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Feeding your Rabbit
By Florence Hu
When I was a kid we ate the same few foods every day. My dad didn't cook - he could barely boil water! So when my older brother could drive, we pooled our lunch money and headed to Safeway. Wow... 12 aisles of epicurean delights! After weeks of binging on Hydrox we settled in to a healthy and varied diet. My dad didn't know what hit him.
Now consider food from the point of view of your pet rabbit. They can't shop, can’t pull greens out of the veggie bin in your refrigerator, and can't ask you for something different. At best, when mealtime becomes boring, they toss their food dish across the pen and stare at you with a look that says, "I disapprove".
Wild rabbits have a wide variety of plants at their disposal and are able to get all the nutrients they need from the environment. In our homes, it's up to us to build variety to keep our house rabbits healthy and prevent boredom. Who doesn't love a happy bunny that leaps with joy at the sight of a food dish!
Here are some guidelines for keeping your rabbit happy, well fed, and "funk" free:
Daily nutrition should consist of:
- 80 to 90%: Fresh Hay
- 10-20%: Greens (see list)
- Up to 5%: Optional Fruit Treats (see list)
Fresh Hay
Offer unlimited hay, available through most of the day, as bunnies are grazers.
Acceptable hay varieties include timothy, brome, Bermuda, or mixed orchard grass. Avoid alfalfa which is too high in calories and protein.
Greens
About 1 cup of greens per day for every three to four pounds of bunny. Some owners offer a handful or two twice a day, some only once. Try both and decide what works best for your bunny.
Healthy Greens for House Rabbits
- Alfalfa, radish & clover sprouts
- Basil §
- Beet greens (tops)
- Bok choy
- Broccoli (mostly leaves/stems) §
- Brussels sprouts
- Carrot & carrot tops*
- Celery (tops mostly)
- Cilantro
- Clover
- Collard greens §
- Dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides) §
- Endive
- Escarole
- Green peppers
- Lettuce: Romaine, Red or Green leaf (no iceberg or light colored leaf) §
- Mint
- Mustard greens §
- Pea pods (the flat edible kind) §
- Peppermint leaves
- Radicchio
- Radish tops
- Raspberry leaves
- Watercress §
- Wheat grass
Use Sparingly
* High in oxalates and may be toxic in large quantities over a period of time.
§ Contains vitamin A. Add gradually and eliminate if you spot soft stools or diarrhea.
Fruit Treats:
Up to 2 Tablespoons per 5 lbs. of body weight.
- Apple
- Blueberries
- Melon
- Orange
- Papaya
- Kiwi
- Peaches
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries (including leaves)
- Watermelon
Never ever feed your bunny processed sugary foods, cakes, cookies or any "human treats" as research suggests these are poisonous to your rabbit’s digestive tract.
Preparation:
Buy organic whenever possible. Wash greens thoroughly and remove any rotten sections. If the greens are not fresh enough for you to take a bite, don't feed them to your rabbit.
Optional Pellets:
Once considered a staple, pellets are now thought of as optional. If you wish to feed pellets, limit the quantity to 1 to 2 Tablespoons per day. Reduce or eliminate (gradually please) if your rabbit begins to look chunky. Look for a grass hay-based pellet consisting mostly of timothy hay. One manufacturer is Oxbow Inc.
If you are unsure about a food or have any questions, come see us at BUNS. If you are a first-time rabbit owner, we encourage you to attend one of our Basic Bunny classes, offered monthly.
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