Fresh food – an adult-sized handful of leafy greens, vegetables and herbs twice daily. Nuggets – just one tablespoon of rabbit nuggets once daily (or twice daily if your rabbits weigh over 3.5kg). Water – constant access to clean, fresh drinking water.
Rabbits are herbivores who munch and crunch all day long. These nibblers have a specialized digestive system that allows them to process food efficiently, but they can't eat everything. If a rabbit overeats a new food or consumes something they shouldn't, they can become very sick and possibly die.
Feeding takes place mainly in the early morning, evening and at night – this is because in the wild this is when the rabbit is safest from predators, and many owners notice this pattern in their pet rabbits.
Fruit should be given as a special treat. Also provide them with plenty of fresh water. Rabbits are natural grazers, and it is very normal to see them eating at all times throughout the day.
Rabbits are herbivores. They will graze on herbaceous plants like grass and clover all the time. As they are crepuscular with nocturnal leanings, wild rabbits graze at dawn, dusk, and night. Digesting so much fiber requires chambered stomachs like cows do or long intestines.
Overeating can cause some serious health complications in rabbits. So much of a rabbit's health depends on their digestion working properly, and overeating is a sign of unhealthy eating habits.
The total amount of fresh food that you may give to your rabbit daily (once your bunny has been gradually introduced to it), is a minimum of 1 heaping cup (loosely packed), per 5 pound of body weight, given two times a day.
Rabbits should have a daily diet of mostly hay, a smaller amount of fresh vegetables, and a limited number of pellets. Hay is the most important part of a rabbit's daily intake. Unlimited, high-quality grass hay, such as Timothy, orchard or brome, should make up the bulk of a rabbit's diet.
This may come as a shock, but you should avoid feeding your rabbit light-colored lettuce, including iceberg, as it can contain lactucarium, a chemical that can be harmful to your bunny's health if ingested. Iceberg lettuce also contains mostly water and will add little to no nutrition to a diet.
A rabbit's favorite food should be hay, though you may have to take steps to ensure that your rabbit is eating enough before adding in other foods that your rabbit loves. Hay should make up at least 80% of your rabbit's diet, then it's off to the races with fresh veggies and other treats!
Can Rabbits Eat Cucumber? Yes, it is safe for rabbits to eat cucumber! Most rabbits will love the fresh taste. Rabbits can also eat cucumber leaves.
Rabbits are grazers who need to eat continuously. If they go even 12 hours without food, then they have a high chance of developing a potentially deadly condition called GI Statis. At most, a rabbit will typically live for around 3-4 days without eating.
Is your rabbit breathing? Then yes, it is hungry. Rabbits eat constantly, they love to graze and forage. You must provide your rabbit with a constant source of hay.
Feed your rabbits a small amount of good quality pellets or nuggets daily. Give them the right amount - measure 25g (an eggcup-full) of pellets per kg of your rabbit's body weight. For example, for a medium-sized rabbit (2kg), feed a maximum of two full egg cups.
Cereals that are acceptable for rabbit use do not contain any added sugar and are higher in fiber. These include Rolled Oats, Bran Flakes, Cornflakes, Rice Krispies, Shredded Wheat, and Weetabix. However, just because these cereals are safe for rabbit consumption, they're not necessarily good for them.
Yes, rabbits can eat apples. Apples are a safe and healthy treat for rabbits. However, it's important to remove the seeds and core before feeding them to your rabbit, as apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide, which can be harmful if consumed in large quantities.
These foods are poisonous for your rabbit and could make her ill: Potatoes, daffodils, tulips, rhubarb, lillies, mushrooms, avocado, broad beans, sweet peas, buttercup, kidney beans, jasmine, foxglove and iceberg lettuce.
Rabbits' food should be as close as possible to their natural diet, of mostly grass or hay. In fact, rabbits could live on hay and water alone, but we recommend fresh leafy vegetables and a little commercial feed.
*Hay is full of fibre, which is what rabbits need to keep their stomachs healthy. *Grazing on hay keeps rabbits occupied & stops them getting bored. Feeding your rabbit too many pellets can discourage hay eating. Provide just a small handful of pellets for one rabbit & don't worry if the bowl is empty.
Hay keeps the gut moving
Blockages can often be fatal. If a rabbit doesn't eat enough hay then this can slow down the rabbit's intestinal functions and cause serious problems eg. GI Stasis (see below).
Ideally, rabbits should be able to exercise whenever they want to but a minimum of 4 hours free run a day is recommended, ideally split into two exercise periods morning and evening of about 2 hours each.
Rabbits like to adhere to strict mealtimes. Hay should always be freely available but it is a good idea to get into the habit of feeding your rabbit once in the morning and once in the evening, during their active times.
“A small acorn-size amount of seedless tomato per day is perfectly fine for a rabbit older than 12 weeks of age,” Henson said. So in general, tomatoes are an OK fruit to share with your rabbit, just as long as it's a small amount and the flesh part of a seedless tomato only.