Wild rabbits are herbivores, meaning their diet consists solely of plants. Their digestive system is adapted to process large quantities of fibrous plant material, which is fundamental for their health and energy needs. This allows them to extract sufficient nutrients from their plant-based diet, supporting their active lifestyle.
Daily Foraging Habits
Wild rabbits primarily consume a diverse range of vegetation. Their daily diet largely consists of various grasses, including wheatgrass, meadow grass, fescue, bluegrass, ryegrass, Bermuda, orchard, and timothy grass. These grasses provide the high fiber content essential for their digestive health and continuous tooth wear.
Beyond grasses, wild rabbits regularly forage for leafy plants and weeds. Dandelions, clover, crabgrass, ragweed, nettle, and chickweed are frequently consumed, offering additional vitamins and nutrients. Wildflowers like roses, daisies, sunflowers, and violets, along with herbs such as cilantro, parsley, basil, and mint, contribute to their varied diet when available. Fruits and vegetables from gardens or bushes are eaten, but they constitute a minor portion of their natural intake.
Seasonal Diet Adaptations
A wild rabbit’s diet adapts significantly with changing seasons, depending on fresh vegetation availability. When fresh greens are scarce, their food sources shift to woody materials. They consume bark from young trees, twigs, and dormant buds. Common choices include willow, apple, raspberry, blackberry, birch, poplar, maple, and cottonwood bark and twigs.
Dried leaves and hay or dried grass become a more substantial part of their diet when fresh options are limited. Evergreen needles may be consumed in moderation. These supplemental foods provide sustenance but are typically less nutritious than fresh greens, eaten out of necessity during scarcity.
Harmful Foods
Certain foods can be harmful or toxic to wild rabbits. Processed human foods, such as cereals, crackers, bread, granola bars, and cooked leftovers, lack nutritional value and can disrupt digestive balance. High-sugar foods, including commercial rabbit treats, can lead to digestive upset and should be avoided. Items like birdseed are not suitable due to their seed and nut content.
Specific plants and garden produce are dangerous. Rhubarb (especially leaves), avocado, and plants from the onion family (including garlic) can be toxic. Certain garden vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage may cause gas and bloating. Toxic plants include nightshade, lily of the valley, ivy, rhododendron, yew, daffodil, tulip, and poppy.
Nutrient Absorption and Cecotrophy
Rabbits possess a unique digestive process called cecotrophy to maximize nutrient absorption from their fibrous diet. After initial digestion, food passes through the gastrointestinal tract. Smaller, digestible particles move into the cecum, a specialized pouch. Within the cecum, beneficial microorganisms ferment this material, producing various nutrients.
This fermentation results in the formation of cecotropes, distinct from regular fecal pellets. Cecotropes are soft, moist, nutrient-rich droppings that rabbits re-ingest directly. This second pass enables absorption of essential nutrients like B vitamins, vitamin K, amino acids, and fatty acids not absorbed initially. This process is fundamental for their overall health and energy utilization.