Are Rolled Oats Good or Bad for Rabbits?

Rabbits make wonderful pets for anyone, especially families with children. Owning a rabbit can be a fun and rewarding experience. Rabbits are intelligent creatures, and can even be litter box trained just like a cat. This makes them easy animals to care for inside of your home. Rabbit diet is very important, and fiber is a vital part of what you should feed your pet.

  1. General Rabbit Care

    • Rabbits make great companions for children and enjoy being held.

      Rabbits are very social animals, making them suitable companions. They love being indoors with you, and will be very quiet and clean once they receive litter box training. Rabbits can get bored easily, and will chew on electrical cords, important papers and fraying rugs if within reach, so providing them with chew toys is important.

    Basic Nutrition

    • Grass hays, such as Timothy hay, are the most important part of a rabbit's diet.

      Fiber is very important for a healthy rabbit. One place for a rabbit to get the fiber it needs is from grass hays such as Timothy hay. Make grass hays available to your rabbit at all times. It promotes proper digestion and prevents your rabbit from getting hair balls. The hay also provides your rabbit with essential proteins and other nutrients vital for health. Your rabbit will enjoy hay that is left in long strands rather than pressed into cubes.

    Oats

    • Rolled oats can irritate a rabbit's digestive system, but oat groats are fine.

      Oatmeal, especially the instant or quick cooking variety most people have on hand, can upset a rabbit's digestive system, but you can feed oat groats to your rabbit in small amounts. Oat groats are the whole grain, and have not been pressed or rolled or had the germ removed, making them a better choice for a rabbit. Consider oats as treats for your rabbit; only feed them to your rabbit once in a while. Again, the most important part of a rabbit's diet is grass hays.

    Fresh Foods

    • Rabbits enjoy dark leafy greens and herbs.

      Rabbits enjoy eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Some choices include dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and romaine lettuce. Your rabbit will also enjoy carrots, including the tops, and fresh herbs like cilantro and basil. Fruits such as watermelon, apples and bananas are also options. Finally, rabbit pellets are widely available and are often timothy based. Avoid alfalfa hay if you feed your rabbit pellets, because it may provide too much calcium.