Rabbits are adorable and great pets to have, they can be very friendly and entertaining to watch. Unlike dogs and cats, they are herbivores and have very sensitive digestive systems. This means that you must be very careful with what you give a rabbit to eat.
Most often they are constantly chewing and munching on hay, which should be about 90% of their diet. The other 10% percent can consist of leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, and a small number of treats. Feeding your rabbit the appropriate foods is important in keeping their digestive system working properly. Rabbits should constantly be munching throughout the day to keep their guts moving, an abrupt change in their diet, as well as stress, can cause them to have GI stasis.
GI stasis refers to Gastrointestinal Stasis, which is when the gut slows down and cannot function properly. The best way to avoid GI Stasis is by feeding them foods that are high in fiber, a hay-based diet, and small amounts of veggies and pellets. There are certain foods that are harmful to rabbits and should be avoided.
Foods you should avoid giving your rabbit
Meat and Eggs
This is an obvious no no for rabbits considering they are herbivores. They are not equipped to digest these kinds of foods so, please don’t feed them to your rabbit.
Dairy
Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and ice cream can be very harmful to rabbits, they are high in sugar and can cause toxic bacteria.
Grains
Grains are high in carbohydrates and should not be given to your rabbit.
Avocados and apple seeds
Avocados are extremely toxic to rabbits; no part of the avocado should be given to a rabbit. Apples can be given as an occasional treat, but the seeds must be removed.
Iceberg Lettuce
Though most greens are okay for rabbits to eat, this one contains little to no nutritional content and is high in lactucarium and can cause diarrhea and other stomach issues.
Other foods to avoid
- Carrots (high in calcium and sugar, bad for their gut and teeth)
- Peas
- Cauliflower
- Corn
- Rhubarb
- Nightshade plants
What you can feed your rabbit
- Dark leaf lettuce
- Romaine lettuce
- Carrot tops
- Kale
- Celery
- Broccoli leaves
- Herbs: basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, mint
Fruits to give occasionally
- Bananas
- Apples
- Berries
- Peaches
- Mango
Healthy treats
- Hay-based treats
- Dried flowers
- Oxbow rabbit treats