For Vets
Diet
A balanced diet is the foundation of good rabbit welfare, supporting healthy digestion, strong teeth, and overall wellbeing.
What do rabbits eat?
Rabbits have very specific dietary needs. A good diet keeps their digestive system working properly, helps wear down their continuously growing teeth, and supports long term health.
Providing the right diet does more than support physical health. It also encourages natural behaviours like grazing and foraging, helping rabbits stay active and mentally stimulated.
Key points
Grass & hay
The most important part of a rabbit’s diet. Grass and hay should make up the majority of what they eat and must always be available.
Fresh leafy greens and herbs
Provide nutrients and variety when offered daily in safe amounts.
Pellets
A small measured portion of good quality pellets can help provide additional nutrients, but they should only make up a very small part of the overall diet.
Fresh water
Clean water should always be available and refreshed daily.
Sweet foods (including fruit and carrots)
Should only be given occasionally, as rabbits have sensitive digestive systems. Many shop-bought treats are high in sugar and are not suitable for regular feeding.
Articles
The Importance of Water
In short, water is vital. Rabbits must have access to plenty of fresh water at all times. Rabbits eating lots...
Is Your Rabbit Too Fat?
Wild rabbits have to forage for food, breed, flee to their burrow whenever danger looms and keep warm in inclement...
Obesity, Commercial Food and Treats
Does my bun look big in this? Obesity is a huge problem in pet rabbits. Two of the main causes...
Poisonous Plants
Plants known to be toxic or harmful to rabbits are discussed on this page. A handy list is below. Please...
Recommended Vegetables and Herbs
Wild rabbits forage for a variety of foods to get a good nutritional mix. So, keep things interesting for your...
Grass, Hay or Alfalfa?
Alfalfa is not a grass hay, it’s a legume, similar to peas or lentils. Grass and hay made from grass...
Digestion
It’s important to know the basics of how your rabbit’s insides are working. This page highlights how vital a good...
Greens, Veg and Herbs
Along with unlimited grass or hay, greens, vegetables and herbs play a vital part in a rabbit’s diet. Go green!...
To Feed or Not to Feed - Gas is the Question
by Nadene Stapleton, Veterinary SurgeonThis article was published in Rabbiting On Spring 2019 Anyone who takes the time to get...
How to feed rabbits
Go wild! Our pet rabbits are fundamentally the same as their wild cousins, so just as their homes should allow...
Is beetroot safe for rabbits?
There has been some discussion about beetroot—it’s the leaves that are the concern due to their high oxalate content. In...
Calcium Metabolism and Vitamin D in Rabbits
The subject of calcium metabolism and Vitamin D provision in rabbits (either via the food or produced by the body...
‘New’ feeding and dietary advice
We have seen some new dietary advice being promoted recently, and we have been asked about its validity. We want...
Everything You Have Always Wanted to Know about… Foraging for Rabbits
What is Foraging? Foraging is seeking out a variety of wild plants as foodstuffs. It is something that rabbits would...
Hay and Health
The first thing to think about when considering your rabbits’ health is their diet. The most common health problems faced...
ACV in water
Apple Cider vinegar is a vinegar made from fermented apple juice. Bacteria and yeasts in the apples produce alcohol from...
Sand and pellets - questions answered
We were recently approached by an owner with a list of questions which we put to our Specialist Vet Adviser,...
Beware of OTC Bloat Treatments
Here at the RWAF we are often asked about over-the-counter (OTC) medications for rabbits with gastrointestinal disorders, such as bloating....
