In the warmer months, rabbits generally eat fresh grass, weeds, clover, crops from fields, wild vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Wild rabbits mainly rely on buds, bark, twigs, and greens left in nature during harsh winters. In the winter, we usually find rabbits in our yard, lawn, or garden.
- Collard greens (high in vitamin A)
- Beet greens (the tops, high in vitamin A)
- Lettuce: Romaine, Red or Green leaf (no iceberg or light colored leaf)
- Spinach.
- Parsley.
- Basil.
- Mint.
- Bok Choy.
How much food should I Feed my Rabbit?
Most veterinarians recommend feeding your rabbit at a rate of 1/8 cup to 1/4 Cup per day for every 5 pounds of body-weight. Make sure that the pellets you feed are of excellent quality and Timothy based like these Oxbow pellets. Rabbits need vegetables daily to maintain their health and happiness.
What do you feed a wild rabbit in a yard?
You can provide the wild rabbits in your garden with veggies such as:
- Beet greens and collard green – are rich in vitamin A.
- Broccoli –just the leaves and stems are healthy for the wild rabbits.
- Carrots –should be fed in small amounts as they are rich in carbohydrates which are not easily digestible.
- Brussel sprouts.
- Watercress
What is the best food for wild rabbits?
- Carrots
- Broccoli (leaves and stems)
- Edible flowers (roses, nasturtiums, pansies, hibiscus)
- Celery
- Bell peppers (any color)
- Chinese pea pods (the flat kind without large peas)
- Brussel sprouts
- Cabbage (any type)
- Broccolini
- Summer squash
What vegetables can rabbits eat?
- Carrots . Bunnies don’t eat root vegetables in the wild. ...
- Lettuce . Rabbits should eat lettuce in moderation, and not all lettuces are good for your bunny. ...
- A dwarf adult rabbit needs 0.12 cups of pellets per day.
- A medium-sized or large adult bunny requires just 0.25 cups of pellets per day.
What can I feed a wild rabbit?
During warmer seasons, rabbits will eat weeds, grasses, clover, wildflowers, and flower and vegetable plants. When the weather turns cold, rabbits will munch on twigs, buds, bark, conifer needles, and any remaining green plants.
Do wild rabbits eat carrots?
Wild rabbits can and do eat carrots. Especially if dark greens are not available to eat, it's common for rabbits to eat carrots and carrot tops that stick out of the ground. If the rabbit has access to dark greens, the rabbit will likely prefer the leaves to the carrot, though.
Can you feed outdoor bunnies?
If you do want to feed the rabbits in your community, the best thing to do is try to feed them naturally with your own garden and lawn. However, if you want to do more, there are plenty of healthy foods you can leave out for wild rabbits to help feed them.
What can I leave outside for rabbits?
0:211:30What Foods Can I Put Outside for Wild Rabbits to Eat in the Winter?YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd there's not any food for the rabbits the best thing to give them is hey you want to stick withMoreAnd there's not any food for the rabbits the best thing to give them is hey you want to stick with the grass Hays such as timothy or orchard grass bromb. Like that you want to you could do oat Hays.
What is the favorite food of 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.
Will wild rabbits eat apples?
Wild rabbits should not eat sugary fruits, such as apples and tomatoes. Even carrots aren't considered suitable for wild rabbits. Rabbits in the wild prefer branches, twigs, dry and fresh grasses, and plants.
Can rabbits eat lettuce?
Myth #3 - Rabbits eat lettuce Some lettuce is 'worse' than others - light-coloured varieties are high in water and have very little nutritional value, so are not recommended. You can feed darker, more leafy and fibrous varieties (e.g. romaine lettuce) to your rabbit, as these are higher in fibre and actual nutrients.
What vegetables can rabbits eat?
Vegetables that can be fed to a rabbit daily:Bell peppers.Bok choy.Brussels sprouts.Carrot tops.Cucumber.Endive.Escarole.Fennel.More items...•
What fruit can I feed my bunny?
Foods to feed your rabbit as a treatApples (seeds removed) High in sugar, apples should only be fed to rabbits as a treat.Banana. Also high in sugar, it's safe for rabbits to eat bananas occasionally.Blackberries.Blueberries.Carrot tops. ... Dandelion. ... Grapes.
Do rabbits get cold at night?
Rabbits are cold weather animals. They're highly temperature resistant, and can handle temperatures down to almost 30oF (-2oC). With a well-insulated hutch, they'll be fine even in near-freezing conditions. You can always check by measuring their temperature – which should be between 101-103oF (38-39.5oC).
What do rabbits eat in the garden?
Rabbits prefer young, tender shoots and are particularly fond of lettuce, beans, and broccoli....Plants rabbits tend to avoid include:Vegetables: asparagus, leeks, onions, potatoes, rhubarb, squash, tomatoes.Flowers: cleomes, geraniums, vincas, wax begonias.Herbs: basil, mint, oregano, parsley, tarragon.
What do wild rabbits drink?
Wild rabbits obtain the majority of their water from dew and from the plants they consume. They are coprophagic, meaning they will eat their own droppings to extract whatever nutrients they failed to the first time around.
How to feed a bunny?
2. Feed your rabbit more than carrots. Bugs Bunny may have done fine with a single-veggie diet, but real rabbits require lots of hay and diet diversity. The staple of your rabbit’s diet should be hay, which should be available at your pet supply store. This should make up about 75% of its diet.
What do bunnies need?
Domesticated rabbits need an outdoor home that is spacious, secure, clean, dry, not too hot or cold, well-stocked with food and water, and not isolated from regular contact with humans and any rabbit friends. Help your furry friend live a life that is long enough and enjoyable enough to hop about! Steps.
What are some games that rabbits play?
Games like "bunny bowling" (the rabbit knocking over plastic pins), "fetch" (with you doing the fetching!), and "cardboard castle" ( which is inevitably destroyed) are among the many play options.
How to keep rabbits warm in winter?
Make winter warmer. With a properly insulated and protected home, rabbits can withstand the winter cold, although you may consider just keeping them inside — at least at night — during the coldest time of year. Before winter arrives, repair the rabbit’s home, taking special care to fix any leaks or damp spots.
How to keep a rabbit as a pet?
The days of thinking it acceptable to keep a pet rabbit in a small, isolated “hutch” are in the past. Rabbits need a dry, clean, ventilated, safe, well-placed, and relatively roomy home to thrive.
How much free range time do bunnies need?
Rabbits are meant to be active creatures, running and hopping about, and need at least 3 hours of "free range" time per day for exercise. "Free range," however, does not mean loose and unsupervised in the yard, unless you want your bunny pal to become lunch for your neighbor's cat.
How to keep a bunny from overheating?
Place your rabbit’s home in a shady area, and/or provide shade with a roof or screening material. Make sure the enclosure is well-ventilated to prevent overheating, however. You can also try freezing plastic water bottles and putting them in the enclosure. This will provide your rabbit with some cool spots to lounge.
Plants that are Safe for Pet Rabbits
Some plants attract rabbits due to their compelling scents. Others are longtime favorites that rabbits readily devour, much like Peter Rabbit in Mr. McGregor’s garden. And while rabbits do eat carrots, they also enjoy many other plants that you might choose to place in your garden and that might grow naturally around your home.
Most Popular Flowers
If you enjoy growing flowers or have a variety of wildflowers growing near your home, your pet rabbit might have another great food source. Whether or not you want your rabbit to eat flowers could be another issue. But barring your objections, you might be surprised by which flowers your pet rabbit could consume and enjoy as part of a healthy diet.
Keep Your Small Pet Happy and Healthy with Quality Hay
With some knowledge of the types of plants that you pet rabbit would safely enjoy eating, you can supplement your rabbit’s diet in a small outdoor garden. Just remember that they should only be having a little bit and as a treat more than as a main source of their diet.
What do wild rabbits eat?
5 Things I Recommend Feeding Wild Rabbits 1 Sunflower Seed-as long as you’re willing to make sure it doesn’t get wet or moldy, sunflower seed can help them stay warm and they like it. 2 Kale-a very hardy green that’s also very inexpensive to feed. I recommend putting out a little of the kale you eat (uncooked) before buying some of this to see if they’ll take it. 3 Baby Carrots-another one that would be good for you to put some of yours out first before you buy some. They’ll eat them for sure but it may take a few nights. Just remember that carrots have a high sugar content so they should be fed sparingly. This is true of ALL fruit! 4 Rabbit pellets-start with just a few in with some other food to see if they’ll select them. We’re moving up the expense scale here but you could be doing a lot to help them with good nutrition. 5 Apples-These are best cut up. This is another food that is relatively inexpensive to feed. If you have room, it’s best to store these in a bin in your refrigerator. The same as with baby carrots. Feed these as a treat because of the high sugar content which is not good for their digestion.
Why do you feed wild rabbits?
Feed these as a treat because of the high sugar content which is not good for their digestion. As you can see, you don’t have to turn your world or budget upside-down to be feeding wild rabbits in your back yard. Of course, if you have other wildlife in your backyard it may present a bit of a challenge.
What is the best herb to grow in a rabbit's yard?
Aromatic but not unpleasantly pungent to your bunny’s nose, common mint is an amazing herb to plant inside your home or in your yard. It grows quickly and establishes itself almost immediately, providing an ongoing (and free!) source of fiber in your rabbit’s diet.
What is the best herb for rabbits?
Another fast-growing herb that does well in indoor gardens, cilantro , is many a rabbit’s favorite treat. It’s high in fiber and has a moderate vitamin and mineral profile, making it a good everyday addition to your rabbit’s diet.
Can rabbits eat Romaine lettuce?
Hardier and with a much better nutrient profile than iceberg lettuce, Romaine (as well as red and green lettuce varieties) is a useful addition to your rabbit’s diet. You’ll want to feed it to them in moderation, as its abundant water content can lead to diarrhea if overconsumed. Avoid iceberg lettuce entirely, as it provides almost no nutritional value.
Can rabbits eat broccoli?
Fed in moderation, broccoli’s high fiber content and dense nutrient profile can make it an excellent supplement to your rabbit’s diet, stem and all. Be careful not to overdo it, though, as this brassica family vegetable can be stressful for some rabbits’ digestive systems.
Can rabbits eat dandelion leaves?
A little-known green that’s delicious in salads for humans as well, dandelion leaves are widely available in the spring and summer. You can pick them from outdoors in areas with minimal road access, but be careful not to take from anywhere that may have been sprayed with chemicals. Always wash any freshly picked greens thoroughly before feeding them to your rabbit.
Can rabbits eat collard greens?
Possessing a healthy blend of protein and fiber with very little sugar, collard greens are a wonderful addition to any rabbit’s diet. There are no counterindications for feeding, so feel free to give your rabbit collard greens every day.
Why Should I Keep My Bunny Outside?
Rabbits are active animals, and they often tend to move, run, exercise, and are curious all the time. It is not good to keep the bunnies in the same and small place as they may start to feel imprisoned and irritated. Many rabbits love to run on green grass and prefer to smell outside (fresh) air.
How Should I Keep The Bunnies Outside?
If you never take your bunnies inside your home, there is no way for them to even think of getting inside. If your home does not have a small puppy or pet door, the rabbits can not get themselves in.
Protection For Bunnies From The Weather
Bunnies that stay outside your home have high chances to face severe weather. The outdoor rabbits have to resist the peak summer days and snowy winter nights. All these harsh conditions will make your bunny sick if you don’t give them pepper protection. Here are a few ways using which you can protect your bunny.
Final Words
Bunnies like to stay outdoors so they can have more space to run. They prefer to enjoy the weather when the surroundings have a temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The rabbits only need to be indoors in case of harsh weather. Giving them a comfortable, spacious, and safe shelter will make the bunnies stay outdoors.
