- Use kale, spinach and silver beet sparingly.
- Some fruit tree branches and leaves are suitable for rabbits to eat, but not all. ...
- Give carrots only as treats because these are high in starch.
- Celery must be cut into 1cm pieces before being given because larger pieces can get caught in rabbits’ intestines.
- Never feed your rabbit processed foods intended for humans, such as: chocolate, cookies, crackers, cereal, yoghurt, milk, pasta, or bread.
- Rabbits love grass, dandelion leaves, thistle/puha and plantain leaves.
- Ensure that any leaves or plants given to or accessible to the rabbits have not been sprayed with poison or pesticides, herbicides, or sprouting agents.
- Rabbits love fresh herbs which provide health benefits.
What household foods can I feed a rabbit?
What Human Foods Can Rabbits Eat?
- Carrots. We all know that rabbits love carrots, but entire carrots aren’t recommended because of their high sugar content.
- Lettuce. Opt for darker, leafier and more fibrous varieties of lettuce, such as romaine lettuce. ...
- Celery. ...
- Cilantro. ...
- Lemon Balm. ...
- Broccoli Leaves. ...
- Pineapple. ...
- Kale. ...
- Blueberries. ...
- Bok Choy. ...
What can you feed rabbits besides rabbit food?
You can also feed your pet rabbit fresh vegetables, but not the carrots we associate with Bugs Bunny. Carrots have more sugar than adult rabbits’ digestive tracts prefer. Small amounts are fine as treats, Helmer said, but dark leafy greens are preferred. Broccoli leaves and stems and dark leaf lettuces make more suitable rabbit snacks.
What rabbit food is best for Your Rabbit?
The right proportion of best rabbit food in an average rabbit’s menu must look like this:
- Grass and Hay: 75-80%
- Fresh Vegetables: 10-15%
- Dry Food and Pellets: 5%
- Treats and Fruits: 5%
- Fresh Water: 24/7 Use a feeder like this to keep your rabbits hydrated 24/7.
What should I Feed my Pet rabbits?
Your rabbit may enjoy some of the following vegetables:
- Basil
- Bok choy
- Broccoli leaves (stems or tops can make rabbits gassy)
- Carrot tops (carrots are high in calcium and should be given sparingly)
- Celery
- Cilantro
- Clover
- Collard greens
- Dandelion leaves
- Dill
What is the best thing to feed a rabbit?
Rabbits should have a daily diet of mostly hay, a smaller amount of fresh vegetables, and a limited number of pellets. Hay is the most important part of a rabbit's daily intake. Unlimited, high-quality grass hay, such as Timothy, orchard or brome, should make up the bulk of a rabbit's diet.
What can I feed my rabbit list?
They require a balanced diet of hay, fresh veggies and fruit, and a few pellets. Rabbits have very sensitive digestive tracts, so the transition to hay or pellets, or the introduction of new fruits and vegetables, must be done gradually to allow the rabbit's system to adjust.
What should I not feed my rabbit?
Check out our list of 15 foods that you should never feed your rabbit:Yogurt Drops. ... Bread, Pasta, Cookies, and Crackers. ... Avocado. ... Cereal. ... Iceberg Lettuce. ... Silverbeet. ... Hamster Food. ... Walnuts.More items...•
What is toxic to rabbits?
Apples and pears are the most notorious examples, but the pits from apricots, peaches, plums, and mangos also contain cyanide, as do cherry pits. While the amount of cyanide contained in fruit seeds and pits is generally scant, it is best to avoid feeding them to rabbits altogether.
Can rabbits eat cucumber?
Yes, it is safe for rabbits to eat cucumber! Most rabbits will love the fresh taste. Rabbits can also eat cucumber leaves.
Can rabbits eat banana?
Fruit. Pretty much any fruit will make a good sweet treat, though the high sugar content means it should only be given in moderation. It's also important to remove any pips or stones that could become choking hazards. Bananas, apples, strawberries and raspberries have all proven a hit.
Are carrots good for rabbits?
Reality: carrots shouldn't be a main source of food. Rabbits don't naturally eat root vegetables or fruit. Carrots and fruit are high in sugar and should only be fed in small amounts as occasional treats. Rabbits need mainly hay and/or grass, some leafy greens and a small, measured amount of pellets.
Can rabbits eat tomato?
Tomatoes Are Okay to Feed to Your Rabbit — In Small Quantities. The good news is that in small quantities, tomatoes are okay to feed your rabbit. A healthy rabbit will eat a mix of hay, vegetables, and pellets, with fruit added a few times per week. Tomatoes make a great occasional snack or treat for your rabbit.
What veg can rabbits eat daily?
Rabbits must have an adult-sized handful of safe, washed leafy green vegetables, herbs and weeds daily.Feed a variety of greens daily - ideally 5-6 different types, such as cabbage, kale, broccoli, parsley and mint.Introduce new types of greens gradually, in small amounts, to avoid potential stomach upsets.
What fruit and veg can rabbits eat?
The best foods for a rabbitAsparagus.Bok Choy.Brussel Sprouts.Broccoli leaves.Celery.Collard Greens.Cauliflower leaves and stalks.Chicory.More items...
What do rabbits eat and drink?
Fresh, clean drinking water and good quality hay and grass should make up the majority of your rabbits' diet. A rabbit's digestive system needs hay or grass to function properly so a healthy supply is extremely important. You can supplement with leafy greens and a small amount of pellets.
Can bunnies eat bananas?
Fresh, raw bananas can be consumed safely, but only in moderation. While bananas are rich in water, potassium, vitamin B6 and antioxidants, they're also packed with starch and sugar. Too much sugar and starch in a rabbit's diet can lead to digestive problems, an upset stomach, gas and diarrhea.
What should I feed my rabbit?
You should feed your rabbit a good quality rabbit pellet, which is dust free and high infiber/low in protein. You can pick up some good rabbit food pellets that are commercially made, from most pet shops which provide good nutrition for your rabbit. Overfeeding pellets can lead to obesity and should be limited.
Is hay good for bedding?
Hay is goodfiberfor them, is good for their digestion and is also used as bedding. Straw can be used as bedding but this is no good to eat as it has no nutritional value in it whatsoever. A good quality meadow hay or lucerne hay can be used, that is not dusty ormouldyas this can lead to respiratory illness.
Can you feed rabbits without pellets?
Feeding rabbits without pellets is possible, the challenge to naturally feeding rabbits is getting the protein levels high enough for good rabbit growth. WARNING: This diary discusses housing and raising of rabbits for human consumption as well as feeding rabbits naturally.
Can rabbits eat pellets?
The benefits to feeding rabbits pellets. Pellets are an option for feeding rabbits. The pluses are they are a complete food, developed for optimum growt h and they are convenient.
What trees are safe for rabbits to chew?
Willow, spruce, ash (tree), maple (sugar and silver), juniper, poplar, apple, pear, hawthorn, hazel and citrus trees are all safe branches for rabbits to chew on. Always provide these in moderation. Too much can be unhealthy.
Can rabbits drink water?
Wild parsnip. Wild peas. Don’ t forget to also always provide your rabbits access to fresh, clean drinking water from a water bottle or bowl. The water should be replaced daily and checked regularly in cold weather to ensure that the water has not frozen.
Grass hay
Fresh fibrous hay should make up at least 80% of your rabbit’s diet. You can choose to stick to one type of hay or mix up different types, as long as they are guaranteed to be fresh. Make sure that the hay you feed your rabbits are clean and free of molds and dust as these can contaminate the hay and make your pet rabbit sick.
Greens
Apart from fibrous hay, it’s also recommended to incorporate fresh greens into your pet rabbit’s diet. This should comprise approximately 10-20% of their overall food intake. Brussel sprouts, broccoli, celery, bok choy, parsley, coriander, mint, and basil are among the best options to choose from.
Fruits
As tasty as they are, fruits should only be given to bunnies around once or twice per week at extremely small portions. As a rule of thumb, give your rabbits around a tablespoon or two of fruit every time.
Pellets
Like fruits, pellets should be given to rabbits at limited proportions. They are not critical to rabbits’ diet, so it is important to make sure that you only provide the right variety and amount to your pets
Water
Rabbits need to stay hydrated throughout the day, so clean water must always be within their reach. Make sure to refill their water bowl every few hours, and clean their water bottles or bowls every few days.
The Rabbit Food Pyramid
The Animates Vetcare team have compiled a list of tips and tricks, designed to help you understand how best to nourish your rabbit. Rabbits are herbivores and so a diet containing mostly hay, leafy greens and pellets is recommended for optimum nutritional benefits.
Pellets
Pellets only need to be a small portion of your rabbits diet, around 1/5 cup twice a day based on a 1.5kg - 2kg rabbit.
Animates Vetcare
Veterinarian care is available for your pet through Animates Vetcare clinics.
Raising rabbits for meat
Below we answer the most commonly asked questions about raising rabbits for meat so that you can be best prepared for keeping them at your place.
Benefits to keeping meat rabbits
There are some benefits to keeping meat rabbits, they are popular amongst both rural and urban homesteaders for good reason.
Keeping meat rabbits in the city
Back during the Great Depression most families grew a garden full of fresh vegetables, kept chickens for eggs and to eat the scraps and many also kept rabbits for meat as well. You can keep meat rabbits in a couple of hutches in the corner of your backyard and because they are small and quiet, they are less noticeable than chickens.
Choosing a meat rabbit
If you have decided to keep meat rabbits, choosing which ones to get can be overwhelming. Ideally you would choose a pair of proven breeders if you are starting from scratch, because at least you know they know what they are doing.
Housing meat rabbits
There are a lot of different opinions on how to raise rabbits, and as long as they are clean and healthy, you can choose what method will suit you best.
Feeding meat rabbits
How you choose to feed your meat rabbits is up to you, but there are two main schools of thought – pellet based or without pellets.
Breeding meat rabbits
Rabbits breed like, well, rabbits. Usually the buck and doe know what to do. Take the doe to the bucks cage and usually within 10 minutes he will have done what he needs to do and you will have babies due in 28-34 days.
