DIET
Hay
Many people may not realize that hay is the most important and staple part of the bunny's diet. It can be fed 24/7 and the types of hay that are sold are timothy, oat, brome, orchard grass, burmuda grass, and alfalfa hay. Alfalfa hay should be given in limited amounts or even avoided for adult rabbits for their high calcium content. However, if you have a young baby rabbit, until about a year old, you should feed unlimited alfalfa hay because they need those calciums to grow healthy bones.
Vegetables
Bunnies are HERBIVORES and therefore, they only eat VEGETABLES. I cannot emphasize enough about offering human food to your bunny. PLEASE DO NOT FEED HUMAN FOOD TO YOUR BUNNIES. People often feed their bunnies bread, pasta, cereals, etc. in which all contains HIGH AMOUNTS of starch and disrupts the bacterias in their intestines, making your bunny fat and unhealthy.
Vegetables such as carrot tops, lettuces (except for ICEBERG lettuces), cabbages, fennels, herbs (mint, basil, dill, cilantro, etc.), broccoli and its leaves, cauliflower and its leaves, bok choy (chinese cabbage), beet tops, radish leaves, just to name a few.
Vegetables such as carrot tops, lettuces (except for ICEBERG lettuces), cabbages, fennels, herbs (mint, basil, dill, cilantro, etc.), broccoli and its leaves, cauliflower and its leaves, bok choy (chinese cabbage), beet tops, radish leaves, just to name a few.
PELLETS
Many people often times believe that rabbits can live with only pellets and yes they can "live" with pellets-only diet, but you will not produce a "healthy" bunny. Pellets were first introduced for farm rabbits in order to fatten them up and then kill them for their meat. Therefore, giving only pellets will fatten up your bunny and sometimes, it will result in overweight situation where the bunny will not be able to eat his/her cecotropes.
When buying pellets, please DO NOT BUY MIXED PELLETS. Those are the ones with many different kinds of dried fruits and other seeds and such that are considered treats and also unhealthy. Search for pellets that contain no more than 18% fiber and make sure they are plain.
As for feeding the pellets, you should feed 1/4 cup of pellets for every 5-6 Ibs. of your bunny's weight daily.
When buying pellets, please DO NOT BUY MIXED PELLETS. Those are the ones with many different kinds of dried fruits and other seeds and such that are considered treats and also unhealthy. Search for pellets that contain no more than 18% fiber and make sure they are plain.
As for feeding the pellets, you should feed 1/4 cup of pellets for every 5-6 Ibs. of your bunny's weight daily.
TREATS
Treats are anything that has high sugar content and therefore should be given sparingly. Think of them as candies and cakes in human terms.
Treats include carrots (yes, CARROTS!), beets, and any type of fruits such as bananas, apples, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, pears, just to name a few.
These should not be given more than a tablespoon everyday for raising a healthy bunny.
