion), hay, plenty of grass and if you give them a chance they will clear out your veggie garden! I have heard a few stories of people finding wild rabbits in their back yards (munching on their gardens) and then taking them in as house rabbits. This can end badly for all concerned as wild rabbits can be quite aggressive when caged and are likely to challenge any domesticated rabbits you may have! Leave them in the wild where they belong and enjoy your house bunny instead.
