Last Updated on March 3, 2023 by Marjon Ramos
How much food you should feed your rabbit per day depends on their age. Rabbits that are 7 weeks to 7 months old should have an unlimited amount of hay and pellets. Rabbits that are 12 weeks old can now start introducing veggies into their diet slowly.
At 7 months to 1 year, you should now be introducing grass hay into their diet while reducing alfalfa hay. The amount of pellets should also be decreased to ½ cup per 6 lbs. (2.7 kg) of BW. Also, vegetables should be fed daily, gradually, and fruits and treats can now be given sparingly.
Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain in more detail how much you should feed your rabbit per day:
Table of Contents
How much food should you feed your rabbit per day?
The amount of food you should give your rabbit would depend on their age, weight, and the type of food you’re giving. Rabbit foods are separated into four types: hay, pellets, vegetables, and treats.
All four of them should follow the recommended amount and portion depending on your rabbit’s age and weight. Not following these recommended portions would increase the likelihood that your rabbit would develop some kind of digestive problem.
How much hay should you feed your rabbit per day?
Your rabbit should have unlimited access to hay. Hay is the most important part of your rabbit’s diet. Any other food that can be eaten in small amounts, except hay.
Hay contains a lot of fiber, which rabbits need to move their gut. Without it, your rabbit could develop GI stasis that could lead to organ failure and death.
The type of hay you should feed your rabbit is also important. When your rabbit is young (7 weeks to 7 months), the recommended hay to give them is alfalfa.
Alfalfa hay is high in calcium, which would help in your rabbit’s growth and development. But as they grow, this extra calcium would do more harm than good.
Excess calcium in rabbits could lead to all kinds of health problems like bladder sludge, kidney stones, and urinary tract infections. That’s why it’s recommended to gradually shift to timothy hay or other grass hay that contains less calcium.
How much pellets should you feed your rabbit per day?
Pellets should be a supplementary food for rabbits. You should never prioritize pellets over hay.
Here’s a guide to help you determine how much pellets you should feed your rabbit per day if your rabbit is already 7 months to 1 year old.
| Small Breeds | Medium Breeds | Large Breeds |
|---|---|---|
| •2-3 ounces of pellets per day | 3 ½ – 4 ounces of pellets per day | 4 – 8 ounces of pellets per day |
You should also check the composition of your rabbit’s pellet before buying it.
Here are the recommended nutritional facts according to the American Rabbit Breeders Association on the best composition of pellets you should buy for your rabbits.
| Fiber | Fat | Calcium | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| •12% to 22% •Not less than 18% | •3% or less | •Less than 1% | •14%-18% |
How much veggies should you feed your rabbit per day?
At 12 weeks old, you can now start giving your rabbits veggies at 15 grams per day. Just make sure that you only introduce one vegetable at a time so that you can easily trace which vegetables to remove if your rabbit suddenly suffers from digestive issues.
From 7 months to 1 year, you can now gradually increase the amount of veggies you give to your rabbits until you meet the required amount based on their weight.
Here’s a table to help you decide how much vegetables you should limit giving to your rabbits:
| Rabbit’s weight based on breed | Allowed vegetables per day |
|---|---|
| Small breed (1.1–3.5 pounds) | <128 grams |
| Medium breed (6 to 10 pounds) | 384-640 grams |
| Large breed ( 9 and 12 pounds) | 384-760 grams |
The type of vegetables you give your rabbit is also important. Certain vegetables like rhubarb, avocado, allium-type vegetables, and iceberg lettuce can cause fatal reactions and should not be fed to rabbits.
You should stick to vegetables that are known to be healthy and safe for rabbits, like:
- Spinach
- Celery
- Green peppers
- Basil
- Mint
- Alfalfa, radish & Clover sprouts
- Parsley
- Peapods (the flat edible kind)
- Peppermint leaves
- Bok choy
- Escarole
- Clover
- Peppermint leaves
- Radicchio
- Raspberry leaves
- Wheatgrass
- Watercress
- Cilantro
- Dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides)
How much treats should you give your rabbit per day?
Treats should only consist of safe fruits and should only be given in small amounts sparingly.
Here’s a table to help you decide how much fruit you should give to your rabbits:
| Rabbit’s weight based on breed | Allowed fruits per day(Rabbits 1-5y) |
|---|---|
| Small breed (1.1–3.5 pounds) | 0 grams |
| Medium breed (6 to 10 pounds) | 30-60 grams (30g) |
| Large breed ( 9 and 12 pounds) | 60-120 grams (30g) |
The best types of treats to give your rabbit are fruits that contain moderate amounts of sugar. Too much sugar in rabbits can lead to all kinds of digestive and dental problems and should be avoided.
Here are the most recommended fruits that you can give your rabbit sparingly:
Here’s a great video on treats you should avoid giving your pet rabbit:
Conclusion
The most important food for your rabbit is hay. You should give your rabbits unlimited amounts of hay. While pellets should only be secondary and should be fed 12 cup per 6 lbs. (2.7 kg) of BW per day.
Veggies should be introduced one at a time to avoid digestive distress and to make it easier to determine which veggies are making your rabbit sick.
Veggies should only be fed 1-2 cups per 6 lbs. (2.7kg) of BW per day to adult rabbits or rabbits that are 1–5 years old.
As for treats, they should only be given in small amounts and sparingly.
Cite this article:
Sources
- Blas, Carlos de., and Julian Wiseman. The Nutrition of the Rabbit. CAB International, 1998.
- Basic Rabbit Care
- Gastrointestinal stasis
- Diarrhea
