DIET

A rabbit’s main diet should be 80% grass hay (unlimited), 15% fresh greens and 5% healthy pellets.

 

Hay

Fresh hay should make up most of your rabbit’s diet and needs to be readily available at all times. Adult rabbits can eat timothy, grass, and oat hays, while younger rabbits (under 6 months) should be fed alfalfa. Alfalfa hay should not be given to adult rabbits because of the higher protein and sugar content. Hay is important for rabbits because it provides the essential fiber needed for good digestive health and it helps wear down a rabbit’s teeth (which never stop growing) for good dental health. Placing hay at one end of a litter box will also encourage good litter habits,, as rabbits tend to eat hay and poop at the same time.

Where to buy?

Various types of hay can be bought at your local pet store, however it’s more expensive compared to buying in bulk. If you check Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace, you can sometimes find local farms that sell timothy hay by the bale. Just make sure it’s pure timothy or timothy/orchard grass, as sometimes there are timothy/alfalfa mixes which isn’t appropriate for adult rabbits.

Some companies also sell hay in bulk. Pet Valu, Rens and Amazon often have 50lb boxes of Oxbow timothy hay, and if you’re local to Southern Ontario, you can get boxes of Standlee hay at Minor Brothers. You can also order hay from Small Pet Select on Amazon Canada.
There are also some companies where you can order larger quantities of hay and have it delivered. We know of these companies in Ontario, Canada:

Freshay
Canadian Pet Connection
True Colours Products
Tiny Paws Emporium
Hop Online

If you know of a business that isn’t listed here, let us know!

Pellets

Pellets should make up a very small part of the rabbit diet (around 5%). Look for a pellet which is high in fibre (min 18%), low in calcium (max 1%), and low in protein (max 14%). If you have a rabbit that is overweight and you are cutting back pellets, it is crucial that you cut them back VERY SLOWLY to avoid health complications such as fatty liver disease. A 5-7lb adult rabbit should be getting around 1/4 cup of pellets each day, but this can vary depending on the rabbit’s age, health and activity levels.

The first ingredient for adult pellets should be timothy hay or timothy meal. Pellets with alfalfa listed as one of the first ingredients are suited for young rabbits, nursing mothers or rabbits that need help putting on weight. That being said, alfalfa is high in calcium and can cause bladder sludge or stones in adult rabbits, so talk to your veterinarian before feeding this to your rabbit.

Veterinary approved brands for rabbit pellets are Oxbow, Martin’s Little Friends and Sherwood.

 
 

Greens

The bulk of vegetables in a rabbit’s diet should be made up of about 75% leafy greens or herbs, such as romaine, green and red leaf lettuce, dill, parsley and cilantro. The remaining 25% of your rabbits vegetable intake may come from non-leafy greens, about 1 tablespoon per 2 lbs of body weight per day. Treats should make up a very small portion of the diet and given on occasion.

Please note that when introducing new foods to a rabbit’s diet, it’s best to go slowly to allow the gastrointestinal tract to adjust. Don’t introduce multiple new kinds of food at once, and be sure to monitor your rabbit’s stool. If you notice softer stools that persist over a few days, it’s best to remove the new food from your rabbit’s diet.

 
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Safe Greens (75% of fresh food - should be given a variety each meal)

  • Arugula

  • Basil

  • Broccoli leaves (stems or tops can make rabbits gassy)

  • Carrot tops (carrots are high in calcium and should be given sparingly)

  • Cilantro

  • Chicory

  • Clover

  • Collard greens

  • Cucumber leaves

  • Dandelion leaves

  • Dill

  • Endives

  • Fennel (the leafy tops as well as the base)

  • Frisee lettuce

  • Lettuce – romaine or dark leaf (no iceburg lettuce and no cabbage)

  • Mint

  • Mustard greens

  • Parsley

  • Radicchio

  • Spring greens

  • Water cress

  • Wheat grass

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Safe to feed in limited quantities

  • Beet greens

  • Edible flowers (roses, nasturtiums, pansies, hibiscus)

  • Kale

  • Mustard greens

  • Radish tops

  • Spinach

  • Sprouts (from 1 to 6 days after sprouting, sprouts have higher levels of alkaloids)

  • Swiss chard

Fruit

  • Apple (no seeds)

  • Banana (remove peel)

  • Blueberries

  • Carrots

  • Mango

  • Melons

  • Papaya

  • Pineapple (remove skin)

  • Raspberries

  • Strawberries

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Unsafe - Do NOT Feed

  • Bamboo shoots

  • Cassava (Yuca)

  • Chocolate

  • Coffee plants

  • Corn

  • Iceberg lettuce

  • Maize

  • Garlic and onions

  • Potato and potato tops

  • Raw anasazi, broad, common, lima, black, fava, horse, runner, garden, pinto, navy, kidney, soy beans and sprouts

  • Rhubarb (including the leaves)

  • Tomato leaves