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Daily Diet
2013-05-31

Fiber is very important. At least feed your rabbit 18 percent fiber. With 15 percent or lower fiber it may cause serious health problems in rabbits.
 

Hay:
Hay is essential to a rabbit's good health, providing roughage which reduces the danger of hairballs and other blockages. Offering timothy hay or other grass hays free choice, your pet should always have grass hay available to eat. Rabbits less than 7 months old may have alfalfa hay, but older rabbits should have grass hays such as timothy or oat hay.
 

Pellets:
Feeding your rabbit about 5% of body weight. Do not feed pellets free choice or your rabbit may overeat. Remember that a smaller rabbit has a higher metabolic rate and burns up energy faster, so it will require proportionately more food than a larger rabbit.
 

Vegetables:
Feed your rabbit two cups or three kinds of fresh vegetables daily. Aim to feed a few different greens each day. The lists below show some greens that are safe to feed, and some that aren't. The list isn't exhaustive. If you're not sure whether you can safely feed a certain plant or vegetable to your rabbit, ask your vet for advice.


Suggested Vegetable:
Asparagus, Basil, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery leaves, Chicory, Dandelion (in moderation - can make your rabbit go to the toilet more than usual)
 

Fruits:
you can offer your rabbit 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh fruit daily. Fruit should always be given in moderation as the high sugar content may cause diarrhea. Remember no pesticides!!!!! Suggested Fruit:Apple, Blackberries, Blueberry, Pineapple, Melon, Papaya, Peach, Plum, Pears, Strawberries
 

Treats:
Treats should be an extremely small element of the animal's diet - overfeeding may lead to health problems such as obesity, dental problems and heart disease.
 

Water:
Fresh water should be available at all times, in a clean, large, heavy crock. Rinse the water crock out every day and give it a good cleaning about three times a week to prevent algae build up.


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