What to Feed a Pet Bunny - Rabbit Food and Hay

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What do I Feed my Pet Bunny?

ALWAYS consult your rabbit-savvy veterinarian before making dietary changes with your bunny, but here are my personal tips for what to feed a pet bunny:
♥ Small amount of quality pellets ♥ Unlimited timothy hay or orchard grass ♥ Fresh water ♥ Leafy greens/veggies fed sparingly or as tolerated

Most rabbit foods are filled with crap. I said it and stand by my crude analysis. Soybean hulls, molasses, wheat middlings, oats, barley, peanuts, corn, dried fruit...these are NOT good for bunnies! Don't buy these bunny foods!!!

Rabbits are prey animals. They are delicate creatures with sensitive digestive systems and the inability to vomit. They need a healthy timothy-based rabbit pellet with vitamins and minerals to help balance their 80% hay diet. Grains, sweeteners, fruits, and cheap filler ingredients can easily cause serious digestive problems in your bunny. Anything that goes in has to come out the poop chute, which is difficult when it upsets the bacterial balance in the cecum (lower GI area that ferments nutrients), bad bacteria takes over, and horrendously painful gas disrupts or stops the flow. Your rabbit can die from GI stasis, and this is sadly one of the most common ailment in rabbits. See my Rabbit Health page for more information on stasis, complete with infographics. The aforementioned crap that's present in so many bunny foods (grains, sweeteners, fruits) can easily be the catalyst for disrupting your bunny's delicate GI tract.

Are there any healthy rabbit foods? YES: Sherwood Rabbit Food!

Sherwood Pet Health is my absolute favorite rabbit food brand, and I have no affiliation with the company other than I've used their rabbit foods for years with my Holland lops. Their foods are soy-free and grain-free with no colorful "treat" gimmicks or molasses sweetener to entice your bunny to eat it. Warning: If switching from a different brand, it might take a few weeks to get your rabbit switched to Sherwood since it's like taking a child off of a sugary diet. My personal recommendation for reluctant bunnies is to completely remove their old pellets for a day or two and feed only hay. Then begin offering Sherwood pellets and hay. Most bunnies are eventually eager for pellets. If you ever transition off of Sherwood to another brand, do so very gradually over at least a couple weeks. Transitioning from a crappy grain-filled food to Sherwood isn't necessary from what I've been told, as it should be easier for your bunny to digest (like humans changing from a fast food diet to a salad buffet).

SHERWOOD RABBIT PELLET OPTIONS - it's confusing!
Baby Pellet: For bunnies under 12 weeks (and nursing does), feed free-choice, contains alfalfa.
Free Choice Timothy Pellet (blue bag): Perfect for poor hay eaters, feed free-choice, no alfalfa. *NEW
Free Choice Timothy/Alfalfa Pellet (blue bag): Perfect for poor hay eaters, fed free-choice, contains alfalfa. (This is what I use!)
Measured Timothy Pellet (green bag): Best for good hay eaters, fed in measured amounts, no alfalfa. *NEW
Measured Timothy/Alfalfa Pellet (red bag): Best for good hay eaters, fed in measured amounts, contains alfalfa.

Sherwood's many rabbit food types can be confusing at first. Basically, they have either a free choice or measured feed for adult rabbits, each having an older version that contains alfalfa.* BE VERY CAREFUL if you opt for the green bag or red bag measured pellets, as overfeeding can cause dangerous digestive issues since these are concentrated pellets! I usually recommend either of the free choice blue bag pellets: the newer timothy based pellets or the older timothy/alfalfa pellets. Both are fed free choice since they're not concentrated and contain extra fiber in the form of timothy hay.

I've used the old blue bag timothy/alfalfa pellets for years with the best results, so that's what I'm sticking with for now. Either blue bag food is far superior to any other rabbit food that is available here in the US, based upon grain-free, soy-free, sweetener-free ingredients., and you won't have to worry about carefully measuring as you would with the green or red bag Sherwood foods.

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I also keep the following Sherwood items in my Bunny Emergency Kit:

Sherwood Appetite Restore - Powder that mixes with water to form a "bunny Gatorade" that is syringe fed to help hydrate and encourage eating any time a bunny is off feed.
Sherwood Recovery Food - Powdered food that mixes with water and is syringe fed when bunnies are off food or recovering from illness. Bunnies always need food to keep the GI tract moving...unless there is a blockage. Available in a kit with the Recovery Food + Appetite Restore!
Sherwood Digestive Tablets or Prevention Tablets and Probiotics - Handy when bunnies are molting or a change in eating/pooping habits is noted. Prevention tablets are the newer combined version of Sherwood's supplements. I sprinkle a bit of the probiotics in my bunny's water as needed or regularly for sensitive bunnies

These supplies are also handy to keep in your rabbit emergency kit: (remember to consult your veterinarian!)

Metacam! - This is a prescription oral pain reliever and anti-inflammatory. Ask your veterinarian for this NOW and administer at the first sign of stasis (bunny not eating/pooping/moving much) and until you can see your vet for emergency situations. This has saved several of my bunnies' lives!
Infant Gas Drops (simethicone) - Consult with vet for dosage, but I give about 1ml orally and repeat in an hour if needed along with oral water/Appetite Restore. I repeat .5ml doses throughout the day as directed and needed to relieve gas pain.
Syringes - Plastic syringes without needle tips are handy for feeding oral fluids and recovery food. I prefer the medium syringes like this, which also comes with an eyedropper. Gently insert just behind the front teeth while holding your bunny securely. Some will fight it, but it's often a matter of life or death, so I am persistent with syringe feedings.
Hot Water Bottle - Handy for keeping your bunny warm during stasis, as body temperature tends to drop. Cold bunny ears are usually a good indicator of a chilled bunny if in stasis.

See the BUNNY EMERGENCY SUPPLIES SHOP in our Amazon store.

*Is alfalfa bad? It's controversial. Some are concerned since alfalfa is very rich, and if fed in large quantities (such as in food and hay), it can cause obesity and digestive issues. Others have concerns over alfalfa being a GMO. Sherwood developed the timothy-based pellets (new blue bag and new green bag measured feed) in response to those with alfalfa concerns. In my opinion, alfalfa is great for baby bunnies and bunnies who need to gain weight but should otherwise be fed moderately or avoided. Rabbit food with some alfalfa is not problematic in my opinion, unless fed with a hay that contains considerable alfalfa.

Other "Decent" Rabbit Foods:
Two other brands of rabbit feed that you may wish to consider are Modesto Milling's Organic Rabbit Pellets as well as Oxbow's Garden Select adult rabbit food or Oxbow Organic. These don't contain soy or molasses but do have grain ingredients (unlike Sherwood). Modesto is sold on Amazon in 10lb and 25lb bags, but it can be crumbly. Since Oxbow has many varieties, make sure it's the Garden Select or Organic rabbit food and not one of their other formulas that contains soy. Yes, many bunnies do fine on these subpar foods, but if you can afford and have access to Sherwood, it's by far the superior bunny pellet in my opinion.

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Don't Forget the Rabbit Hay!

Rabbits can't vomit, so they NEED fiber to help push food and fur through their intestines AND to keep their teeth trimmed (which constantly grow)!

Hay is the best tool for providing essential fiber to your rabbit's digestive system and cecum, where the good bacteria converts the fiber to 50% of the essential nutrients for your bunny. The fiber in the hay sweeps food and ingested fur through the intestine and out the other end. Healthy bunnies are nearly constantly munching on hay/pellets and poop A LOT!

I recommend 2nd cutting timothy hay, oat hay, or orchard grass. It's cheapest if you can buy a bale from a local farmer or farm store, but make sure there isn't any (or much) alfalfa and that it wasn't sprayed with chemicals. If you can find any of these hays with a bit of clover mixed in, your bunny will go bonkers for it! If you must buy hay in a pet store, Oxbow brand might be the most reliable, but make sure it smells fresh and isn't dusty or moldy. Moldy hay will not smell like fragrant grass, will likely have a white powder, and will often be dusty.

Can't find local hay? Try Small Pet Select rabbit hay or Farmer Dave's Pet Supply.
SAVE 15% OFF your first Small Pet Select order using coupon code HooksHollands!

Small Pet Select 2nd Cutting Hay (Amazon or from SPS website)

SAVE 15% OFF your first Small Pet Select order using coupon code HooksHollands

What's the difference between rabbit hay cuttings?

1st Cutting Hay
The first cutting of the season is the most coarse and typically less green and fragrant, but it helps to trim teeth like nobunny's business and is thus great for bunnies who are obsessed with chewing or need better teeth filing through chewing.

2nd Cutting Hay
This is usually mid to late summer hay (at least here in Ohio) and is my favorite cutting. It's thick enough to provide excellent fiber and decent teeth trimming but a bit softer and green/fragrant than 1st cutting.

3rd Cutting Hay
By the end of summer and early fall, farmers can sometimes get a third cutting, which is the softest and most fragrant hay of all. If you have an elderly bunny who needs a softer hay or a picky hay eater who dislikes 1st and 2nd cutting, give 3rd cutting a try...if you can find it. Dry or wet summers often prevent a third hay harvest.

How should I store my bunny's hay?
Most important is keeping the hay dry and allowing air movement to prevent mold. If you purchase hay in a box, set the box in a dry area with the lid open. Sunlight won't hurt it but will bleach the hay...it's still perfectly edible when faded. You may want a smaller open top container to keep near your bunny's enclosure for daily hay feedings. I use a medium Gorilla Tub for my smaller hay container when I pull a flake of hay from the bale. The shallow 4 gallon tubs also make excellent rabbit litter boxes/hay feeders, and the taller tubs are great for holding used litter to take out to the compost pile or garden. I promise that Gorilla Tub doesn't sponsor me! :)

If you buy a full sized rectangular hay bale, I recommend setting it on a wood pallet or some sort of elevated area and allow airflow around all sides. Be careful to keep the bale off of damp flooring such as concrete in garages, barns, and basements. I use a small wood pallet with a homemade wire cage around the bale. Messy, but it works great! If you have room, buy a few bales to last until the following summer when the next hay is harvested.

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Bunny-Safe Treats

Should I Feed my Bunny Treats?
There is a lot of controversy over whether bunnies should be fed greens and veggies daily, occasionally, or never. You can get completely contradictory advice from different veterinarians, rabbit rescues, bunny owners, and rabbit breeders. My personal advice, after raising Holland lop rabbits for years, is that you first need to know your rabbit's personal digestive sensitivity and be highly keen to signs of overdoing it on the treats. Begin slowly and patiently...and don't feel guilty if you opt not to feed your bunny treats.

How do I know if my bunny is having trouble digesting treats? Mushy poop is often a first sign, which can usually be remedied with lots of hay, reduced pellets for a day or two, and stopping the treats until poop returns to normal. If you're unlucky, your bunny could develop GI stasis, which is the slow down or cessation of movement in the GI tract. It can be deadly. If your rabbit ever is hunkered in a meatloaf position, refusing to hop about/eat/drink/poop, GI stasis is likely and needs immediate treatment. You'll know when your bunny isn't acting right. If you are not comfortable administering pain medicine (prescription such as Metacam and infant gas drops), syringes of water and Sherwood Appetite Restore, syringes of powdered Sherwood Recovery Food, and possibly injecting subcutaneous fluids under your rabbit's skin, then have an emergency rabbit vet on call. It's not always treats that cause stasis (stress and illness are other culprits), but it is a risk that you should be prepared for.

What do I feed my rabbits?
I only feed a small handful of leafy greens to my rabbits daily or a few times per week. A tiny piece of apple or banana (quarter sized slice) may be offered every week, but several of my bunnies get mushy poop easily, so I rarely feed fruits at all. My bunnies always get unlimited timothy/orchard hay + 1/8 cup of Sherwood's free choice blue bag alfalfa/timothy adult rabbit food 2x/day. It's a free-choice food, but I measure it to help know if they ever stop eating, and limiting pellets encourages more hay consumption, which helps keep the digestive system moving and avoid stasis.

When it comes to feeding your bunny anything other than quality pellets and hay, keep a few things in mind:

Some bunnies have sensitive digestive systems and never do well with treats (mushy poop, GI imbalance)
NEVER feed baby bunnies fruits until 5/6 months of age.
Start around 4-6 months old with a fingertip sized leafy green several times per week and slowly work up to 1 to 2 cups of greens by 6-8+ months of age. There's no correct age, but young bunnies have immature digestive systems. Take cues from your bunny's poop whether to continue, slow down, or stop the treats.
Leaf lettuce, romaine, cilantro, dandelions, plantain herb, and basil are good starters.
Fruits are difficult for many bunnies to digest, as they are high in sugar and can create a bacterial imbalance in their cecum (lower GI tract).

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

Remember to check with your rabbit-savvy veterinarian before making any changes in your bunny's diet and always feed treats slowly and in moderation, watching for signs that your bunny's digestive system is having difficulties.

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