Last Updated on February 27, 2023 by Marjon Ramos
Wild rabbits would eat any plant life that is available to them.
This means as long as the rabbit feels the area is safe, they will eat whatever plant life they find that’s edible to them.
Wild rabbits eat a lot of grass, fruits, berries, vegetables, and seeds that are available to them in the wild.
Because rabbits need to graze, the majority of their diet is grass or hay.
Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain in more detail how rabbits get their food:
Table of Contents
Where do wild rabbits get their food?
Wild rabbits get the majority of their food in the wild.
They would eat leaves and other plant life that are edible to them.
But because they are prey creatures, they would likely check the area before eating anything.
If you have a garden, wild rabbits will likely eat anything that’s in your garden if there’s a rabbit population problem in your area.
What do rabbits eat in the wild?
Wild rabbits eat all kinds of food in the wild.
While the majority of their diet would likely be grass because that’s what they needed the most, they also eat a variety of vegetables, berries, fruits, and seeds.
Here are some of the most common foods that are available to rabbits in the wild:
Most common plants that wild rabbits eat.
- Morning glory
- Dandelions
- Daisies
- Sunflowers
- Lavender
- Clover
- Violets
- Lilies
Most common fruits that wild rabbits eat.
- Wild rasperries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries.
- Apples
- Grapes
- Pears
Most common vegetables that wild rabbits eat.
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Beet greens
- Peppers
- Peas
How do rabbits get their food in the winter?
During winter, rabbits’ diets would mostly consist of small branches, conifer needles, and twigs that have fallen.
That’s why most rabbits often lose a lot of weight in the winter because they switch to wood-based food sources.
Rabbits also have the ability to eat their cecotropes (partially digested food), which would allow their digestive system to once again try to absorb more energy from the food they’ve already eaten.
Should you give wild rabbits food?
Feeding wild rabbits directly is not recommended because it would make them dependent on you for food.
Leaving a bowl full of food for rabbits to eat would likely interfere with their natural ability to hunt for food, which would hurt them in the long run.
What you can instead do is to plant more rabbit-safe plants around your garden so that the rabbits can naturally “find” their food.
Plants that can grow in the winter are also a great option so that you can help wild rabbits where they need it the most.
Before doing any of this, make sure that there are no diseases that rabbits carry that can be passed on to humans in your area.
Summary
Because wild rabbits are herbivores and grazers, the majority of their diet would be grass or hay.
They would also eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables that are available to them.
In the winter, when few plants are available, rabbits will shift their diet to a wood-based one.
A rabbit’s diet during winter would consist of small branches, conifer needles, and twigs that have fallen.
