Watch What the Rabbit Eats

Rabbits have a very sensitive digestive tract. Your rabbit can quickly become constipated if its digestion goes out of balance. An imbalance in the rabbit’s digestion can come from stress, illness, foreign bodies, dental problems, or from feeding. To avoid this problem, it is important to have a good feeding routine for your rabbit where it gets the nutrition it needs.

Important fiber

You should try to feed the rabbit at the same time every day. Fiber and lots of hay are important nutrients. The fiber lubricates the intestines and makes them work properly. Feel free to feed with pellets made for rabbits, but remember that the feeding should consist mostly of hay, up to 80%.

The correct balance of vegetables is also important in the rabbit’s diet. Of the vegetables, salad should be the first choice. Lettuce is as good for the rabbit as it is for us humans. So think salad! A rule of thumb you can use is to give the rabbit 1 cup (approx. 2.5 dl) of salad for every 2 kg.

Carrots are candy

Although the rabbit loves carrots, they must not be fed too much due to their high sugar content. The green on top of the carrots is a better choice. The rabbit loves sweets and would like to choose this over the other food, so be careful not to feed too much carrots and apples.

Watch out for onions

Vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower are good for the rabbit. It is important to avoid beans and peas as this can cause problems in the digestive tract. Also avoid vegetables belonging to the onion family. That is leeks, chives and common onions. Chocolate must absolutely be avoided.

Keep the rabbit healthy by giving it a diet rich in fibre, access to clean water and varied vegetables and pellets. If the rabbit is constipated, you must contact the vet as soon as possible. Constipation in rabbits can quickly become life-threatening!

Symptoms of constipation

• Stop eating
• Little or no bowel movement
• Bloated
• Sitting slouched with a bent back
• Lethargic/apathetic

If any of these symptoms occur, it is important to get to the vet quickly. What you can do at home is to let the rabbit move a lot so that the bowels are set in motion. Give it access to fresh and clean water and feed it little but often with Critical Care Feed, approx. every 2 hours.