Rabbit Diet & Feeding Calculator
Calculate the correct daily portions of hay, pellets, and fresh greens for your rabbit. Correct nutrition is the single biggest factor in rabbit health and longevity.
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Rabbit Nutrition Guide
What do I need to know about The Rabbit Diet Pyramid?
Rabbits are strict herbivores with a digestive system designed for continuous fibre intake. Correct diet proportions: hay: 80-85% of diet (unlimited access at all times). Fresh greens and herbs: 10-15% (daily). Pellets: 5% maximum (small measured amount). Treats and fruit: less than 5% (occasional only). The most common rabbit health problem is dental disease — caused by insufficient hay. Rabbit teeth grow continuously and must be worn down by chewing fibrous hay. Without adequate hay: teeth overgrow, causing painful spurs that can cut into the cheeks and tongue, making eating increasingly difficult and creating a vicious cycle of reduced hay intake.
What do I need to know about Hay — The Most Important Element?
Hay should make up the vast majority of a rabbit's diet. Types: Timothy hay (ideal for adult rabbits — lower calcium than meadow hay). Meadow/orchard hay (good for variety). Oat hay (palatable, slightly higher carbohydrate). Alfalfa hay (high protein and calcium — only for juniors under 7 months and underweight rabbits). Daily amount: body length worth of hay per day as a minimum (approximately 1 rabbit-body-length of hay, loosely compressed). Pellets should never replace hay — they do not provide the same fibre length or dental wear benefit, no matter how nutritionally complete the label claims them to be.
What do I need to know about Safe and Unsafe Vegetables?
Safe greens (feed regularly): romaine lettuce, rocket, watercress, parsley (limited — high calcium), dill, basil, coriander, mint, fennel tops. Safe in small amounts: kale, spinach, chard (high oxalate — rotate rather than feed daily). Fruits (treat only — high sugar): apple (no seeds), pear, strawberry, blueberry. Introduce new foods gradually — one at a time, small amounts — to prevent digestive upset (GI stasis risk). AVOID completely: iceberg lettuce (near zero nutrition, causes diarrhoea).
What should I know about GI Stasis — The Silent Killer?
Gastrointestinal stasis (gut slowdown or complete stop) is the most common life-threatening emergency in pet rabbits. Causes: inadequate hay and fibre. Sudden dietary changes. Stress. Dehydration. Pain from another condition. Signs: not eating, reduced or absent droppings, hunched posture, teeth grinding. Time-critical: a rabbit not eating for 12+ hours needs veterinary attention urgently. Prevention: unlimited hay, fresh water always available (bottle or bowl), daily exercise. Bloat, a gas accumulation in the gut, often accompanies GI stasis and can become life-threatening within hours if not treated promptly by a vet.