Rabbit food is not rocket science. You just have to take the right one. The most common food for rabbits is hay. However, vegetables like bok choy, mustard greens, or carrot tops plus a small number of pellets can also work.
The crucial part is feeding your pet rabbits plenty of food that is rich in fiber. However, keep in mind that not all types of herbs or vegetables can be good for your rabbit.
Are carrots good for rabbits?
A rabbit always holds a carrot. Therefore, carrots should be a good portion of rabbit food. Right? NO! A carrot for a rabbit is like a mayday stick for humans. It is basically a pleasure. Since humans should not consume too many maydays, rabbits should refrain from eating too many carrots.
Carrots are rich in carbohydrates. However, one or two small pieces of carrot won’t hurt them either.
Keep in mind, excessive consumption of carrots can cause digestive problems and stomach upset for rabbits. You shouldn’t have an obese and unhealthy Rabbit, right?
Are fruits good for your rabbits?
Although fruits are great for us, only 10% of fruits should be in a rabbit’s diet. Fruits only contain natural sugars, but you should still stuff your rabbit with them.
In fact, too much sugary rabbit food leads to an unhealthy rabbit. Also, you should never offer fruit with its seeds to your long-eared friends.
The best food for rabbits
It is not a good idea to feed your rabbits only one type of food. Choose at least 3 types of vegetables to serve each day. In this way, you will provide them with a balanced diet. Imagine giving your pet rabbit a delicious salad. The more vegetables they have in their bowl, the more chewing motions they can have.
Do this and your rabbit can enjoy grinding its teeth to the fullest.
Best vegetables for rabbits
Rabbits live for vegetables, so finding the perfect vegetables for your rabbit is easy. The only thing to keep in mind is that there are some exceptions.
Adult rabbits can devour up two cups of fresh veggies in a blink of an eye. However, assuming your rabbit is a dwarf breed or weighs less than 5 pounds, just one cup would suffice for a day.
The other essential tip to remember is to incorporate new vegetables from time to time. Don’t just throw them into the rabbit cage.
Tip: Slowly put a new vegetable into the rabbit’s bowl and see how the rabbit reacts. Be aware that certain vegetables can cause diarrhea in rabbits. Assuming you see signs of loose stools, you may want to reconsider your rabbit’s diet.
Below are some of the vegetables that you will offer your rabbit on a daily basis.
- Sprouts such as Alfalfa and Radish. Keep in mind that hay like alfalfa has a higher calcium and protein content which will not be ideal for adult rabbits.
- Radish tops
- Carrot tops
- Lettuce like romaine, butter, red lettuce leaf, Boston bibb, green leaf, arugula
- Bell peppers
- Brussels sprouts
- Cucumber
- Endive
- Okra leaves
- Watercress
Tip: You will feed your rabbits vegetables such as broccoli stems and leaves, carrots, cabbage, kale, spinach once or twice a week. No more than that!
Best fruits for rabbits
Rabbits like fruit treats. However, you shouldn’t feed your rabbits fruit more than twice a week. Because fruits are high-sugar rabbit food.
Check out this list of safe fruits to feed your rabbit. In moderation!
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Apples (Give your Rabbit one or two apple slices a week. Avoid offering the seeds or the stem) ·
- Bananas (Bananas are great because they are high in potassium)
- Grapes
- Mangoes
- Oranges (Do not feel)
- Papayas
- Peaches
- Kiwis
- Melons
Tip: Wash everything before serving and do not allow your rabbit to consume seeds and pits as they are poisonous.
Best herbs for rabbits
Not all herbs are safe for rabbits however many are. The following rabbit-safe herbs are probably being grown in your backyard
- Basil
- Oregano
- Coriander
- Rosemary
- Parsley
- Lavender
- Tarragon
- Caraway
- Mint
- Sage
- Dill
- Lemon balm
- Comfrey
Tip: assuming you are unsure about an herb, do not give it to your rabbit. Remember, you are not in Loony Tunes!
Best flowers for rabbits
Flower petals are a good food source for rabbits. However, there are certain petals that they cannot eat. Wild rabbits, on the other hand, are professionals at picking the right flowers from the wrong ones.
This is the main problem of domestic rabbits. They don’t have a natural instinct to choose the best food for them because they are trained to have someone else choose the food for them (in this case, you).
Here are some healthy flower petals that you will feed your Rabbit.
- Lilly
- Yarrow
- Daisy flower
- Sunflower
- Primrose
- Hibiscus
- Lavender
- Chamomile
- Dandelion
- Rosemary
- Pot Marigold
- Calendula Jasmine
- Rose
Suppose you come across an unfamiliar flower, do a quick research before giving it to your rabbit.
Tip: Make sure you find flowers that are free of chemicals and pesticides. When shopping for rabbit food, only buy flowers marked “edible.”
Best hay for rabbits
Rabbits should have a large amount of hay, and hay should be a staple in your pet rabbits’ diet. In fact, 80-90% of their diet should contain hay.
Hay helps rabbits regulate the food inside their tiny stomachs. Hay has fairly long fibers that support a strong intestine. Assuming your rabbit doesn’t get enough hay, this could face serious intestinal problems.
Rabbits must constantly chew hay in their lives. Assuming not, your rabbit’s teeth grow too large, causing this extreme pain.
Suppose you think giving pellets can work, think again. The pellets will not give your rabbits the ideal side-to-side jaw action that hay provides.
Fact: Rabbits have 28 teeth and grow 12 cm per year. Letting the culture get too big can get you in trouble with the law!
What is not safe food for rabbits
Rabbits have a delicate digestive system. Assuming you give them the wrong food, you will see that they get sick and even die. Some foods not only upset your rabbit’s stomach, but they also poison it.
These are some of the toxic food for rabbits:
- Chocolate: Chocolate is poisonous to rabbits
- Peanut butter: This can give your rabbit a stomach ache.
- Food such as bread, cookies, crackers, and pasta: lead to enterotoxemia (overeating disease) in rabbits.
- Yogurt drops
- Avocado: Healthy for humans, deadly for rabbits.
- Iceberg Lettuce: They produce a chemical called lactucarium that is harmful to your rabbit.
- Cauliflower: causes bloating and gas in rabbits.
- Potatoes: These are starchy vegetables that are high in carbohydrates. Cause digestive problems in rabbits
- Rhubarb: This seemingly safe garden herb is lethal to rabbits when consumed raw.
- Cereal
- Hamster food
- Oatmeal: not the worst food for rabbits. However, it is not nutritious for them.
- Silver beetroot: causes swelling in the bun nor is it.
- Walnuts: they are rich in fat and it has no fiber.
Some herbs can also be harmful food for rabbits
Take a look at this list of herbs that are dangerous for your rabbit.
- Agave leaves
- Bluebonnet
- Bloodroot
- Blue-green algae
- Aloe
- Amaryllis
- Elder
The bottom line: just because rabbits are squishy herbivores doesn’t mean they can eat whatever they want.
Do your rabbit have diarrhea, fever, poor appetite, weakness, etc.? this could be a sign of poisoning.
In this scenario, don’t be a procrastinated hero and take your rabbit to the vet.
6 steps to feed your rabbits
Now that you know which rabbit food is good for rabbits and which is not, this is how you should feed them.
Here are 6 steps to feed your pet rabbit:
1. Find the right food
Find fresh hay or whatever recommended rabbit food I have mentioned earlier.
2.Wash It
Rinses vegetables and fruits before serving. Then rake the food and place it in a bowl.
3. Use a litter box
Rabbit food can make a mess in your home or garden. To eliminate this problem, find a larger, high-sided litter box.
4. Add some hay
Put some newspapers inside the litter box and put a generous amount of hay in the litter box. Also, they can enjoy lying on them.
5. Provide fresh water
Place a clean ceramic water container that is weighed at all times. You will use a sturdy bowl or bottle. Your rabbit may appear hydrated from the outside, but not from the inside.
6. Change the water frequently
Change the water in the container at least once a day. Clean the container with soap and water every day.
Important: Give baby rabbits plenty of pellets. When 3-4 months decrease the amount. For 5 pounds of body weight, you should provide 2 to 4 cups of fresh vegetables to your rabbit.
Frequently asked questions
Rabbits are fairly high maintenance animals. They must be constantly cared for because they are delicate. Therefore, homeowners have many questions when it comes to raising them in their homes.
Take a look at these answers below, assuming you’ve encountered the same issues.
What is the safest food for rabbits?
The best food for rabbits is probably hay. However, lots of vegetables and herbs like radish tops, carrot tops, and basil are also ideal. You will give them occasional treats like carrots or fruits like apples, mangoes, or bananas.
What can rabbits eat and not eat?
Rabbits can eat hay, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruits. However, you should feed them pellets and fruit in moderation. Do not give them peanut butter, bread, cookies, crackers, pasta, yogurt drops, iceberg lettuce, cauliflower, potatoes, cereal, hamster food, oatmeal, silver beets, and nuts.
What foods can kill a rabbit?
Never give them chocolate, avocado, and rhubarb as they are deadly to rabbits.
What should I not feed my rabbit?
Don’t feed them iceberg lettuce, herbs like agave leaves, bluebonnet, bloodroot, blue-green algae, aloe, amaryllis, elderberry, and other foods on our list. Avoid giving them unfamiliar herbs and flowers or human food.
What is a rabbit’s favorite food?
Timothy, orchard, or hay would be rabbits’ all-time favorite food. You would have to closely monitor your rabbits’ eating habits just to be safe! Explore the best foods for rabbits.
Now you know that rabbit stomachs are delicate and must have a ton of fiber. Therefore, add plenty of hay, vegetables, and herbs to their diet. Rabbits don’t need additional vitamins on top of that. Slowly incorporate new foods and keep in mind that rabbits must constantly chew. Give them plenty of veggies every day and limit treats, like fruit, to about twice a week. It is also important to provide fresh water.