Feed your Rabbits premium food brands such as Burgess, OxBox, and Topflite. there are many to choose from but these are the ones most vets recommend to rabbit owners.
Hay and grass should form the basis (80%) of your rabbits’ diet. The remainder should be fresh greens, grass, and some vegetables (15%) and a small number of pellets (around 5%).
Hay
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Hay is a vital part of a rabbit’s diet. Do not confuse hay with straw, as this is to be used for bedding only.
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Provide unlimited fresh hay every day.
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Hay provides fiber, which helps to wear down a rabbit’s teeth, and is vital for digestion.
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Purchase fresh hay from feed stores or some pet stores.
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Make sure that the hay is not damp, dusty, or moldy as this can cause respiratory illness and other health problems.
Grass and Greens
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Rabbits love grass, dandelion leaves, thistle/puha, plantain leaves, and dock leaves.
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Ensure any leaves or plants given to the rabbits have not been sprayed with poison or pesticides.
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Rabbits love fresh herbs which provide health benefits. But make sure you check the herbs you have are suitable first.
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Fresh vegetables
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Feeding a variety of fresh vegetables provides essential nutrients.
Pellets
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Avoid pellets that contain dried fruits, nuts, grains, and colored pieces made from fat, and sugar, (sometimes called ‘muesli mix’).
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Choose pellets with a high fiber content (>15%) and less protein than fiber.
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Three foods that SPCA and vets recommend are Oxbow, Harringtons, or Burgess.
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Refer to the feeding instructions on the bag.
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Overfeeding of pellets is a common cause of obesity in rabbits.
Treats and Fruit
Fruit and special rabbit treats are high in sugar and/or salt so should be avoided or only given occasionally.
Foods to avoid
While many fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruit are suitable for your rabbits, there are some foods that should be fed in only very small amounts and some that must be avoided altogether.
These include the following:
Kale, spinach, and silver beet
Use these sparingly, as can cause some rabbits to have a runny poo.
Celery
Must be cut into 1cm pieces before being given because larger pieces can get caught in rabbits’ intestines.
Fruit tree branches and leaves
Stick to apple, ash tree, birch, hawthorn, hazel, hazelnut, juniper, maple, pear, pine, poplar, rose, spruce, and willow branches.
Processed Human food
Never give bunnies chocolate, cookies, crackers, cereal, yogurt, milk, pasta, or bread.
Carrots
Only as treats because they are high in starch, they also give rabbits runny poo.
Avocardo
You should never include it in your bunny’s diet. This fatty fruit can be deadly if ingested by a rabbit.