Rabbit Food

Your rabbit needs special care when it comes to its diet and food. For good health and nutrition keeping a well balanced diet helps your rabbit to keep healthy and have a good quality of life.

A rabbits teeth also needs special attention, a rabbit’s incisor teeth are continuously growing and need to be chewing on things to keep them from growing too big. It may need to see a vet if this happens and have the teeth trimmed back.

You should feed your pet rabbit twice a day and at the same time each day when possible, morning and night. Always have fresh water and grain available to your rabbit. Hay is a vital part of the rabbits diet too, as it provides roughage for their teeth and comfy bedding also.

One handful of fresh fruit and vegetables per rabbit is a good amount to feed your rabbit at one time.

Types of food vital to a rabbit’s diet

Dry grain-a mixed variety of grain and pellets can be bought from your local pet store, keep a ceramic bowl full in your rabbits cage at all times , they can have some when they feel like it.

Essentials Fruits to Feed Your Rabbit Include…

Apples, Pears, Melon, Bananas, Grapes, Strawberries, Parsley, Cherries, Plums

Essential Vegetables to Feed Your Rabbit Include…

Carrot, Carrot Leaves, Cucumber, Cabbage, Celery, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Peas, Corn, Dandelion (Weed), Tomato

Remember that some fruits are high in sugar, so give more vegetables than fruit and use the fruit as treats. Lettuce is not recommended to be given as it can cause diarrhoea and is very acidic.

Spinach and cabbage may also give diarrhoea, so check your rabbits droppings for signs in certain foods they eat.

Grass is great for your rabbit too. Do not use lawn clippings, these can ferment causing upset stomachs. If you do not have access to a lawn, grow your own in a container, for an easy treat for your rabbit plant wheat in small pots.

Rabbits do eat their own droppings, so don’t be alarmed, it gives them back high fibre essential nutrients.

Rabbits drink a lot of water, so always ensure there is fresh water. Bowls or sipper bottles are good, check your sipper bottle regularly that it is working and there are no leaks or cracks.

The best sipper bottles are the stain steel tipped variety with a ball bearing.

Treats are fun for your rabbit, if you get fruit flavoured wood toys these are great for their teeth and take their attention off chewing other things like their hutch, and a salt stone is a vitamin block which they can lick whenever they feel like the extra minerals.

In accordance with keeping a healthy diet, ensure your rabbit gets plenty of exercise and room to run and play. A rabbit that does not get enough exercise may become over weight and unhealthy.

An exercise yard is great and they can run freely. Make sure you watch your rabbit, to keep safe from predators and that there are no gaps or holes where your rabbit can escape.

A few golden rabbit food rules to remember…

• Just as we like a variety in our diet so will your rabbit so add a few treats in once in a while to add variety to your rabbits diet.
• Always wash your rabbit’s fresh food under water and let drain off before feeding it to them. This will remove any pesticides and dirt.
• If any food hasn’t been eaten by your rabbit, remove it from the pen and discard within 12 hours as a general rule. It may bring ants and if left for a long time becomes rotten.
• If you are changing your rabbit’s diet, do it slowly as not to cause diarrhoea or constipation.
• Never collect fresh food from off a park or roadside. Always be mindful of any agricultural chemicals.
• Never give your rabbit frozen or cooked food.

GuineaPigCare.com.au