Diet
A good diet, as a general rule, should consist of 85% grass or feeding hay, 10% fresh greens and 5% good quality nuggets. Providing the food that mimics what rabbits would eat in the wild is vital and can help prevent boredom and illness. Rabbits evolved to eat grass for hours every day, supplemented with a wide variety of wild plants and vegetables. As domestic rabbits are fundamentally the same as their wild cousins, their diet and feeding behaviour should mimic that of wild rabbits as closely as possible. Fresh food can be a fun and inexpensive way of feeding your furry friends and can all be found or grown in your garden!
Hay :-
Fresh grass is preferable, but hay is a very good substitute and it’s available all year round. Hay should make up 85% of a rabbits diet, so it is essential to make sure they have a constant supply of fresh hay 24/7. Not only is hay important for providing vital nutrients, it also has other benefits including keeping their teeth and gut healthy. Rabbits' teeth grow throughout their lives, and they depend upon grass and hay to keep their teeth worn down naturally.
Good quality hay should be dry, sweet smelling and free from dust.
Hay can be found online, in pet shops and in local farm and livestock shops. You can put hay in their 'bedroom', in litter trays and feeding stations like hay racks.
Nuggets :-
Nuggets should make up only 5% of your rabbit's diet. Each nugget or pellet contains the same nutrients and helps provide a balanced diet. In the past, people used to feed their rabbits something call 'museli' or 'rabbit mix'. These are brightly coloured rabbit foods which can look very tasty, however they can encourage selective feeding where rabbits will only pick out their favourite bits and leave the rest. This means they don't get the balanced diet that is needed for maintaining their health.
Wild rabbits spend most of their day foraging for food; domestic rabbits should have the ability to do the same. You can use the nuggets to get your rabbit's nose working to forage around. Hiding their nuggets and scatter feeding is a good enrichment tool.
Fresh greens :-
The final part of a rabbit's diet is fresh plants and vegetables! Greens should make up 10% of your rabbit's diet. Please see the button below to open and download a printable PDF for a list of safe plants and vegetables to feed your rabbits, from greens you can find in your local supermarket to plants you can find in your garden. The PDF also contains a list of harmful plants to avoid.
When feeding your rabbits any new foods, please check the list or research online to see if it is safe to feed your furry friends. All plants and vegetables should be washed before being given and, if feeding plants from your garden, it is important to make sure that your rabbits' vaccinations are up to date.
Water :-
Rabbits must have access to plenty of fresh water at all times. You can provide water either from a water bottle or a water bowl. Water bowls are a more natural way for your rabbits to drink water but they can get spilled easily so providing both is recommended. Please ensure you refresh your rabbit's water daily and, if using water bottles, you give them a good clean at least once a week with a bottle brush to ensure algae doesn't grow.
