If you are thinking about sharing your life with a bunny, it is good to find out about it right away what does rabbit eat. And what you should NOT eat. THE’rabbit feeding it must be as precise and correct as possible: it is no coincidence that most of the most common diseases of these lagomorphs (rabbits are lagomorphs, not rodents) are caused by errors in nutrition.
The basis of the rabbit’s diet
Many ask what can dwarf rabbits eat. Well, spoiler: the same things a normal-sized pet rabbit eats. There is no difference between thefeeding a dwarf rabbit or a larger pet rabbit: they eat the same things.
At most there are differences between the diet of pet rabbits andfeeding the meat rabbit. But this is for obvious reasons: the meat rabbit, unfortunately, must gain a certain weight within a certain number of months because it is then eaten. So his diet is aimed at making him gain weight quickly.
Pet rabbit feeding, on the other hand, aims at the rabbit’s well-being in the long term.
Originally the problem ofincorrect feeding of the pet rabbit it was born from the fact that in Italy, years ago, when the first pet rabbits began to be seen, people didn’t really know what to feed them. The only rabbits present in Italy were those on meat farms, so the feeding of the meat rabbit was simply transferred to that of the pet rabbit.
This is where all the misunderstandings and myths about rabbit feeding arise and even now, years later and when information on the correct rabbit diet is easily available to everyone, it often continues not to be fed correctly.
The rabbit, in fact, is a strict herbivore. It is not a granivore, therefore it does not eat seeds and similar. And he’s not even an omnivore, so he doesn’t eat carbohydrates and the like. Think about a wild rabbitfree in nature, in a meadow: what can you find to eat here? That’s right, grass. Not seeds, seeds, pasta, rice or anything else.
What does the rabbit eat?
As we said, rabbits are strictly herbivorous animals (as are guinea pigs and chinchillas, among other things). Which means that the basis of its nutrition is represented by vegetables such as hay, grass, shoots and leaves. (READ also: Guinea pigs: I’m a veterinarian and I’ll explain what to pay attention to to keep them healthy)
This is because your intestines need long fiber to continue working properly. Here’s what a rabbit should eat:
The vegetables must be fed washed, dry and not cold from the fridge. Vegetables must always be fresh, if wilted or deteriorated, they should be eliminated immediately.
In the case of rabbits with bladder stones, it is better not to overdo it with chard, broccoli, cabbage, turnip greens, turnips, rocket, spinach, radishes, clover and cabbage. Cucumbers and tomatoes (without leaves, stalks, stems and not when they are green) should be fed in moderation.
In moderation, a few times a week, you can also offer a few pieces of fruit:
To these you can add, without exaggerating (if too much risks making them fat), also some pellets composed only of pressed grass. Seeds or pellets mixed with seeds or extrudates are absolutely prohibited.
Always remember to always leave fresh water available.
What should rabbits NOT eat?
There are anyabsolutely forbidden foodsfoods that rabbits should NEVER eat:
Then there are some foods toxic to rabbitsstrictly forbidden:
