Feeding Your Rabbit

Your rabbit's diet should consist mostly of pellets, which are available at your local feed store. The amount that you should feed depends upon the breed of the rabbit. A small breed, such as a Netherland Dwarf should only get about ¼ cup of feed a day. A large breed, such as a Satin, should get 1 cup of feed. If in doubt, ask the person that you have or will purchase the rabbit from for their recommendation as to how much to feed that particular breed. It is not recommended that you give the rabbit all they want to eat (with the exception of a doe with litter). If a rabbit is free fed like this, they will likely become fat, which is not healthy. I would not recommend using pet store or supermarket feeds, as many of these contain inferior ingredients and/or are not fresh and sometimes even moldy. A good feed should have very little or no dust, be a dark green color, and not contain animal based ingredients, sugar, or corn. Another advantage to feed store feed is that pound for pound, it is significantly cheaper than pet store or supermarket feed.

Supplements

If you purchase a good pelleted feed from a feed store, you do not need to supplement the diet with anything else. This includes powdered vitamins and salt licks, which are commonly sold as supplements. Vitamins are unnecessary unless there is a suspected deficiency, and I've found that salt licks will corrode the cage. All of the vitamins and minerals the rabbit needs will be found in the feed. However, you can add hay or treats to the diet if you wish.

Hay and Straw

It is good to add roughage to your rabbit's diet, and hay is a very good source of this. Roughage will help prevent diarrhea and hairballs. You can feed a handful of grass hay, such as Timothy or Bermuda as often as every day if you wish to a rabbit of any age. You can feed Alfalfa, but sometimes it is too rich for a rabbit's delicate digestive system, whereas the grass hays are not. Never feed any hay that is could possibly be moldy, as this could easily kill the rabbit. If you cannot get a grass hay, you can feed oat straw, although the rabbits much prefer the hay to the straw.

Treats

There are many different types of treats that you can feed your rabbit. However, there are also many harmful foods and plants that you should not feed them. The best rule of thumb is if you are unsure if your rabbit can eat something, don't let them eat it. Also, you should never feed any fruits, vegetables, or other 'wet' treats to rabbits under 6 months old, as this can easily cause diarrhea, which can quickly kill them. It is important to feed treats in moderation, as their basic diet should remain as pellets. It is best to only give one or two treats a day at most. The following are some treats that I have found to be okay for rabbits and the quantities that should be given.

Treats okay for a rabbit of any age:

	Dry oatmeal (1 tablespoon)
	Bread (preferably wheat) (1/4 slice)
	Shredded wheat (not frosted) (1 or 2 mini wheats or 1/8-1/4 of a large one)
	Cheerios (not frosted) (1 tablespoon)
	Crackers (Club or Saltines) (1-2 crackers)

Treats for rabbits over 6 months:

	Apple (1/8)
	Orange (1-2 sections)
	Carrot (2-3 inches)
	Banana (2 inches)
	Celery (2-3 inches)
	Broccoli (1-2 crowns)

There are several other foods that you can feed, however I have not used them and cannot recommend something I have not used myself. It is best to avoid foods such as lettuce or cabbage, because the pesticides do not wash off well enough to ensure that they are safe for your bunny.