When I think of a rabbit, the first thing that comes into my mind is an absolutely adorable little ball of fluff munching on some carrot or a large piece of salad. However the reality is a little bit different. In order to have a healthy bunny his diet must be closely supervised.
One of the biggest mistakes is to think that they can eat everything and unlimited. Unfortunately, there are many natural foods that are safe for human consumption but can easily harm a bunny to the point of severe sickness and should not be used as a rabbit food at all.
The beginning
When introducing a new food to a bun bun, it always has to be done gradually and one thing at a time. As early as 3 months of age, you can begin to offer vegetables. However, it is better to start with a small piece first to see if it is OK and how their little tummies react to it over the next 24 hours. If nothing changed and there was no negative reaction - it can be feed more the next time. However, if there were anything different with their health or stool, it means that this food should not be given or least it should be postponed until your bunny is fully grown to try it again.
Let's have a drink
Normally bunnies do drink a lot, so having a good and reliable water supply is really important. It does take a while for them as well. It is pretty amusing to watch their little self-sitting and drinking for a good few minutes. Cuteness overload.
A young rabbit might need in between 50 ml. - 150 ml. water per day and older/bigger ones - even more. With anything less, bunny might dehydrate easily. The fresh water should be available to your bun bun around the clock and it has to be changed each day.
The healthy diet
When we are talking about healthy rabbit diet there is a rough rule of:
80% - 10 % - 9% and 1%.
80% - hay
10% -vegetables and legumes
9% - pellets
1% - fruits and berries / treats
Hay (80%)
Hay is the most important part of the healthy bunny's diet. It should be always available and fed unlimited.
There are generally two types of hay:
A grass hay: consist of any grass that has long thin leaves.
A legume hay: mainly alfalfa or clover.
Usually, at first, for the young rabbits, Alfalfa hay is recommended due to higher levels of calcium and protein. However, once they become adults it should be replaced with grass hays like an orchard, Timothy, brome or oat.
Benefits:
A good quality hay is not only the main source of vitamins, minerals, and indigestible fibers but also helps to maintain a healthy gut functions. In addition, not many knows, but bunnies' teeth are constantly growing (just like humans' fingernails) and chewing hay helps them to keep their teeth healthy by wearing them down.
Keep in mind:
There are plenty of different ways to obtain hay. However, you must make sure that it was obtained from the trusted source who can ensure that it came from the pesticide-free environment. Also, it should always look appetizing, smell fresh and do not contain any trace of mold since it is absolutely toxic to your little friend.
Veggies (10%)
Vegetables are also an important part of bun bun's diet. It provides valuable roughage, as well as essential vitamins. Once your rabbit is used to several vegetables, it should be feed at least three different kinds daily for a mix of nutrients. It also has to be fresh and served wet, especially if your bunny does not consume too much water. A good guideline is to feed a minimum of 1 cup of vegetables for about 1,8 kg of body weight per day.
To munch or not to munch?! Know your veggies
Vegetables that safe for bunny to eat
• Artichoke leaves
• Asparagus
• Beetroot (careful with leafy tops as high levels of oxalic acid) - can cause gas so limit
• Broccoli (and its leaves, including purple sprouting varieties) - can cause gas so limit
• Brussels Sprouts (leaves and sprouts) - can cause gas so limit
• Cabbage (can sometimes cause digestive upsets) - can cause gas so limit
• Carrots (& carrot tops) – not the roots as they are high in sugars. Carrots should be limited due to high sugar content.
• Cauliflower (and the leaves) - can cause gas so limit
• Celery
• Celery leaves
• Chicory
• Courgette (and flowers)
• Cucumber
• Curly Kale
• Fennel
• Green beans
• Kohl rabi
• Peas (including the leaves and pods)
• Peppers (red, green and yellow)
• Pumpkin (not seeds)
• Radish Tops - can cause gas so limit
• Rocket
• Romaine lettuce (not Iceberg or light colored leaf - be very careful since most sort of the lettuce can upset rabbit's digestive system severely. I tend to avoid it at all)
• Spinach (only occasional)
• Spring Greens
• Squash (e.g. Butternut)
• Swede
• Turnip (only occasionally)
• Watercress
To spice things up...
Just like humans, rabbits tend to get bored of eating the same old every day. To make it more interesting you can always add some rabbit safe fresh herbs along with the daily veggies or just let them much on it as an addition. However, keep in mind that the taste and smell of some greens might be pretty strong for the little fellas, so at first, always offer just a small piece and give your bun bun some time to get used to it.
Herbs that are safe for bunny to eat
• Basil
• Coriander
• Dill
• Mint (peppermint)
• Parsley - not too much as high in calcium
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Thyme
The wild herbs, weeds, and flowers that are safe for bunny to eat
• Borage
• Calendula
• Chamomile
• Chickweed (astringent)
• Clover (leaves and flowers)
• Coltsfoot
• Comfrey
• Dandelion (diuretic properties)
• Goosegrass (cleavers) but may stick to coat!
• Lavender
• Mallow
• Nettle
• Nasturtium (leaves and flowers)
• Shepherd’s purse
• Sow Thistle
• Plantain
• Yarrow
The pellets (9%)
Pellets are the sort of the dry food highly concentrated in nutrients. It helps to ensure a proper weight gain.
The quality pellets have to be high in fiber (18% minimum) and nutritionally balanced. This type of food is the most important in the younger stages of bunnies development. However, once a bun bun reaches maturity (around 6 months and older) it should not consist of more than 9% of the daily diet and should be replaced with higher quantities of hay and vegetables. It is advised to give only up to two egg-cups of pellets per day. Overfeeding pellets for mature rabbits can lead to obesity and other medical conditions. Moreover always make sure that the pellets you are giving meets your bunnies nutritional requirements.
Fruits and berries/treats (1%)
Don't get me wrong, bunnies do love to munch and anything that has sugar are their favorites! Such a sweet tooth, trust me on this. However, here lies the trick. Despite how lovely your begging bun bun's eyes are, due to the high sugar levels and calorie content all fruits and berries should be fed in moderation. To avoid obesity and other health-related problems it is advised not to give more than 2 tablespoons worth per day.
Moreover, keep in mind that the pips, stones, plants etc. of fruits unless otherwise stated, most of the time are poisonous to rabbits! So I cannot stress it enough - please refrain from giving any kind of seeds to them.
Fruits that are safe for bunny to eat
• Apple (not the pips - they are poisonous!)
• Apricot
• Banana (high in potassium/better to remove the peel due to possible chemicals in it)
• Blackberries (and leaves – excellent astringent properties)
• Blueberries
• Cranberries
• Cherries (not the pits and plant - they contain cyanide and are therefore poisonous!)
• Grapes (not seeds and better to remove the skin)
• Kiwi Fruit
• Mango
• Melon
• Nectarines
• Papaya
• Peaches
• Pears
• Pineapple (very useful since it helps to clean the digestive tract)
• Plums
• Raspberries (and leaves – excellent astringent properties)
• Strawberries (and leaves)
• Tomatoes (NOT the leaves)
The obvious
1. Before feeding to the rabbit, always wash fruits, vegetables, and herbs. There are many pesticides and chemicals that are used in the growing/preserving process and they can potentially be harmful to a bunny.
2. For the same reason (mentioned above) it is also better to refrain from giving fruit skins and peels unless you are sure that they are organic.
3. Double-check which plants are in your garden before letting your bunnies loose!
4. Always keep bunny away from the house plants since the majority of them are simply toxic.
5. If you are not sure about something - better don't give at all.
The forbidden... and more
Many bunny lovers would know how much they love dried treats. Normally the same fruits and berries that are OK for bun buns to munch on fresh are alright for them to eat dried as well.
Muesli
However, it should not be mixed up with "Muesli". "Muesli" is a commercial food that contains many components like flaked maize/peas/pellets/grains/seeds that are no good for the rabbit and can cause teeth and tummy problems. So it is better not to feed your bunny any muesli-style food.
Nuts
Some consider various nuts as a treat. In general, they do not seem to be toxic but they are very high in protein and given often can lead to obesity and consequently - to much shorter lifespan.
Oats
Finally the oats. Yes, a bun bun can eat them, but it does not mean that it should be given in large amounts. A healthy adult rabbit will do best on a diet that is high in high-quality fiber such as hay, as well as having fresh and clean water and quality rabbit pellets on a daily basis. Oats can be a nice supplement when fed in moderation, but shouldn’t interfere with the core of their diet.
Hopefully never...
Signs of Poisoning
Signs that a rabbit may have ingested a toxic or unhealthy food include: intestinal upset and inflammation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, fever or low body temperature, seizures, lethargy, weakness, and depression. If you believe that your bun bun has ingested something unsafe it's best to visit a vet right away.
... and at the end .... everything matters
Tl;dr - please be mindful of what you are feeding to your beloved ball of fur. Keep in mind that bunnies are very curious beings. They will most probably try everything that is in their line of sight. Even things that might be harmful to them. You can't really blame them. They just can’t help but to try a nibble of everything so it is up to the owner to keep an eye on what these little mischievous creatures are munching on. Moreover, before handing something to them it is always better to check out a bun bun's food list to see if it is safe and healthy for them to eat.
Sorry for the long read, here is one more picture of Cookie as a compensation :)
