What Foods Are Not Good for Adult Rabbits?

Plenty of foods dangerous to rabbits exist, including dairy products, cooked food, a range of garden plants and some vegetables. There are also foods that are fine for juvenile rabbits but not good for adults, except perhaps as an occasional treat. Most of these foods are simply too high in calories, and can lead to obesity in rabbits and the associated health problems. As with humans, the foods adult rabbits like best may well not be the best foods for them. The following are not good foods, in excess, for healthy adult rabbits. An elderly or underweight rabbit may need certain of these foods, but seek veterinary advice on special diets first.

  1. Hay

    • All rabbits need unlimited quantities of hay in their diet. The type of hay is important though. Adult rabbits should not get much alfalfa hay. Alfalfa hay is higher in calories and protein than other types such as timothy hay. While it is a good food for juveniles, it can lead to weight gain in adults.

    Fruits

    • These are fine as a treat, perhaps one or two pieces of fruit a week. Rabbits thoroughly enjoy fruits such as apples and strawberries, but the high sugar content means they shouldn't be part of the staple diet. Citrus peels and fruit stones are toxic.

    Vegetables

    • Vegetables are an essential part of the diet and your rabbit should get a wide variety. Be careful with spinach, mustard greens and kale, which can lead to a buildup of toxins if fed in excess. Once or twice a week is acceptable. Pale leafy greens such as iceberg lettuce have limited nutritional value and it is better to feed dark varieties. Rhubarb, potatoes, onions and legumes can be toxic to rabbits or cause digestive problems.

    Commercial Food

    • Rabbit owners have differing views on whether adult rabbits should get pellets at all. If you decide to feed pellets, choose a high quality brand and don't feed more than about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the mix for each 6 lbs. your rabbit weighs each day. Never feed rabbits commercial foods intended for other species. Prepared foods for other small animals might look right, but they are completely unsuitable. Rat, hamster and gerbil mixes, for example, contain animal protein that rabbits do not need, and is in fact dangerous to them. A rabbit mix containing dried fruit or seeds is too high in sugar and protein to be a staple food, although it could be a treat.

    Other Food

    • Don't give your rabbit what you eat, regardless of whether the rabbit likes it or not. Starchy foods such as bread are unsuitable, and sweet treats such as chocolate can be poisonous. Other foods such as cookies might be palatable to rabbits but they are highly unhealthy. Unidentified weeds from the garden could be poisonous -- only give your rabbit weeds you know are healthy, such as dandelions. Don't give any garden clippings if you have used garden chemicals within the past few weeks.