Rabbit Food – Pellets, Hay And Treats

From vegetables to water and hay, a rabbit’s diet isn’t particularly varied but it provides them with what they need. Fruit and other treats are given only in very limited quantities, as they can cause obesity in a rabbit. Because of the fact rabbits can dehydrate quite quickly, a constant water supply is essential to keep them healthy. So, here is some vital information about rabbit food.

Pellets

Many rabbits get fed pellets which can be bought from a variety of different outlets…you may even want to try looking online for a good deal. An interesting fact is that pellets were once primarily used by the breeders who needed inexpensive food.

Hay

Of course, we all know that rabbits need some hay. A steady supply of hay will help prevent digestive tract problems in rabbits. As well as this, hay is also full of vitamins which your rabbit needs. You’ll be hard pushed to find a rabbit that doesn’t enjoy chewing hay, and apart from anything else it is a great boredom solver.

Treats

Rabbit food also comes in the form of treats. But do bear in mind that treats can be very unhealthy if you give them out too often. Most treats sold in pet stores are filled with sugar and high food energy carbohydrates. One of the healthiest ways you can treat your rabbit is to feed it fruit.

Acceptable fruits (seeds and pips MUST be removed): Banana, Mango, Pineapple, Peach, Apple, Kiwi, Berries, Orange and other citrus fruits.

As previously mentioned, all fruits and treats should be just that; a treat and not an everyday feeding ritual. A good tip is to make sure that the rabbit’s diet doesn’t consist of any more than ½  a tablespoon of treats each day. Just make sure your rabbit doesn’t get more than half a tablespoon of treats a day.

It is also important to remember that rabbits less than 4 months old shouldn’t be fed fruit because it doesn’t digest easily.   It can cause enteritis that causes death within 48 hours.

Please also note that lettuce isn’t recommended either, as it can also cause rabbit death due to the lack of nutritional value.

Cecal pellets

Do not be alarmed if you see your rabbit eat some of his faeces.   What many people don’t realise is that these faeces are called ‘cecal’ pellets and rabbits get a lot nutritional value from eating them. A rabbit needs to stay healthy, and cecal pellets help to give your bunny a good supply of vitamin B12. Rabbits need to eat their faeces because they don’t get the same nutrients from their food. Don’t panic though, as this is normal practice.