The house rabbit should have a diet high in fibre and fairly low in calories (especially fats and starches). Over time pellet diets have been sold as the mainstay of a rabbit's diet, but pellets were originally formulated for non household rabbits (i.e. laboratory or farmed rabbits).

Some of the problems associated with rabbits fed unlimited pellets are:

• Obesity
• Dental disease
• Soft stools (with norm stools)
• Periodic bouts of anorexia (not eating)
• Heart and liver disease
• Calcification of blood vessels
• Bladder and kidney stones

Recommended Diet for Adult Rabbits

Pellets

• Maximum of 1/8 of a cup per 1.8kg of body weight of a high fibre pellet per day. (18% or higher fibre, protein content at 13-14% and fat content no higher than 3%)
• For young growing rabbits, pellets can be given free choice until 6 to 8 months of age, then decrease to the maintenance amount as above.
• Store pellets in a closed container in a cool, dry place. Only buy enough for three months at a time.
• Do not use pellet mixes that contain grains and seeds along with pellets, as the rabbit will select its favourite items and leave the rest, meaning it will not be getting a balanced diet.

Fresh Hay (or grass)

• Always to be available. This is the most important ingredient.
• Young bunnies should be exposed to hay as soon as they can eat on their own.
• Oaten hays should be the hays for your rabbit to rely on rather than Lurence hays as it is lower in calcium and calories
• Store in a cool, dry place in an open bag to allow circulation. Discard damp hay.
• Rabbits on 100% Lurence hay should not get any pellets
• Prefer loose long strands of hay compared to pressed cubes or chopped hay

Greens
Feed at least 3 types daily in a total minimum amount (all types of green together) of 1 heaped cup per 1.8kg body weight. This is a minimum, as the bunny adjusts to this diet more can be fed.

Feed Freely
(these food products contain fibre, vitamins eg A & C, minerals and carbohydrates)

Beet tops
Brussels sprouts
Carrots
Green pepper
Carrot tops
Outer cabbage leaves
Parsley
Raspberry leaves
Turnip tops
Bok Choy
Alfalfa sprouts
Peppermint leaves
Mint leaves
Corn leaves
Kale
Escarole
Clover
Endive
Mustard greens
Radicchio
Rose leaves
Strawberry leaves
Romaine lettuce
Wheat grass
Broccoli leaves
Grape leaves
Dandelion greens
Dandelion Flowers

Avoid starchy foods or high sugar content foods such as; legumes, beans, peas, corn, bananas, grapes, oats, wheat, crackers, chips, bread, nuts, pasta, potatoes, chocolate, cookies, rolled oats and breakfast cereals.

We know that bunnies love starchy foods, and these can be fed in very small amounts for adult rabbits – yet it is easy to overdo, and may result in soft stools or serious stomach upsets.

There is research suggesting high starch and low fibre diets may contribute to fatal endotoxaemia)