🐰 The Vet’s Guide to Feeding Rabbits in 2025

Authored by Dr Duncan Houston BVSc – professional veterinarian & Ask A Vet founder. In this comprehensive guide, we explore rabbit nutrition in 2025, offering medically sound, balanced, and enriched dietary strategies—including hay, pellets, vegetables, and treats. We’ll also review life-stage and breed-specific needs, providing actionable tips for lifelong health and vitality.

🌱 Why Proper Nutrition Matters

Rabbits evolved as strict herbivores, relying on high-fiber diets for digestion, dental wear, and gut health. Inadequate nutrition leads to:

• Dental overgrowth and pain
• Gastrointestinal stasis, diarrhea, or impaction
• Obesity or underweight issues
• Urinary problems such as sludge or stones
• Shortened lifespan and lower wellbeing

The foundation of proper feeding lies in hay—but there’s more to a rounded, vet-approved diet.

🥇 Core Diet Components

1. Unlimited Grass Hay (≈80% of diet)

Hay forms the basis of rabbit nutrition. Recommended options:

• Timothy, orchard grass, oat, meadow grass – mature rabbits thrive on these :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.
• Alfalfa hay – nutrient-rich and calcium-heavy; good for kits or nursing mothers but not for adults due to risk of obesity and urinary stones :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.

Aim for fresh, dust-free, green hay; unlimited supply throughout the day.

2. Controlled Pellets (≈5–10%)

Pellets act as a dietary supplement—not a meal replacement.

• High-fiber (~18–22%) timothy-based pellets :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.
• Adult rabbits: ¼–½ cup per 4–5 lbs/day :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
• Pellets with seeds, nuts, or high fat content are a no-go.

3. Fresh Leafy Greens (≈10–15%)

Variety offers micronutrients and moisture.

• Safe choices: romaine, basil, parsley, celery leaves, collard greens, beet greens, endive, dandelion greens :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.
• Feed approx. 1 cup per 2–4 lbs body weight daily :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.
• Introduce new greens slowly; avoid iceberg lettuce or excessive high-calcium greens.

4. Healthy Treats & Fruits (≤5%)

Use sparingly for enrichment.

• High-fiber fruits: apple, pear, plum – just 1–2 Tbsp per 5 lb body weight, max twice weekly :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.
• Vegetables like carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, squash—keep portions small due to sugar & gas risk :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.

5. Fresh Water

Hydration is critical!

• Offer both bowl and bottle—bowls often increase intake :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.
• Refill daily and clean containers regularly.

🍽️ Feeding by Life Stage & Breed

Baby Rabbits (Kits, < 7 months)

• Alfalfa hay & pellets unlimited until ~12 weeks :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.
• Introduce small amounts of greens once ~7 weeks old.

Adolescents (7 months–1 year)

• Phase out alfalfa; integrate grass hay; limit pellets to ~½ cup per 5 lbs :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}.
• Increase veggie portion (2 cups per 6 lbs by 1 year) :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}.

Adult Rabbits (1–5 years)

• Unlimited grass hay.
• ¼–½ cup pellets per 4–5 lbs.
• 2 cups fresh greens per 6 lbs. Limit high-calcium greens.

Senior Rabbits (>5 years)

• Continue adult regimen.
• Adjust pellet intake up/down based on weight and condition.
• Ensure tooth health and adjustments for arthritis or mobility.

Breed-Specific Feeding

• Netherland Dwarf: ~1/8 cup pellets per day; small greens like parsley, basil :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}.
• Rex: ¼ cup pellets per 4–5 lb; 1 cup greens per 2 lbs :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}.
• Lionhead / Holland Lop: unlimited hay, ¼ cup pellets per 4–5 lbs, and fresh greens ~1 cup per 2 lbs :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}.

⚠️ Foods to Avoid

• Chocolate, meat, eggs, dairy, beans, seeds, nuts, processed grain foods
• High-carb/starch foods: bread, crackers, cereal
• High-sugar foods: avocado, onion, mushroom, rhubarb, toxic plants
• Moldy hay/produce and high-oxalate greens (like spinach in excess)