Rabbits require a large percentage of fiber in their diets to maintain normal gastrointestinal movement. The biggest mistake people make when feeding rabbits is overfeeding high-calorie foods, such as commercial pellets and grains, and underfeeding high-fiber foods, such as hay and greens. This pattern of feeding can lead to obesity and gastrointestinal disease. The most important part of a pet rabbit's diet is an unlimited supply of grass hay, which provides essential fiber as well as protein, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. The high fiber content of hay makes it the best preventative for stomach and intestinal problems, such as hairballs and chronic soft stools, eliminating the need to routinely use hairball laxatives or anti-diarrheal products.

You should provide a continual supply of hay for your pet in a box or hay rack. Grass hay is preferred over alfalfa hay because grass hay is lower in calories and calcium. Several types of grass hay are available, such as mixed grass, timothy hay or oat hay. Sources of hay include pet stores, feed stores and horse barns. If you have several rabbits, you may need to buy an entire bale of hay, as it will be gobbled up quickly. Hay should be stored in a cool, dry area in an open bag to allow for good air circulation. Hay should have a fresh smell. Damp hay can become moldy and should be discarded. Rabbits of any age can be introduced to hay without any special preparation.

Another important part of a pet rabbit's diet is fresh leafy greens. These foods provide not only fiber but also a variety of vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. The old stories about greens causing diarrhea usually involve rabbits that have been on low-fiber or high-calorie diets, such as a commercial pellet or a high-grain diet, that are suddenly introduced to greens. On commercial pellets or grains, the gastrointestinal tract may become a bit sluggish because of the high calorie and low fiber content.

When greens are introduced to these rabbits, the intestinal tract "speeds up" to a more normal rate. Some of the bacteria in the intestinal tract may change, resulting in temporary "diarrhea," which usually stabilizes within a week. For recently weaned rabbits or rabbits that have never been exposed to hay or greens, first introduce hay to the diet for two weeks, then introduce greens gradually. The transition should go smoothly.

Feed at least three different types of greens daily to provide a variety of nutrients. Wash greens thoroughly to remove dangerous pesticides. Remove uneaten fresh foods from the cage after three to four hours to prevent spoilage. Feed a minimum of 1 heaping cup of greens per day per 4 pounds of body weight. You can double or triple this amount as your pet becomes used to these great foods. (Some examples of nutritious greens are listed on page XX.) Use dark, tough, leafy greens as opposed to light-colored, thin-leaved greens, such as bibb lettuce and iceberg lettuce. Other vegetables and fruits you can feed include: pea pods (not the peas), carrots, apples, pears, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, squash, tomatoes, papayas and mangos. The total volume of these foods combined should be no more than 1 heaping tablespoon per 4 pounds of body weight daily. Stay away from starchy and sugary foods, such as bananas, peas, corn, beans, grapes and white and sweet potatoes.

Cereal grains and cereal products can cause digestive upsets because of their high starch content. They also are high in calories and, in general, should not be fed to a pet rabbit. These foods include: bread, cookies, crackers, rolled oats, breakfast cereals and other grain products. Although many people feed these treats because their rabbits love them, if fed in too large an amount, they can create obesity and chronic soft stools. Don't introduce these "candy" items to the diet, and your pet will never crave the "junk food" it is missing.

Commercial rabbit pellets were originally designed to promote rapid growth, weight gain and ease of feeding for production rabbits (those raised for meat and fur) and laboratory rabbits. They are efficient at what they are designed to do, but for a pet rabbit, the unlimited feeding of commercial pellets may be a problem. Once rabbits are full grown, they don't need to put on more weight. Feed your pet a commercial pellet designed for the maintenance of adult rabbits, with a fiber content of 18 percent or higher, a protein content between 13 and 14 percent and a fat content of no more than 3 percent. Feed 1/8 to 1/4 cup of pellets per 5 pounds of body weight per day maximum. Remember, hay is always available, so your pet will never go hungry.

Buy pellets in amounts that you will use within three months, and keep them in a closed container in a cool, dry place to prevent spoilage. Do not use pellet mixes that contain grains and seeds. The grains and seeds add to the calorie and fat content, which can result in obesity and liver and intestinal disease. If an obese rabbit has difficulty losing weight, pellets may have be removed from the diet altogether, but only under a veterinarian's supervision. Additional supplements are not needed for rabbits on diets rich in hay, greens and limited pellets.

Author(s): Susan A. Brown, D.V.M.

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