‘Hay there! What’s up Doc?’ – Importance of Diet in Rabbits

by Dr Tee Brown – Small Animal and Exotics Veterinarian

Anyone with a rabbit can tell you that they each have unique personalities and quirks, and involve just as much care as a cat or a dog! Arguably, their nutrition requires even closer attention, as poor diet is responsible for some of the most frequent diseases we see: dental problems and gastro-intestinal problems.

Rabbits’ incisors and back teeth grow continuously throughout life and require lots of fibre to wear them down. If their teeth grow too long, they can develop sharp spurs that can cut the tongue or cheek, the teeth can begin to twist or grow at strange angles which can impede eating, and more severe problems can emerge such as abscesses. If rabbits develop dental disease, it can be painful, often requiring lifelong treatment with regular dental procedures.

Rabbits also have highly specialised guts which can develop numerous problems related to poor diet, some of which are life threatening. Inadequate fibre prevents the gut contents from moving through fast enough which can lead to reduced appetite, bacterial overgrowth, or an obstruction. Too much carbohydrate in the diet can disrupt the normal intestinal bacteria causing issues with the natural fermentation process, which is essential to provide rabbits with certain nutrients. Some of these problems require hospitalisation or even emergency surgery!

A common presentation seen in rabbits is gut stasis, which is characterised by a lack of appetite and defecation and is considered an emergency.. One of the best ways to avoid this is to ensure your rabbit is fed an optimal diet.

Composition of the ideal rabbit diet:

1. Hay should comprise the majority of the diet, it should be provided in unlimited quantities. Timothy, meadow, or grass hays are ideal for adult rabbits, whereas lucerne, clover, or oaten hays are appropriate only for young growing rabbits up to 6 months of age.
   
2. Fresh vegetables should be supplied every day in quantities of 1-2 packed cups per rabbit. Suitable vegetables include spinach, bok choy, watercress, broccoli, cabbage, carrot tops, kale, dark-leafed lettuce varieties, and also herbs such as parsley, mint, dill, coriander and basil.
   
3. Pellets should only be given in ‘snack’ quantities, 1-2 tablespoons per day. Too many pellets will discourage your rabbit from eating enough hay. Avoid pellets with seeds, grains, or dried fruit. A good quality hay-based pellet is manufactured by Oxbow™ and can be purchased at Turramurra Veterinary Hospital..
   
4. Treat-only foods, such as carrot, sweet potato, and fresh fruit, should only be given occasionally (less than once a day).

Never provide your rabbit with sweet or high carbohydrate foods such as grains, seeds, peas, corn and most commercial rabbit “treats”. Never give processed human foods such as breads, breakfast cereal or sweets. These foods can lead to serious digestive problems.

Of course with all that roughage it is essential that rabbits always have large quantities of fresh water available. When changing over to an optimal diet it is best to introduce changes slowly over a 1-2 week period to give the gut enough time to adjust to the new food. A proper diet is one of the best ways to keep your rabbit healthy, and to ensure they have a great life with you and your family!