List of Healthy Foods for Rabbits

Rabbits need a variety of foods to stay healthy. Susan A. Brown, a veterinarian at the Midwest Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital, explains that the gastrointestinal tract of rabbits allows them to live mainly on leaves and grasses. Wild rabbits can forage food to meet their needs, but pet rabbits need to have healthy foods supplied to them as part of their regular diet.

  1. Hay

    • Hay is an important part of every rabbit's diet. Pet Education indicates that rabbits should have fresh hay available around the clock. Adult rabbits need timothy or oat hay to provide roughage in their diet. This reduces the risk of developing intestinal blockages.

      Rabbits younger than 7 months can have alfalfa hay, but it is not appropriate for adult rabbits because of its caloric content. According to Brown, legume hays, which are hays made from alfalfa, peas or peanuts, provide too many calories for a house rabbit and can lead to obesity. Grass hay is nutrient-rich but lower in calories, which is more appropriate for a house rabbit's sedentary lifestyle.

      Brown also advises against feeding straw to rabbits. Straw has no nutrients and can lead to malnutrition if it is used as part of the rabbit's regular diet.

    Pellets

    • There are two different opinions regarding the use of rabbit pellets. Pet Education indicates that juvenile rabbits under 7 months can eat unlimited amounts of rabbit pellets. They have high amounts of nutrients and help to ensure that the young rabbit gains the right amount of weight. However, limit the amount of pellets for adult rabbits to 1/4 cup per every 6 pounds of body weight. Pellets are high in calories and can cause obesity in adult and senior rabbits.

      On the other hand, Brown advises against feeding pellets to rabbits of any age. She says rabbits get all the nutrition they need from a diet of hay and vegetables, as well as from their cecotropes, which are special droppings that are full of vitamins and nutrients. Rabbits eat these cecotropes directly from the anus. Pellets do not wear down the teeth (which rabbits need) the way hay and vegetables do, and they lead to a sluggish digestive tract.

    Fruits and Vegetables

    • Rabbits as young as 3 months can begin eating dark leafy greens as well as root vegetables. Some particular favorites include dandelion greens, collard greens and romaine lettuce. Rabbits also enjoy fresh alfalfa and clover sprouts, green peppers, radicchio, carrots including the tops, and parsley. Pet Education recommends feeding dark leafy vegetables such as mustard greens, spinach and kale in small amounts and limiting servings to once or twice per week because they contain salts from oxalic acid that cause toxicity after long-term use. The Humane Society also recommends limiting carrot consumption because of the starch content.

      Rabbits enjoy fresh fruit, and small amounts can be provided from time to time. Apples, mangoes and papaya are acceptable in small quantities. Limit servings of bananas, grapes and dried fruit because of their high sugar content.