Bunny Information and Care

• Please always do your research. It is key to providing a safe and happy environment for your new bunny! Always start out slow and in very small amounts to avoid Bloat and GI Stasis. Keep in mind Veggies should only be given After 3 months in small amounts, depending on your rabbits weight, you can start feeding them more. A good guide is 1 cup per 4lbs. of rabbit per day. Fruit should be given After 6 months.   Fruits should only be given as a small treat as they are high in sugar.

Hay is considered the most important part of a Rabbits diet and should be provided 24/7. we suggest Alfalfa up to 6 months, then transition to Timothy hay. If you continue Alfalfa after 6 months it can cause urinary tract issues. Hay helps keep the GI Tract moving at all times which helps prevent bloat and GI Stasis. Rabbits teeth constantly grow and hay helps keep them wore down. Any kind of grass hay is good, including oat hay.

Pellets are the second most important part of your Bunny's diet. Keep in mind only feeding Pellets will not wear their teeth down and can cause teeth to be overgrown and can cause other unwanted issues.  

a good guide is :  7 weeks to 11 months–unlimited pellets, unlimited hay

(1-5 years old) 1/4 to 1/2 cup pellets per 6 lbs. body weight (depending on metabolism and/or proportionate to veggies) and unlimited hay.

Oats are complex carbohydrates, with plenty of nutrients, a source of protein, and have a high fiber content. We often add a sprinkle of rolled oats or old fashioned oats to their feed. They cannot process whole oats. 

     Herbs and Veggies  Rabbits count vegetables and herbs among their favorite foods. Most greens found in a supermarket are safe for rabbits, with a few limitations and exceptions. (See the list of foods to avoid below.)

No more than two cups daily of fresh vegetables should be given to adult rabbits. Dwarf breeds and rabbits under five pounds should get just one cup of fresh veggies per day. A variety of two or three vegetables is ideal. Add one new vegetable at a time, and watch for signs of loose stool or diarrhea because, as mentioned above, bunnies have delicate digestive systems. Certain vegetables can be given every day, while others should be fed sparingly, one or two times a week.

Do not feed your rabbit potatoes, corn, or beans. These foods are difficult for rabbits to digest and can cause serious digestive problems.  

Vegetables that can be fed to a rabbit daily:

• Bell peppers
• Bok choy
• Brussels sprouts
• Carrot tops
• Cucumber
• Endive
• Escarole
• Fennel
• Herbs: Fresh and dried Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Mint, Lavender, Thyme, Common Sage, Rosemary, Dill, Fennel, Coriander, Dandelion, Chamomile, Tarragon, Coneflower, Lemon Balm, Cilantro, Plantain 
• Lettuces: romaine, green leaf, red leaf, Boston bibb, arugula, butter
• Okra leaves
• Radicchio
• Radish tops
• Sprouts: alfalfa, radish, clover
• Watercress
• Wheatgrass
• Zucchini

Vegetables and plants to give sparingly (one or two times a week) to a bunny as they can cause gas and bloat:

• Broccoli (stems and leaves only)
• Carrots
• Chard
• Clover
• Collard greens
• Dandelion greens (pesticide-free)
• Flowers: calendula, chamomile, daylily, dianthus, English daisy, hibiscus, honeysuckle, marigold, nasturtium, pansy, rose
• Kale
• Spinach

Fruit should only be given once or twice per week.    

The appropriate serving is one to two tablespoons of fruit (either one kind or a mixture) per five pounds of body weight. As with vegetables, fruit should be introduced slowly and one at a time.

Fruit to feed your rabbit (one or two times a week):

• Apple (no seeds)
• Banana
• Berries: blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries
• Grapes
• Melon
• Nectarine
• Orange
• Papaya
• Peach
• Pear
• Pineapple (pineapple is really good to give your bunny one or two days a week, as the acid in the fruit helps with hairballs) Pineapple juice can also be added to their water.
• Plum
• Watermelon

Seeds  should be given sparingly and after 6 months old. (Black Oiled Sunflower seeds are one exception. They can be given before 6 months.) A few safe Seeds include, Flax, Melon ( Watermelon, Cantaloupe, & Honeydew), Pumpkin, Black Oiled Sunflower seeds (can be found in bird section at stores), and Squash. We often add a sprinkle of Black oiled sunflower seeds to our bunnies feed.

Keep in mind almost all house plants are toxic to Bunnies as well as, Snowdrops, Hyacinths, Bluebells, Crocuses, Daffodils, Tulips, Buttercups, Foxgloves, Primrose, Poppy, Periwinkle, Monkshood, Nightshade, and Ivy. Please research before giving anything out of the ordinary to your Rabbit. Also, please be careful feeding outside plants to your bunnies as RHDV2 is starting to spread through the U.S. and can be brought in by plants wild animals have touched that could carry the disease. Click this link to learn more about RHDV2. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/fs-rhdv2.pdf

Please do not feed your bunny dairy products.   

Your bunny does not naturally have the right bacteria to digest Milk. Dairy products accelerate the onset of Stasis.

Water should be provided 24/7 either in the form of a Bowl or a Bottle. Rabbits consume about 40% more water with a Bowl.