Feeding rabbits can be a daunting task especially when you’re not aware as to what to feed rabbits. There is a general belief regarding rabbits diet in that the species can be fed on lettuce and carrots; yet the truth is that feeding these items to bunnies might lead to the death. Therefore, without the proper know-how about the rabbits diet, you must not feed it. At first, feeding rabbits seem to be a straightforward task since you know most of these species are grazers and they mainly feed on grass or plants. That’s right; rabbits like Cottontails are regular grazers and browsers with so much diversification in their nutrients.
What To Feed Rabbits
The rabbits diet include several vegetables and their habit of feeding on seedlings and uprooting young crops makes them disliked among farmers. Hence, you can feed your bunnies with grass hay and alfalfa hay but bear in mind these vegetables are not good for the regular feeding because of the excess calcium involved. Before feeding your bunnies grass, make sure that it’s completely dry and is has not emerged from a place with pesticides. One thing is for sure that most of the rabbits diet must be composed of grass or hay which should always be offered to them. Rabbits are the steady grazers and they tend to eat continually while they’re awake. One of essential pre-requisites for the rabbits feeding is that their digestive system should always be moving so please do not overlook while your rabbits go without food, even overnight. Actually rabbits are crepuscular creatures and they become more energetic at dawn and dusk. Considering the rabbits nature, the food should always be fed up in the form of grass or hay. Let’s come to the right answer about to what to feed rabbits!
Hay
As mentioned earlier, grass hay including oat hay and timothy are ought to be presented all the time to ensure a smooth running of a digestive system. Having said that, some rabbits do not accept hay initially; in this case you might supplement hay with vegetables two to three times a day, and with the limited amount of pellets rabbits might starve enough to eat the hay. According to the House Rabbit Society, baby bunnies must be fed with alfalfa hay with the introduction of some grass in the first 6 to 7 months. The amount of hay must be lowered down steadily compensating it with a grass only until your bunny reaches 1 year when the lone grass makes the bulk of bunnies diet.
Vegetables
As evident from the rabbits digestive system, vegetable should comprise most of their diet. In general, rabbits must be fed with 2 to 4 fresh veggie cups in a 24 hours window despite the fact that it can be varied according to the size of your rabbit. It’d be rather better if you change the rabbits diet on alternate days to make sure an absolute balance in their diet. However, if your rabbit is accustomed to devour pellets then perhaps the change must be introduced immediately to enable the digestive system to adjust accordingly. Supplement the rabbits diet with one or two vegetables at a time so that if the rabbit is experiencing diarrhea, you may identify the bad one. In general, leafy and root veggies are more preferable and recommended. These vegetables include:
If you don’t know about your rabbits diet then perhaps you need to visit vet doctor who will suggest you what to feed rabbits. Amongst the above vegetables, mustard greens, spinach, and kale are known to be superfluous in oxalates, their feeding must be limited accordingly. Some of the most common items that give rise to the predicaments are potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, and beans so they ought to be evaded. There is no nutritional worth in the iceberg lettuce and hence they should also be avoided. For the reason that rhubarb creates toxicity, the feeding is discouraged. Properly wash vegetables to wipe out any effect of pesticides (if any). Bunnies should not be fed with vegetables until they reach 12 weeks.
Pellets
Pellets are essentially embedded with the highest calories and are therefore recommended for commercially rabbit production. As for the house rabbits, pellets should be sought in a limited quantity else it might lead to obesity and other health-related problems. First thing to do is to buy a good quality and fresh pellet. The House Rabbit Society proposes at least 20 to 25% fiber, along with 14% protein, and less than 1% calcium for nearly all rabbit species. Feeding is largely determined by the size of the species; however, as a general rule, feed one-fourth to rabbits weighing 5 – 7 lb, half cup for 8 – 10 lb rabbits, and three-fourth for 11 – 15 lb species.
Now you’d probably be aware of what to feed rabbits! Let’s come what not to feed rabbits.
What To Feed Baby Rabbits
Fiber plays a significant role in the regular digestion of rabbits. Fresh vegetables and grass hay should make up the bulk of their nutrition; this is especially true for house rabbits. Feeding pellets all the time may lead to obesity or enhance the odds of digestive system. Cellulose also assists in averting hair balls. Bear in mind, if you’re feeding anything other than vegetables, grass hay, or pellets that must be fed in a limited manner. The rabbits digestive system is extremely prone to the serious upsets provided the diet is unsuitable. Nonetheless, if your rabbits are overweight, the pallets must be fed up moderately coupled with an enhanced quantity of vegetables and hays.
Recommended Vegetables For Bunnies
- Watercress
- Sprouts
- Wheat Grass
- Beet Tops
- Carrot Parsley
What Not To Feed Rabbits
It’s vital that you should be aware as to what to feed rabbits and what not to feed rabbits. Assuming rabbits diet to be straightforward and restricting it to a few plants or leaves is certainly bizarre. This can easily lead your pet rabbit to a painful death. Some foods that are thought to be natural and good for the rabbits are in fact worse than any junk food. You should not feed your rabbit especially bunnies with lettuce for it contains lactucarium which can lead to diarrhea. Other non-recommended foods include swedes, tomato leaves, parsnips, cabbage, and potatoe tops.
Some of the noteworthy plants that can trigger several digestive problems in rabbits are Poppies, Nightshade, Buttercups, Iris, Honeysuckle, Clover, Bluebells, Fairy Primrose, Dahlia, Larkspur, Tulips, Snowdrops, Hemlock, and Anemonies. You should allow your bunny to hover around within the defined vicinity.
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