An herbivore is an animal that consumes only plant material. Rabbits are herbivores, possessing a digestive system specifically adapted to process fibrous plant matter. Their unique dietary needs are central to their health.
Diet of Wild Rabbits
Wild rabbits primarily forage on plant materials. Their diet mainly consists of grasses and weeds, which provide the fiber necessary for digestive health. Clover, dandelions, and wildflowers are common leafy greens consumed by them, offering essential nutrients like vitamins A and C. They are opportunistic feeders and will also eat fruits, seeds, roots, and buds.
During colder months when fresh vegetation is scarce, wild rabbits adapt their diet to include woody plants. They gnaw on bark and twigs from trees, which also contributes fiber and helps keep their continuously growing teeth worn down. While they may occasionally nibble on garden fruits and vegetables, these typically constitute a smaller portion of their overall intake. This plant-based diet supports their survival.
Feeding Your Pet Rabbit
Providing a balanced diet for a pet rabbit is crucial, closely mimicking their natural wild diet. High-quality hay should form the largest part of a pet rabbit’s diet, making up about 80-85% of their daily intake. Unlimited access to fresh grass hays, such as timothy, orchard grass, or oat hay, is recommended. Hay is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive tract and for wearing down their continuously growing teeth.
Fresh leafy greens are another important component; adult rabbits can consume up to two cups daily. A variety of two to three types of greens is beneficial, including:
Romaine lettuce
Bok choy
Mustard greens
Cilantro
Introduce new vegetables gradually to monitor for digestive upset. Pellets should be given in limited quantities, with an average-sized adult rabbit needing about 1/4 cup daily of timothy-based pellets.
Overfeeding pellets can lead to obesity and soft stools, as they are often lower in long-strand fiber and higher in carbohydrates. Fruits and root vegetables, like carrots, contain higher sugar and should only be offered as occasional treats in very small amounts. Fresh, clean water must always be available.
Rabbit Digestion Explained
The rabbit digestive system is uniquely adapted for a high-fiber, plant-based diet. Food travels from the mouth, where constant chewing grinds plant material, down the esophagus, and into the stomach.
Unlike many other mammals, rabbits possess a specialized digestive process called hindgut fermentation. This occurs primarily in a large organ called the cecum, located at the junction of the small and large intestines. The cecum contains a diverse population of bacteria that ferment the digestible fiber from their diet, breaking it down to release nutrients.
Because some nutrients, like amino acids and vitamins, are not fully absorbed during this initial passage, rabbits practice cecotrophy. This involves producing soft, mucus-coated pellets called cecotropes, which they consume directly from the anus.
Eating cecotropes allows the fermented material to pass through the digestive tract a second time, enabling the absorption of additional nutrients and vitamins that were missed during the first round. This process ensures rabbits extract maximum nutrition from their fibrous diet. Proper digestive function relies heavily on a consistent intake of fiber to keep food moving through the gut.
Foods That Harm Rabbits
Certain foods can be harmful or toxic to rabbits due to their specialized digestive systems. Sugary treats, human processed foods like bread, pasta, and crackers, and even some store-bought rabbit treats can cause digestive upset and lead to issues such as enterotoxemia or obesity. These items are high in carbohydrates and artificial ingredients, which are unsuitable for their herbivorous diet.
Specific vegetables and fruits should also be avoided or given with extreme caution:
Avocado (contains toxic persin).
Iceberg lettuce (minimal nutrition, can cause diarrhea).
Onions, garlic, and leeks (can cause hemolytic anemia).
Fruit seeds and pits (contain trace cyanide).
Potatoes and cauliflower (can cause gas and bloating).
Meat, eggs, and dairy products are unsuitable and can cause severe gastrointestinal issues.