Category: Educational

…for educational content.

Hay

Hay is the most important part of an adult rabbit’s diet. It is high in fiber, which keeps the digestive tract moving, helping to prevent blockages and stasis. In addition, hay helps to sustain healthy teeth by helping to reduce the risk of molar spurs.

Hay Types

Hay TypeRabbit AgeAdditional Notes
AlfalfaYoung (< 7 months)Also used for nursing mothers and rabbits with health conditions. Has too much protein for adult rabbits.
Timothy HayAdult
Orchard GrassAdultLess dusty; tends to be better for those with grass allergies.
Meadow HayAdult
Brome HayAdult
Oat HayAdult

Good hay should always smell like grass. Never feed your rabbit moldy hay because it can make a rabbit seriously ill. Also, if your hay does not have a fresh smell, your rabbit may not eat it, which can thereby compromise his or her gut motility (passage of food through the system).

Rabbits will go through a surprising amount of hay (roughly a bunch the same size as the rabbit, daily). Because of this, we recommend purchasing hay in larger quantities because it’s generally much cheaper that way.

We use Oxbow hay products with our rescues, and carry both small and large quantities that are available for purchase.

Diet

General Guidelines

Essential
Optional

Dietary Changes

If your bunny hasn’t been on a healthy diet, you will need to make the switch gradually. A rabbit’s digestive system is very sensitive, so avoid drastic changes. The common rule of thumb is to only introduce one new food item per week as long as it is tolerated well. Start with small quantities of new foods.

If you want to move to a new type of pelleted food, start by mixing the new food with the old one. Gradually decrease the amount of the old food and increase the amount of the new food over the course of a week. Make sure to monitor your bunny throughout the process.

Water

Provide unlimited fresh water daily, either in a water bottle or a bowl that can’t be tipped over, or both!

Hay

Adults, teenagers and babies should have an unlimited amount of fresh hay— timothy, orchard, meadow, and oat is for adults. Alfalfa is for babies, nursing mothers, seniors, and bunnies recovering from surgery or illness. Hay is nutritious, as well as critical roughage for prevention of life threatening fur blockages. A cat litter box filled with hay works well. Stuff empty, unbleached toilet paper rolls with hay to give your rabbit a project!

See hay page for more information.

Fresh Greens

Adult rabbits should also have an assortment of fresh greens daily. Make sure greens are washed and haven’t been sprayed with chemicals. Do not feed beans, potatoes, rhubarb, onions or corn.

See fresh greens page for more information.

Food Pellets

Look for pelleted food that is mostly timothy hay (for adult rabbits) or alfalfa hay (for young, nursing, or sick rabbits). Avoid rabbit foods that contain dried fruit, nuts, and colored bits, as these are unhealthy for your bunny. We recommend Oxbow Adult Rabbit Food and Oxbow Baby Rabbit Food- we like them so much we even carry them!

Pelleted food is not a necessary part of a rabbit’s diet, but most rabbits really enjoy them. They should be limited because many rabbits have a tendency to overeat, and can quickly become overweight.

See food pellets page for more information.

Treats

Avoid yogurt drops and other sugary treats, as well as human crackers and sweets. A small piece of banana, apple, raisin, or berry will send your rabbit into bunny heaven!

See treats page for more information.

Recommended Veterinarians

The time to establish a relationship with a rabbit-savvy veterinarian is BEFORE you actually need one for your rabbit. Also, it’s a good idea to have at least one other veterinarian identified as a back up in the even yours is out of the office or otherwise not available. Here are some veterinarians that we are familiar with that are experienced with rabbits:

Dr. Jay Griffiths
Gold Country Veterinary Hospital
3130 Professional Dr., Suite C
Auburn, CA 95603
(530) 885-1919

Dr. Marianne Brick
Madison Avenue Veterinary Clinic
8520 Madison Avenue
Fair Oaks, CA 95628
(916) 961-1541

Dr. Mira Sanchez
Companion Veterinary Clinic
105 Auburn Folsom Road
Auburn, CA 95603
(530) 885-3251
Weekend urgent care available, call ahead!

Bradshaw Veterinary Clinic
9609 Bradshaw Road
Elk Grove, CA 9524
(916) 685-2494

U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616
(530) 752-1393
Open 7 days a week, 24 hours per day. Generally used for emergency services or specialty issues by referral.

Dr. Sandra McRoberts
PetCare Veterinary Clinic
1022 Douglas Blvd.
Roseville, CA 95678
(916) 791-9599

Dr. Tiffany Azevedo
Sterling Pointe Veterinary Clinic
41 Lincoln Blvd., #10
Lincoln, CA 95648
(916) 543-9663

Granite Bay Veterinary Clinic
6500 Douglas Blvd.
Granite Bay, CA 95746
(916) 791-1143

Dr. Aileen Thompson
Blue Oaks Veterinary Clinic
1426 Blue Oaks Blvd., Suite 160
Roseville, CA 95747
(916) 771-6930

Kittel Family Veterinary Practice
8153 Elk Grove Blvd, Suite 30
Elk Grove, CA 95758
(916) 714-5387

Note regarding emergency vets: With the exception of UC Davis, exotic vets on duty change often. If you Google emergency vets in your area, call first to check for an exotic vet on duty. Many of us would prefer to drive to UC Davis with for a true after hours emergency.