Rabbits need a well balanced diet with plenty of nutrition that can supplement for the variety they would be receiving in the wild, and I'm definitely not talking about treats here. The "rabbit treats" that you find in the petstore range from dried bananas, nuts, and I've even seen dried pasta in little gourmet rabbit treat bags. Don't be fooled, these are terrible for your rabbit and are nothing like the nutrients they need and would be getting in the wild.
You need to make sure that your rabbit is getting a proper diet, because an improper diet can result in poor health.
Birth to 7 weeks old: First of all, baby bunnies should never be separated from their mother until they are at least 7 weeks of age. Therefore, if you are considering purchasing a baby bunny, make sure that it is older than 7 weeks. Bunnies should be
receiving milk from their mother and should gradually be weaned off the milk once they are 7 weeks old.
As you are weaning the rabbit off of its mother's milk, gradually start adding pellets and small amounts of timothy hay to its diet as well. All rabbits, young and old, have an extremely sensitive digestive system that can be upset by a sudden change of diet. This upset of the bacteria can cause death, if you aren't careful. That's why it's very important to introduce any new food to your rabbit
slowly.7 weeks to 12 weeks old:The rabbit should now be used to the pellets and timothy hay, and should have unlimited access to them both. Around 12 weeks, you will need to start introducing vegetables and other greens into their diet. To introduce vegetables, start by giving the bunny no more than 1/2 teaspoon of a veggie for a few days, along with the hay and pellets. If your bunny is accepting the veggie well, meaning, it is not causing diarrhea, start increasing the amount of veggies each day. You can slowly add new veggies, too. If the vegetable is causing your rabbit to have diarrhea, eliminate the vegetable and try a new one.
12 weeks to 7 months:Once rabbit is used to a variety of vegetables, the daily menu is pretty routine. The rabbit needs: unlimited hay, unlimited pellets, and 1/2 cup of veggies per day.
Vegetables to feed Rabbits:Rabbits can have a huge variety of vegetables. Once your rabbit is 7 months old, it should be eating at least 2 cup of vegetables per 4 pounds of body weight daily.
Vegetables are an extremely important part of any rabbit's diet as they hydrate the digestive tract along with trace nutrients, fiber and Vitamin C. Veggies are the only thing rabbits eat in the wild, so make sure your rabbit is getting plenty!
Choose any variety of veggies from this list daily:
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Clover sprouts
- Radish leaves
- Carrot tops
- Basil
- Beet greens
- Bok choy
- Brussels sprouts
- Mint
- Celery
- Cilantro
- Collared Greens*
- Dandelion greens*
- Endive*
- Escarole
- Kale*
- Green peppers (most rabbits do not like these)
- Radicchio
- Spinach*
- Romaine lettuce* (no iceberg lettuce)
- Raspberry leaves
- Watercress
- Wheat grass
- Mustard greens*
- Pea pods*
- Parsley*
*No more than 3 times per week, due to Vitamin A toxicity
Never feed rabbits chocolate, cookies, crackers, cereals, seeds, yogurt drops, or any other type of "human food". These "treats" are toxic to rabbits and are likely to cause death.
Always try to feed you rabbit organic vegetables and greens. Organic veggies don't have the pesticides that can harm your rabbit. If you do happen to buy non-organic veggies, make sure you rinse them thoroughly with warm water before giving it to your rabbit. You should wash organic greens too to remove any other dirt, germs, or bacteria such as E. Coli.
One thing you can do to ensure that your rabbit is getting plenty of liquids is to give them the vegetables wet. When you rinse the veggies, don't dry them off, just give them directly to your rabbit.
Do not feed rabbits spoiled, wilting, rotting or rotten produce. Also, the veggies you're feeding your rabbit should not have any black or brown "dead stuff" on it. As a general rule, "If you wouldn't eat the veggie, don't feed it to your rabbit".
Fruits to feed Rabbits:
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Melon
- Orange
- Papaya
- Peach
- Pear
- Pineapple
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
Fruit should not be fed regularly, as it is very sugary and high in calories. No more than 1 tablespoon every other day.
Supplements:
Rabbits can eat oats, and they're a good supplement. In fact, they will devour oats. Oats can be fed hulled, whole, rolled, crimped, or steel cut. However, do not feed rabbits any instant oats. Oats can also be used as a treat, supplement, or cure for diarrhea. Just make sure to not feed rabbits over 2 teaspoons of oats per day.
You can feed your bunny pesticide-free grass, which is full of vitamins and minerals that are basically "dried out" of the grass hays that they're fed.
Water:
Water should be offered in a clean dish or water bottle (you can purchase them at pet stores). The rabbit's water supply should be unlimited and always fresh and clean.
