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“rabbit” is a nickname given to the young rabbits. But did you know that rabbits eat different foods than adult rabbits? In fact, like other young animals, rabbits eat according to their unique needs in their early stages of life. The food rabbits eat should support their overall health and well-being and help their bodies develop for adulthood. Their diet from birth to maturity also helps them develop good eating habits for the rest of their adult lives.
Before diving into what rabbits eat, it’s important to know more about these soft, cute and tiny mammals. First, did you know that there are many types of rabbits? In fact, there are 29 species in 10 genera that live on all continents except: Antarctica.
17 species of rabbits are cottontail rabbits found in North America and South America. Of the 29 species in the world, the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) recognizes 49 breeds. These are domesticated bunnies that have been bred for their various traits such as physical characteristics, health, behavior and size. Most of these reach a weight of between 2.5 and 16 pounds in adulthood. But some, like the French Lop and Angora, can grow taller.
What do bunnies eat?
As herbivores, rabbits are continuous grazers that spend most of the day eating soil and low-lying vegetation. However, rabbits eat a very specific diet. Their health depends on not making rapid changes to their food. If rabbits eat foods that they are not used to, this upsets their digestive flora balance and can cause gas, toxicity, illness and even death.
Rabbits start their lives with a diet of their mother’s milk and surprisingly only take milk once or twice, a total of five minutes a day. They will continue to breastfeed like this until weaning when they are 6 weeks to 8 weeks old. Baby bunnies add their first solid food when they are about 2 weeks to 3 weeks old. These first solids usually consist of their nest hay. Then, at week 3 to week 4 of life, the bunnies eat the same food as their mother along with feeding her milk. Because they go through so many changes in their diet in these first weeks around weaning, a rabbit’s digestive system is very sensitive during this time. This makes it very important for young bunnies to stay with their mother, follow her lead and feed until they are of weaning age.
The typical post-weaning rabbit diet is grass from grazing all day. They also eat different types of hay. However, only baby bunnies can eat alfalfa hay. Adult rabbits should not consume alfalfa because it contains too much protein and calcium that mature species do not need.
After weaning, rabbits of all ages also enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables. But feeding a rabbit or rabbit too many vegetables can hurt the stomach. This is contrary to what most people think about rabbits and rabbits that enjoy a diet of mostly carrots and lettuce. They should take these foods in limited amounts as treats and on top of a healthy diet.
Baby bunnies and adult rabbits in the wild eat by grazing. This is their main activity every day, from waking up to sleeping. Domestic rabbits are raised for their meat or fur and eat rabbits as pets when fed by their human owners. All kinds of rabbits around the world eat the same basics diets of grasses and hay after their mother’s weaning. The type of hay varies depending on geography and availability.
What do bunnies eat in captivity versus in the wild?
What rabbits eat in captivity is different from what they eat in the wild. From the age of 2 weeks, wild rabbits eat grass by grazing all day long. They continue to graze after weaning off the breast milk. However, domestic rabbits kept without their mothers under the age of 8 weeks need their human owners to feed them a vet-provided milk formula. This milk closely resembles that of the mother.
From the age of 2 weeks, it is also important that domestic baby bunnies eat hay pellets made especially for rabbits. They need these, along with a continued supply of alfalfa hay to accompany their breast milk or replacement formula. From the age of 8 weeks, baby bunnies can eat some garden vegetables in very limited quantities.
Rabbits captive on farms or raised as pets are often overfed. This can lead to digestive, health and weight problems. One of the most common rabbit pet food problems is overfeeding vegetables such as lettuce and carrots. Adult rabbits are also often incorrectly fed alfalfa hay which contains too much protein and calcium for adult animals. The adult rabbits eat less hay grains than babies and may no longer need them at all.
You may see wild rabbits in your home yard from time to time. They enjoy snacking on vegetables when they are available to them. While it is unhealthy to feed rabbits that are kept as pets, too much of some vegetables, wild rabbits only eat what they need. They will start chewing grass again when they have had enough of the abundance in the garden.
A Complete List of 33 Foods Rabbits Eat
if herbivoresRabbits eat a combined diet of grasses, hay and their mother’s milk. After they are weaned from milk, they live solely on vegetation in the garden or in the wild and freshwater. Hay makes up 80% to 90% of a rabbit’s daily diet. Ideally, this provides the full-grown rabbit with a diet of 40% fiber, 10% to 12% protein and other nutrients.
Rabbits eat a diet that safely contains these 25 primary foods on a daily basis:
- Grasses
- wheatgrass
- Bermuda grass
- Orchard Grass
- Alfalfa grass (only as a baby)
- Oats
- There are
- There are grains
- Vegetables they nibble on in the garden
- paprika
- Brussels sprouts (alfalfa, radish and clover)
- bok choy
- Watercress
- carrot tops
- Zucchini
- Endive
- Radish tops
- escarole
- Brussels sprouts
- Fennel
- Salad
- Okra leaves
- Cucumber
- Radish
- Spices
Rabbits eat fruit in limited amounts once or twice a week with no digestive problems.
Eight other foods a rabbit eats as a treat only once or twice a week include:
- Roots
- Kale
- Broccoli (stems and leaves only)
- chard
- Clover
- Dandelion Vegetables (Pesticide Free)
- Spinach
- Kale
Dried corn, nuts and seeds are foods that a rabbit should not eat, along with foods made especially for humans.
What predators eat rabbits?
Although rabbits eat only plant matter and are therefore herbivores, they are a favorite meal for many predators. The predators that eat rabbits include:
Opossums sometimes kill rabbits without eating them.
Next one: What do hamsters eat?
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