Rabbit Diet: Hay First, Everything Else Second
Why unlimited hay is the whole foundation of rabbit health, and what else belongs in the bowl.
If you change one thing about how you feed a rabbit, make it this: hay should be about 80% of the diet, available every hour of the day.
Why hay is non-negotiable
Rabbit teeth grow continuously. Only the long, sideways chewing action of grass hay wears them evenly. Without it, teeth develop spurs that cut the tongue and cheeks — a painful, expensive and entirely preventable problem. Hay also keeps the gut moving, and a rabbit gut that stops is an emergency.
The daily plate
- Unlimited grass hay — timothy, orchard or meadow. A pile as big as the rabbit, refreshed daily.
- A cup of leafy greens per 1 kg of body weight — romaine, coriander, basil, spring greens.
- A tablespoon of pellets per 1 kg — plain, high-fibre, no colourful bits.
- Treats — a thumbnail of fruit a few times a week at most.
Alfalfa is for babies
Alfalfa is too rich in calcium and protein for adults. Use it under six months, then switch to grass hay.
Warning signs
A rabbit that stops eating or passing droppings for 12 hours needs a vet the same day. Do not wait to see if it passes.
