Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE

So you’ve bought a large rabbit hutch, got your rabbit and are now ready to start getting to know it. One thing that you might have overlooked is what type of food you’re going to feed your rabbit. It’s essential for a pet rabbit to get a balanced and healthy diet, otherwise it can have problems with digestion and being overweight.

As with humans, fibre is an important part of any rabbits diet as it helps the digestive system. This is why hay and vegetables should form a large part of a pet rabbits diet. In general, the rabbit should have a constant supply of hay. Many rabbits love fresh hay from when they are first bought, but others won’t take to it straight away. If this is the case with your pet then try to give it fresh hay several times a day until it gets used to it.

Ideally, you should start by feeding the rabbit alfalfa hay before gradually switching to grass hays – which are better for the rabbit – after about a year. The problem with alfalfa hay is that it doesn’t contain as much fibre, but it does have a higher amount of calcium. Many rabbits will prefer alfalfa hay so you’ll need to gradually switch the different types.

Vegetables should make up a large amount of the rabbits diet. The exact amount depends on how large the rabbit is, but you should provide a few cups of fresh vegetables each and every day. It’s difficult to go wrong with vegetables, but you should still mix up the different types in order to provide a balanced diet. Iceberg lettuce, however, should be avoided as it doesn’t provide any nutritional value. Make sure you check whether a particular vegetable is safe before you give it to your rabbit.

Pellets are high calorie food for rabbits, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give them to your rabbit. Just be aware that you should buy high quality pellets and avoid giving your rabbit too much.