While pellets can be part of a balanced diet, you should not give your rabbit a completely pellet-based diet. Instead, it’s important to feed your rabbit mainly grass-based hay. A healthy rabbit diet should consist of about 80% of your rabbit’s daily food being grass-based hay (such as timothy hay).
Do rabbits need pellets or just hay?
Rabbits should have a daily diet of mostly hay, a smaller amount of fresh vegetables, and a limited number of pellets. Hay is the most important part of a rabbit’s daily intake. Unlimited, high-quality grass hay, such as Timothy, orchard or brome, should make up the bulk of a rabbit’s diet.
Can rabbits eat unlimited pellets?
Most guides for a young rabbit diet will encourage you to give your rabbit an unlimited supply of pellets. However, I offer this advice with some caution because you want to make sure your rabbit is also eating their hay. Most rabbits will prefer pellets to hay.
How long can Bunnies go without hay?
Rabbits are grazers who need to eat continuously. If they go even 12 hours without food, then they have a high chance of developing a potentially deadly condition called GI Statis. At most, a rabbit will typically live for around 3-4 days without eating. What is this?
Can rabbit survive without pellets?
Rabbits can get by without pellets as long as hay and fresh green vegetables are given every day. Avoid cereal/grain mixes (such as rabbit mix muesli) as these can encourage selective feeding, nutritional imbalance and obesity [1, 4]. Providing other objects to chew on is also a good idea.
Should rabbits eat pellets everyday?
Pellets can be good for rabbits in small quantities, but they are not a necessary part of a rabbit’s daily food intake. If pet rabbits are given a balanced diet with grass-based hay and a variety of leafy green vegetables, they can still be healthy on a pellet-free diet.
How often should rabbits eat pellets?
daily
Pellets. Feed your rabbits a small amount of good quality pellets or nuggets daily. Give them the right amount – measure 25g (an eggcup-full) of pellets per kg of your rabbit’s body weight.
When should rabbits stop eating pellets?
At four months you should begin reducing pellets, and if you are feeding a higher protein pellets changing over to adult pellets. If you’ve fed alfalfa, it’s also time to start decreasing this in favour of grass hay. Your rabbit should be on an adult ration by 6-7 months old.
What can I feed my rabbit if I ran out of food?
Rabbit Food Alternatives and Supplements
- Dandelion Leaves.
- Broccoli.
- Collard Greens.
- Beet Greens.
- Romaine Lettuce.
- Spinach.
- Kale.
- Mint.
How many times a day should I feed my rabbit?
The total amount of fresh food that you may give to your rabbit daily (once your bunny has been gradually introduced to it), is a minimum of 1 heaping cup (loosely packed), per 5 pound of body weight, given two times a day.
What happens if I don’t give my rabbit hay?
Hay keeps the gut moving
Blockages can often be fatal. If a rabbit doesn’t eat enough hay then this can slow down the rabbit’s intestinal functions and cause serious problems eg. GI Stasis (see below).
Do rabbits really need hay?
Fresh, clean drinking water and good quality hay and grass should make up the majority of your rabbits’ diet. A rabbit’s digestive system needs hay or grass to function properly so a healthy supply is extremely important. You can supplement with leafy greens and a small amount of pellets.
Do rabbits stop eating when they are full?
When Does a Rabbit Stop Eating? Your rabbit will stop eating when it’s satiated or during rest. However, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s normal for rabbits to eat numerous times throughout the day.
Can I leave my rabbit alone for 2 days?
Rabbits are not particularly independent, so they can’t be left on their own for more than two days. However, if it’s just a weekend or a working day, we can make sure they get everything they need, so we can spend time away from home without worrying too much about their health.
Do rabbits need greens everyday?
General feeding recommendations are around 1 cup of dark, leafy greens per 2 pounds of a rabbit’s body weight daily.
Why do rabbits love pellets?
Rabbit pellets are predominantly made of carbohydrates, and like most people, rabbits love their carbs and will choose them over fiber (hay). The general rule for healthy adult bunnies is no more than one-quarter cup of timothy hay-based pellets per 5 pounds of body weight each day.
What can you mix rabbit pellets with?
Rabbits’ eating requirements are simple, consisting mostly of fresh food.
My Homemade Natural Grain Based Rabbit Food Recipe:
- 6 cups rolled oats.
- 3 cups golden wheat berries.
- 3 cups pearled barley.
- 3 cups hard red wheat berries.
- 3 cups split peas.
- 3 cups black oil sunflower seed.
Can rabbits eat banana?
Rabbits should not be given more than 2 tablespoons of banana per 5 pounds of their body weight, 2-3 times a week. As a general rule, you should never feed a rabbit a piece of banana that’s larger than the size of your thumb.
What is toxic to rabbits?
Apples and pears are the most notorious examples, but the pits from apricots, peaches, plums, and mangos also contain cyanide, as do cherry pits. While the amount of cyanide contained in fruit seeds and pits is generally scant, it is best to avoid feeding them to rabbits altogether.
Can you overfeed rabbits?
Overeating can quickly lead to obesity in rabbits, which is a very dangerous condition. Since rabbits have such a sensitive digestive system, they run the risk of developing complications in their gut that will require medical intervention.
What veg can rabbits eat daily?
It’s important to provide your pet with a variety of safe greens to make sure they have a balanced diet.
Your rabbit’s diet should include a variety of the following greens:
- Asparagus.
- Bok Choy.
- Brussel Sprouts.
- Broccoli leaves.
- Celery.
- Collard Greens.
- Cauliflower leaves and stalks.
- Chicory.