What Should You Feed Your Rabbit?

When I adopted my pet rabbit, Dasher, I had no idea what I should feed him.  I had never owned a rabbit before and the adoption was a spur of the moment decision.  So I really wasn’t prepared in any way. Being the type of person who likes to have all her ducks in a row so to speak before making any big decisions, I immediately began asking questions and looking online for answers.

The man who helped us at PetSmart suggested a mix of feed, Timothy Hay, and vegetables. My mind immediately started racing and I asked questions like, “how much feed?”  “how much hay?” “which vegetables?”.  The poor clerk was a little overwhelmed by my questions. Thank goodness there was another woman adopting a rabbit at the same time as I was and she offered some helpful suggestions. She immediately warned me not to give him iceberg lettuce. Apparently, iceberg lettuce is bad for their gastrointestinal systems. She told me bunnies basically can’t fart, so it can be dangerous to give them foods that cause gas.  “What?”  “Rabbits don’t fart?” … I knew I had a learning curve ahead of me. I thought to myself, “What other vegetables are unsafe?”

To tell the truth, for all the online information on the web, it can be misleading. The first article I read said I need to feed him two to three cups of vegetables a day, along with a fruit snack, pellets, and hay.  But then I read, fruit snacks should only be a few times a week, and feed should be every other day.  I was overwhelmed by the inconsistent information.

I decided to call my cat’s veterinarian. I spoke with her assistant since has a pet rabbit. She told me to serve a variety of vegetables and only give him vegetables every other day. Apparently, hay needs to make up about 70 to 80 percent of their diet.  So every day they need hay and feed; such as pellets made out of timothy hay.  This was helpful, but still a little off from other information I had researched.

But after a little more digging, and trying different foods with Dasher, I eventually found a happy healthy balance. And most importantly, Dasher seems happy with it too!

What Vegetables Will Dasher Eat?

-Romaine Lettuce

-Cilantro (This is his favorite!)

-Spinach

-Arugula

-Mustard Greens

-Bok Choy

-Basil

-Radish Greens

-Carrot Tops

-Celery

-Parsley

-Broccoli

-Brussel Sprouts

-Carrots (give sparingly, carrots are high in sugar)

How Often Do I Feed Dasher Vegetables?

I found that one large handful of greens (about 2 cups a day) works for Dasher.  He isn’t very big, so he doesn’t need a huge amount.  Every morning he sits by the refrigerator waiting for me to pull some fresh veggies out of the drawer. My husband and I joke that Dasher eats better than we do!!

What Type of Hay Do I Give Him?

Timothy Hay

What Type of Pellets Does Dasher Eat?

I give him Kaytee Fortified Daily Diet Rabbit Food. My veterinarian did warn against the rabbit feeds that have colored treats mixed in.  She said those feeds will cause weight gain.  I followed that advice and I just give him simple plain pellets. And it has worked! I have had Dasher for a year and a half, and he hasn’t had any weight problems.

What Are Dasher’s Favorite Fruits?

(It’s important to note that I only give Dasher a few bites of fruit a day, and the serving size is no longer than my thumb.)

-Bananas  (Dasher loves his nannas!)

-Apples

-Pears

These are all regular foods I give Dasher.  However, there are several healthy vegetable and fruit options you can give your rabbit that I have not listed.  For a more comprehensive list of safe foods to give rabbits, I suggest reading the websites  rabbit.org and mybunny.org.  It’s also important to note that just like cats, rabbits can be a little finicky. There are some vegetables Dasher will not eat or even try!

I’ve found this guy has a mind of his own!

Which makes him all the more loveable!!