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Step 1 - Rabbits eat grass Rabbits are designed to eat grass, plus a bit of bark and other tough, fibrous materials. Letting your lawn grow wild and feeding it to your bun would suit your rabbit's digestive system (and teeth) down to the ground. But sacrificing the lawn is not a practical proposition for the vast majority of rabbit owners, especially those of us with house bunnies! Instead, look at what makes grass such a perfect rabbit food and make sure you supply these characteristics in other food combinations.High fibre - at least 20% Moderate protein - 12 to 15% Low fat Abrasive action on teeth
Step 2 - Pet bunnies need hay Unlimited hay forms the basis of a healthy diet for your pet bunny. Hay is after all dried grass! Good hay goes an awful long way towards meeting nutritional requirements and the rabbit's unique digestive system plugs many nutrient gaps. For example, extra protein can be manufactured from gut microbes and re-ingested in the caecotrophs.Hay has other vital benefits. Nibbling hay for hours every day reduces boredom and behavioural problems. Chewing strands of hay exercises the teeth - the grinding movement is essential for maintaining dental health. Finally, a constant supply of long-strand fibre helps maintain healthy gut movement. This is why we feel hay is vital for any rabbit, even if you choose a commercial rabbit food which is labelled as nutritionally complete.Grass which has been dried rapidly has been available for horses for many years and small-animal feed manufacturers are now producing it for rabbits - Burgess market it as "Supaforage", Friendship Estates as "Dried grass". Or get horse sized bales from Spillers as "Redigrass". Dried grass can be fed in addition to or instead of hay. One big advantage is that the quality of these dried grass products is more consistent than the hay sold in pet shops, some of which is abysmal.
Step 3 - The "Hay & Veggie" diet or commercial food? So, you've got the message about hay. Now it's time to choose what proportion of green food versus commercial rabbit food that you want to feed.Commercially prepared foods make feeding pet bunnies a lot quicker and easier. They may be convenience foods, but chosen carefully and used sensibly (in limited quantities plus lots of hay!) they can and should form an integral part of a healthy diet for your pet rabbit. You need to understand the labelling before feeding a commerically prepared food - see the box for details. If you choose a coarse mix, make sure your rabbit eats all of it. Of course you can also feed greens, veggies or freeze-dried grass alongside commercial foods and end up half way to feeding the a "hay & veggie" diet anyway.The "Hay & Veggie Diet" - popular in the USA - consists of lots of hay plus a large and varied selection of greens and vegetables every single day; plus a small amount of good quality mix or pellets. This is undoubtedly the most natural way to feed your bunny and is definitely worth trying if you have a bun with a sensitive tummy. However it can work out expensive and time consuming (especially if you're reliant on M&S for rabbit greens!). Concerns have been raised that the diet may be deficient in essential fatty acids and vitamins D and E, so it's not advisable to cut out commercial foods altogether.
Step 4 - Healthy treats We all love Pringles, cookies and cakes - and some bunnies do too. But whereas if we over-indulge in these things we just get fat, bunnies can become very ill. Excess sugars and starchy treats can wreak havoc with the sensitive population of bacteria in the gut. And sugar is no better for rabbits teeth than for ours!Stick to healthy treats - chunks of carrot or broccoli; perhaps a nibble of Ryvita; apple cores; carrot/swede/turnip peelings; cauliflower stalks. These healthy treats can be fed frequently once your bun is used to them. The various treats marketed for rabbits ranging from milk-based yoghurt drops to sticks of cereals and grains should be used very cautiously and in strict moderation.Whatever we say, we know you'll let your housebunnies share bits of your food, because we do it too! But it's really, really important to be strict. Limit your bun to a daily ration of one pea sized piece of cake or cookie; or a one inch chunk of banana; or a couple of peanuts. That's all. Anything more and you risk both his waistline and his health.
Step 5- How much to feed? You're aiming for a bunny who isn't too fat or too thin; producing plenty of nice "rabbit raisins"; with only very occasional smelly caecotrophs (shiny, dark night pellets) lying about. If you find lots of caecotrophs then you need to adjust the diet . Decreasing the commercial foods and increasing hay usually does the trick, but changing brands of food may be required. There are other causes of excess caecotrophs (obesity; reduced mobility; dental disease) but dietary problems are the most common. Excess caecotrophs are not diarrhoea: ignore old rabbit books that tell you to withdraw greenfood if soft droppings occur - the treatment may actually be the Hay & Veggie diet!Young rabbits can be offered food ad lib until growth slows down around 4-6 months. After that, adjust food intake to suit the rabbit. Obesity is a serious health hazard to bunnies. A fat rabbit will not live as long as his slim siblings and will be a higher risk patient if surgery is required.If you're a new rabbit owner it can be tricky to tell whether your bunny is the correct weight. When you take your bunny for his vaccinations, or to have his nails clipped (your vet will show you how to do this if you ask) in the early months of bunny parenthood it's a great excuse for a check up and to ask any questions!
Step 6 - Don't forget the water! Rabbits must have access to fresh water at all times. Rabbits eating lots of greens may not drink much, and rabbits on extruded foods may drink lots - but always make sure it's available. Bottles are easier to keep clean, especially in the hutch environment. Many rabbits prefer water bowls and in the house there's no hygiene problems with this. Some people provide both - the bunny then tends to quench thirst using the bowl; but interspersed feeding with a quick lick from the bottle. Bottles with a ball-bearing in the nozzle drip less; but you must make sure it doesn't jam and prevent the rabbit from drinking. We know rabbits who have gone into GI stasis because their water bottle was jammed!
What to feed your rabbit Grass, apples (without core and seeds), basil, alfalfa, radish, clover, beet greens, broccoli (leaves and stems), brussel sprouts, carrots (treat only), celery, chicory, cilantro, dandelions, dill, tops of dutch carrots, endive, parsley, pea pods, cos lettuce, spinach, watercress, wheatgrass, unlimited amounts of hay. Wild rabbits eat mainly grass. So letting your rabbit out into the backyard to nibble grass is a great idea.
Bunny treats We like to give a sultana and a craisin. Other treats can include almonds and chopped up carrot pieces. Some bunnys like Bananas and Strawberrys. All treats should be fed sparingly, or you will get a fat unhealthy rabbit.
Growing food for your bunny You can grow your own vegies and grass for your rabbit. Even if you don't have a backyard, bunny greens can be grown in pots. Rabbits love the green carrot tops. Try planting the tops from dutch carrots. Silverbeet, parsley and endives can be grown quite easily. This is some silverbeet that has been growing from seeds. Most bunnys cannot resist parsley.

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