What vegetables and fruits should I feed my rabbit?

When you first get a rabbit, you may be tempted to prepare gorgeous feasts of a rainbow of fruits and veggies, but the truth is that many domestic rabbits have sensitive digestive systems that depend on the owner to feed these treats in careful moderation.  Too many leafy greens, cruciferous veggies, fruits, or even cheap rabbit pellets laden with grains, soy, and sweeteners can cause a bacterial imbalance in the cecum (fermentation vat in your bunny's GI tract) and may lead to mushy poop or the dreaded GI stasis - which can be deadly.  It's vital to be cautious in the treats you feed your bunny.

Let's take a look at a list of leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits for rabbits and guidelines for how much to feed your bunny.

Summer salad for my bunny herd: organic spring mix, dandelions, and few organic strawberry slices.

The great rabbit diet debate: are greens and fruits vital or dangerous?

Holland lop rabbit eating parsley

In all my years of owning rabbits, I've heard so many different recommendations on the proper diet for a pet rabbit.  What most seem to agree upon is that fresh hay (dried grass such as timothy hay, orchard grass, or oat hay...avoiding alfalfa hay since it's so rich) should make up about 80% or more of the rabbit's diet.  The debate regarding the remainder of the diet is whether it should be veggies and greens, quality pellets, or a combination of these.  

Dr. David Sherwood, a microbiologist and owner of Sherwood Pet Health, along with several veterinarians and experienced breeders I've consulted feel that hay and quality grain-free pellets with minimal fresh greens and fruits are ideal for a balanced gut flora and good digestive health.  The House Rabbit Society as well as some veterinarians and other rabbit owners are adamant that leafy greens be a daily part of a rabbit's diet and that this does not place gut health in jeopardy.   

So, what is the CORRECT diet for a domestic rabbit?  Honestly, I think that it depends highly on each particular rabbit's gastrointestinal health and genetic predispositions as well as quantity and selection of leafy greens.  After feeding my own bunnies greens and having subsequent bouts of GI stasis or changes in poop consistency, I am convinced that some rabbits just can't handle much more than hay and a modest amount of quality pellets.  In general, however, greens and occasional fruits are usually tolerated if fed in moderation and very slowly increased over weeks and months AND with a diet consisting mostly of hay. 

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Rabbit Safe Veggies & Fruits

Based on my research and experience, the following guidelines are generally safe when choosing to feed a rabbit veggies and fruits as about 10% of their daily diet (80% being hay and about 10% a high quality rabbit pellet like Sherwood brand). 
Quantity Guidelines:

• 1 to 2 cups of leafy greens daily for a 4 pound rabbit (6+ months of age)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of non-leafy veggies daily for a 4 pound rabbit
• up to 1 teaspoon of fruit daily for a 4 pound rabbit
• Consider feeding greens in the morning to encourage more hay consumption throughout the night.

NOT ALL BUNNIES WILL BE ABLE TO TOLERATE THESE AMOUNTS.  CONSULT YOUR VETERINARIAN!

Offering a variety of leafy greens daily is ideal.  Due to leafy greens like spinach, kale, parsley, chard, beet greens, and mustard greens being high in oxalates, feed these sparingly and no more than one type of high oxalate green per day.  

Bunny's Leafy Greens Menu (up to 2 cups per 4lb. bunny daily)

      High Oxalate Greens (limit quantities and no more than one type daily)

• Spinach
• Kale
  
• Swiss Chard
• Mustard/Beet/Collard Greens
• Parsley

      Other Leafy Greens

• Basil, mint, cilantro, dill
• Spring mix
  
• Red/green leaf lettuce
• Romaine lettuce
  
• Arugula
• Endive
• Dandelions & plantain herb (found in untreated lawns)

Bunny's Veggie Menu
(up to 2 Tbsp. per 4lb. bunny daily)

• Carrot slice
• Celery chunk
• Small pieces of squash, pumpkin, or zucchini
• Bell pepper slivers
• Flat pea pods (snow peas)
• AVOID gassy veggies (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower)

Bunny's Fruit Menu
(up to 1 teaspoon per 4lb. bunny daily or less frequently)

• Apple or pear slice, no seeds
  
• Banana (coin sized slice)
• Strawberry (leaves too!)
• Blueberry/Blackberry/Raspberry
• Peach/Papaya/Mango piece, pit removed
• Cherry or Plum piece, pit removed

• Begin feeding all greens, vegetables, and fruits VERY SLOWLY!
  
• Back off or stop a particular food if you notice mushy poop or other change in your bunny. 
  
• Watch bunny for signs of GI stasis (refusal to eat/drink/poop, lethargy).
  
• Get immediate veterinary care if your bunny stops eating and pooping - subcutaneous fluids can save your bunny's life!
  

Treats for Baby Bunnies:

Baby bunnies have VERY sensitive digestive systems as a general rule, especially those around 2 to 3 months of age and recently weaned.  Do NOT feed a bunny less than 5 or 6 months of age rich treats such as fruits, carrots, or moderate amounts of vegetables.

The smartest option is to abstain from feeding a young bunny anything but hay, quality rabbit pellets, and fresh water.  However, since most people want to please their new bunnies and bond with them, I will share what treats I have found to be generally well-tolerated.  Again, I am only sharing what has worked for my bunnies, please consult your veterinarian before following my suggestions.   

• Begin with a mini piece of a leafy green the size of your thumb tip every other day and SLOWLY increase as tolerated through about age 5/6 months when about 1/4 to 1 cup of greens per day or every few days may be tolerated for a 3 to 4 pound bunny. 
  
• My top picks for pieces of leafy greens include romaine and leaf lettuces, spring mix, cilantro, parsley, plantain herb (usually tolerated very well!), and dandelion greens. 
  
• A small pinch of raw organic oats (not quick cook) daily can be great for bonding and training, just be careful not to feed more than this, as grains can cause gut imbalance.  Greens really are a better choice in my opinion.
  

Baby Holland lop rabbit nibbling a dandelion flower

In summary, please keep the following in mind when deciding what greens, veggies, fruits, and treats to feed your pet bunny:

1. Some rabbits have more sensitive digestive systems than others.
2. ALWAYS begin slowly and very gradually increase leafy greens as tolerated.
   
3. Baby bunnies shouldn't be fed fruits or veggies.  Minimal leafy greens in very small, gradually increased quantities through about age 5/6 months is usually tolerated. 
   
4. The danger with fruits and starchy treats as well as an abundance of greens and veggies is creating an imbalance of bad bacteria in the rabbit's cecum (digestive system), which can cause GI stasis and death if not promptly treated. 
   
5. A rabbit's diet should be about 80% hay (1st or 2nd cut timothy hay or orchard grass preferably) and the rest a quality grain-free pellet like Sherwood and leafy greens/veggies/fruits if you choose.
6. Don't have a rabbit-savvy veterinarian?  Get one before your rabbit has an urgent medical need!  Ask your veterinarian for his/her suggestions for your rabbit's diet.   
   

Holland lop rabbit with GI Stasis. Began to recover after subcutaneous (under-skin) fluids from veterinarian. Was this caused by feeding too many grains and greens? Perhaps.

*Disclaimer: Always consult your rabbit-savvy veterinarian regarding your bunny's diet! I am not a veterinarian, though I am fairly rabbit savvy.  :)