To help your rabbits live a long and healthy life, their diet should be as natural and varied as possible.
Hay makes up 85% of their diet. Your rabbits will need a constant supply of soft, long, green, sweet-smelling hay added fresh in their enclosure for them to graze on. Place it in large piles around their enclosure, in large trays, inside/on top of hiding spaces and in hay racks. It’s also great for helping to keep their teeth healthy. Offer a mixture of varieties such as:
Avoid short, brown or yellow, dusty or musty smelling hay as it is not very nutritional and may harm your rabbits.
10% of your rabbits diet should be made up of a selection of safe plants – these can be plants and herbs safely grown and foraged from your garden, or even bought from your local supermarket. Vegetables can be fed too, however these should be fed in small amounts and introduced to your rabbits carefully for the first time to avoid any digestive issues. See the list below for all the healthy fresh foods you can pick and grow for your rabbits.
Leafy greens and safe plants should make up around 10% of your rabbits’ diet.
Vegetables can be fed too, but only in small amounts and in moderation. They shouldn’t be the main part of this portion.
It’s important to remember that most fruit and vegetables aren’t normally part of a rabbit’s diet: naturally, rabbits feed on large quantities of hay and grass and a wide variety of wild weeds, herbs and bark.
Feeding any of the vegetables below in large or regular amounts can lead to digestive, urinary or weight issues, so they’re best mixed in with a variety of fresh forage. Always introduce any new vegetable gradually and in small amounts to avoid digestive upset.
Some vegetables, including cauliflower leaves, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, can cause wind, so feed these in moderation and keep a close eye on your rabbit the first few times you offer them.
Yes, but only in small amounts. Carrots are high in sugar and fattening, so should only be given as an occasional treat rather than a staple vegetable.
Yes. Both the florets and stalks are safe, but should only be fed in moderation as it can cause gas and bloating.
Yes, in moderation. It’s nutritious but high in oxalates and calcium, so only feed in small amounts. It shouldn’t make up the bulk of their greens.
Yes. Kale is a nutritious leafy green and is safe for rabbits, but should only be fed in moderation as it can cause gas and bloating.
Yes, all three are safe for rabbits. However, all brassica vegetables can cause gas and bloating if given in large quantities, so they shouldn’t make up a large portion of your rabbit’s daily 10% of leafy greens and should only be fed in small amounts.
For rabbits that have had digestive issues previously, these vegetables are best avoided.
Their remaining diet (5%) is made up of a good-quality pellet food such as Burgess Excel Rabbit Nuggets. The amount needed for each rabbit will vary – read the food packet carefully to work out how much you will need to feed your rabbits, monitor your rabbits’ weights and adjust the amount of food you give accordingly.
Daily fresh water is extremely important. Many rabbits prefer to drink from a bowl – bottles are suitable but can often leak and be tricky to clean. It can also result in rabbits drinking less water than if they were given a bowl.
You should avoid all muesli-style feeds, as they’ve been proven to be one of the most common causes of fatal dental and digestive disease. Colourful treats, sticky honey-based treats, salt licks and mineral blocks can all be harmful to your rabbit and are unnecessary. If you’re feeding a good quality, natural diet, you’ll not require any form of supplements.
There are a few other plants, fruits and vegetables to avoid feeding your rabbits:
When it comes to giving your rabbits a tasty treat, steer clear of brightly coloured, sweet treats that are sold for rabbits as these tend to be high in sugar leading to a number of health issues including obesity. Instead, you can give them an occasional healthy treat such as a small piece of apple, pear or even carrot.
Foraging for your rabbits is a cost-effective and organic way of feeding them. Some forage, like stinging nettles and rose petals, can be dried out and given as treats later in the year. Other plants such as vegetables or soft leaves like mallow can be fed on the day.
You can feed your rabbits plenty of different garden plants and herbs when they’re in season. Here are some examples:
The twigs and branches of several trees are a great source of enrichment for your guinea pigs. You can put large branches inside their run and bundle up the smaller twigs and tie them to the sides of the run. Here are some examples:
First thing, don’t panic! It is known that grapes are toxic for some of our other pets such as dogs. Fortunately, rabbits have a much higher tolerance for the chemicals in grapes which can cause some problems in other pets, so if they are accidentally fed them, then they should be fine, just watch out for some sticky faeces a day or so afterwards.
Rabbits in general should not be fed fruits as they are high in sugar and they would not naturally eat them in the wild. It is therefore better to keep their diet as natural as possible. Instead, if you have some growing at home, try offering them a healthier treat of some strawberry leaves, blackberry leaves and raspberry leaves – they will love them!
For a more natural and varied approach to your rabbit’s diet, read our guide to foraging for rabbits.
You should avoid all muesli-style feeds, as they’ve been proven to be one of the most common causes of fatal dental and digestive disease. Colourful treats, sticky honey based treats, salt licks and mineral blocks can all be harmful to your rabbit and are unnecessary. If you’re feeding a good quality, natural diet, you’ll not require any form of supplements.
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