Hay, Hows it Going?
Rabbits <3 Veggies!!!
Pellets: Short, Sweet, and to the point.
The staple, the most important, the all mighty food, a rabbit's diet is pretty much centered around hay. Hay provides roughage. Roughage is the thing that keeps the digestive system moving. On a similar note, if hay is not availiable, the rabbit's digestive track can suddenly shut down and we all can assume where that would lead. Hay doesn't only keep rabbits' digestive system in tact, it also tends to your rabbit's teeth. Rabbits have open rooted teeth, this means they never stop growing. Hay trims the teeth as the rabbits chew it, which helps prevent: maliclusion, buck teeth, and wolf teeth. Hay should be offered 24/7. Your rabbit should always have fresh hay to munch on. Put it in the litter box to reinforce good habbits.
Vegetables are important because they provide additional vitamins and nutrients. Vegetables are also differently textured, so therefor they also provide enrichment. A good rule for veggies is to give 1 cup of vegetables per 2 lbs. of body weight per day. Leafy greens (lettuce, carrot tops, leaves, etc.) should make up about 75% of a rabbit's vegetables. The remaining 25% should be things like green peppers, cucumber, and others. According to the House Rabbit Society, anything that is safe for both humans and horses, is safe for rabbits. They also have a vegetable list that is very handy to have on hand. Visit rabbit.org for more info. All things considered, make sure you never feed beans, or iceberg lettuce.
Pellets' only purpose is to fill in the gaps. This means their sole role is to provide extra vitamins and minerals that were left out of that day's vegetables. You should feed pellets in limited qualities if you even decide to give them at all. A good rule is 1/4 cup of pellets per 6 lbs. of body weight. Make sure your pellets have a minnnimum of 20% fiber and 12-14% protein. (No more than that for protein.) Some good pellets include American Pet Diner, Oxbow, and Zupreem in the USA, and Burgess Excel Light Nuggets in the UK.
