Rocky Hill Rabbits
Feeding Rabbits
Rabbits are strictly herbivores, meaning they only eat plants. While they might eat dog food or other animal-based food they definitely should not! Their delicate digestive system was not designed to break down protein that way and it can make them sick or even kill them.
Most rabbit owners and breeders feed a commercial pellet designed for rabbits. These pellets are usually alfalfa based but some might be timothy based. It is recommended to follow the following table for feeding.
Fat %
Digestible Protein %
Maintenance 12 9 1.5 to 2 14 - 20
Total Protein %
Lactation 17 13 2.5 to 3.5 12 - 14
Fiber %
Pregnancy 15 11 2 to 3 14 - 16
Growth 16 12 2 to 4 14 - 16
To help prevent digestive issues you should include high quality hay in your rabbit's diet. Grass hays such as Bermuda can be offered free choice. Alfalfa hay should be limited, especially if the pellets you feed are alfalfa based because alfalfa contains a high amount of protein and calcium that can do harm to the kidneys. Hay should not be too dusty and you should never feed moldy hay to anything. When it comes to keeping hay inside the cage rather than falling straight through the wire, you can use a hay rack made for rabbits, build your own wire hay rack, or some stuff hay into toilet paper rolls. I took a wire panel from an old cage and bent it then attached it to the side of the cage. It works very well.
There is somewhat of a debate about how much to feed a rabbit. Obesity can cause health issues, even cause a doe or buck to become sterile. According to the Merck/Merial Pet Health Manual an adult rabbit not being used for breeding should get 1/4 cup of pellets per 5 lbs of body weight. Does that have babies should be allowed to free-feed and should have pellets in the feeder at all times. The general rule of feeding adolescents is to feed as much as can be consumed in 20 hours. Here at Rocky Hill we offer hay several times a week and pretty much free-feed except for the does who are looking a bit too chubby and are not pregnant or nursing. They get roughly 1/2 cup of pellets and increased hay/greens. My weaned rabbits get plenty of hay/greens and a full feeder that is usually empty before morning. Most of my rabbits, even my free-fed ones are not obese and do very well with this. Like I have stated before, it's really about what works for you :)
Rabbits need to be introduced to new food gradually or it can cause stomach issues. When you buy a recently weaned rabbit it is a good idea to get a starter bag of whatever pellets the rabbit is used to from the seller. Mix a small amount of whatever pellets you use in with the old feed and gradually increase the amount of the new feed until the old feed is gone and you can switch to the other feed. Even if the basic ingredients are the same it is a good idea to transition slowly. Many breeders will offer a small starter bag with every rabbit they sell.
Pellets should provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals but if you feed only hay or greens to your rabbit you may want to provide a trace mineral/salt wheel. Rabbits should always have fresh, clean water available at all times.
Many breeders have started to eliminate pellets from their rabbit's diet and feed vegetables, grass, and fodder from various grains; oats,barley,soybean,etc as a way to cut costs. Many of the vegetables and even fruits we eat are safe for rabbits and many grasses, weeds, and flowers growing in your yard is edible for rabbits. Please remember, even if a plant is on the "safe" list, to feed it in small amounts and most are OK to be fed only every now and then, not daily. If you come across an unfamiliar plant, do your research before feeding ;)
I found a very lengthy list here at Raising-Rabbits.com. There is a lot of helpful information there.
For a list of toxic plants with pictures check out medirabbit.com
This has several commonly found safe plants and pictures :) http://randomfarmramblings.blogspot.com/2013/07/safe-plants-for-rabbits.html
Many owners/breeders also choose to feed various plants due to their natural medicinal properties. I will work on a page just for those and their purpose. Feeding certain plants to cure common ailments is something I haven't been doing and didn't know much about it but the research into the subject has been eye-opening. For example, Willow trees are a natural anti-coccidiosis and many feed it to their rabbits as a preventative measure. There are so many of these plants and herbs that help people too! Rabbits love Dandelions but did you know they are actually good for rabbits? And people!
The power of Apple Cider Vinegar is evident enough that many owners/breeders regularly add it to the rabbit's drinking water.
Of course, always be sure what a plant is before feeding it to your rabbit, and start with small amounts.
