The texture of rabbit pellets is all the same, which can get boring for domesticated rabbits. Therefore, your pet rabbit should be fed hay and other foods to ensure a varied and interesting diet. Wil rabbits will eat different kinds of vegetables in the wild, especially green ones like kale and amaranth.
Wild rabbits will also eat wild berries and other fruits that they happen to find while they forage. But they do not typically have access to veggies like carrots as domesticated rabbits do. Domestic rabbits should replicate their wild diets as close as possible, so carrots and other veggies not usually found in the wild should be offered to them sparingly. In addition to occasional treats of carrots, domestic rabbits should be offered a variety of dark leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, watercress, cilantro, and beet greens daily in addition to the pellets and hay they get.
They can also be offered greens higher in calcium like kale, collards, and parsley, a couple of times a week. Fruits such as berries, bananas, apples, and melons can be offered sparingly.
In the wild rabbits spend all their time foraging for food and will eat however much they need to fulfill their daily nutritional needs. In captivity, rabbits can eat too much and become obese, because they are not nearly as active as wild rabbits are.
As with humans, treats are at the top of the food pyramid for bunnies and therefore should be fed sparingly. Healthy treats for your bunny include small pieces of fresh or freeze-dried fruit the approved fruits listed above ; natural, unprocessed mixes that include hay and dried flowers the approved flowers listed above ; and Oxbow brand rabbit treats.
Always read the ingredient list on store-bought treats because not all of them are safe for bunnies. Avoid treats that include added sugar, preservatives and artificial coloring, and never give your rabbit human treats. Some foods are not good for rabbits under any circumstances because they can make rabbits extremely sick.
Here are foods to avoid giving your bunny completely:. Finally, rabbits need to stay hydrated, so they should have an unlimited supply of fresh water, which should be changed daily. The water container should be cleaned with soap and water every few days. Water bottles are not easy to clean and can be difficult for rabbits to use, so bowls are better.
Additional rabbit info and resources. About Best Friends Animal Society: A leader in the no-kill movement, Best Friends runs the nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals, as well as lifesaving programs in collaboration with thousands of partners nationwide working to Save Them All.
Join us to Save Them All. Rabbits should be fed the types of food they are adapted to eating. In the wild, rabbits eat predominantly grass. They may graze for up to hours a day. Their whole digestive tract from their teeth right down to the end of their gastrointestinal tract is adapted to this diet and eating pattern.
Providing grass or grass hay to pet rabbits is critical to maintain health. The high fibre content of grass and grass hay is crucial for normal digestion. If the diet is too low in fibre, fatal digestive problems can occur — another common problem in pet rabbits.
Foraging for and chewing on grass or grass hay also helps to increase activity levels and prevent boredom and behavioural problems [ 1 ]. J, Meredith, A. Various types of dry and fresh grasses and plants with leaves comprise the largest portion of the wild rabbit diet. Rabbits will also eat bark on trees, tender twigs and sprouts, fruits, seeds and other nutritious foods in much small amounts.
This is important to know when we decide what is a healthy diet for our house rabbits. The majority of the house rabbit diet should be composed of grass hay any variety. Grass hay is rich in Vitamin A and D as well as calcium, protein and other nutrients. Eating hay promotes healthy teeth and gastrointestinal tract and should be available to your rabbit at all times. Varying the type of grass hay or mixing hays is a great idea such as timothy, orchard, oat hay, brome, etc. Avoid the use of alfalfa hay as the primary source of hay due to the fact it is very high in calories and protein, far more than the average house rabbit needs.
Alfalfa is not a grass, but rather a legume in the pea and bean family. Fresh foods also provide more moisture in the diet, which is good for kidney and bladder function. Any leafy green that is safe for a human or a horse to eat is safe for a rabbit to consume. An approximate amoun t to feed would be around 1 cup of greens for 2 lbs of rabbit body weight once a day or divided into multiple feedings a day. Many plants contain a naturally occurring chemicals called an alkaloids, which are mild toxins that protect plant in the wild.
The one most talked about with rabbits is oxalic acid and it is completely harmless to animals or humans when consumed in small amounts.
The amount of oxalic acid within each plant can vary significantly due to several factors including the composition of the soil the plant grew in, the time of year and the age of the plant. Most of the fresh vegetables we feed rabbits have a low to zero level of oxalic acid, but a few, most notably parsley, mustard greens and spinach have relatively high levels.
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