Rabbit feeding: a general guide
Hay should make up around eighty to ninety percent of a rabbit's diet by volume, with a smaller daily portion of fresh leafy vegetables and a measured amount of rabbit pellets making up the rest. This is a general method rather than a feeding plan for your specific rabbit — a vet can advise on amounts if your rabbit has a health condition or an unusual weight.
Why hay does most of the work
A rabbit's digestive system is built to process near-constant small amounts of fibre, and good-quality hay, available at all times, is what keeps that system moving properly. Hay also wears down a rabbit's continuously growing teeth, which pellets and vegetables alone do not do nearly as effectively.
Fresh, good-quality hay should be available around the clock, refreshed daily, in an amount roughly the size of the rabbit itself — a good rule of thumb many rabbit owners use, since rabbits eat hay throughout the day rather than in one sitting.
Vegetables and pellets, in proportion
A daily portion of fresh, rabbit-safe leafy vegetables — things like romaine lettuce, herbs and leafy greens — adds variety and moisture to the diet, introduced gradually rather than all at once if your rabbit is not used to them. Pellets should be a small, measured daily amount rather than left available all the time, since free access to pellets can lead a rabbit to eat less hay than it needs.
Fresh water should always be available, checked daily, since a rabbit eating this much fibre needs a reliable water supply to keep everything moving properly.
When to get your vet involved
A rabbit that stops eating, produces fewer or smaller droppings than usual, or seems hunched and uncomfortable needs a vet promptly — a rabbit's gut can slow down seriously within hours, which is a genuine emergency in this species. Ongoing weight loss or gain, or a rabbit that seems to be selectively avoiding hay, is also worth raising with your vet rather than adjusting the diet yourself without advice.
Dental problems are common in rabbits and often show up first as a change in eating habits, so a rabbit that starts dropping food, drooling or eating more slowly than usual is worth having checked rather than assumed to simply be fussy.
Feeding kit
Things we stock that owners commonly reach for here. Nothing on this page depends on you buying one.
Tarhong Paw Ikat Teal Pet Placemat – BPA-Free PVC & EVA
A vibrant teal ikat placemat with paw print accents — BPA-free, wipe-clean, and 29 × 48 cm for protecting floors under pet bowls.
£8.49
Tarhong Country Orchard Melamine Pet Saucer
A pretty fruit and floral orchard-print melamine saucer for pets — BPA-free, non-slip, shatterproof, and dishwasher safe at 13.2 cm.
£9.49
Tarhong Heart Print Pet Placemat
A charming heart-patterned, wipe-clean placemat that keeps spills off your floor at every mealtime.
£8.49
Common questions
- How much hay does a rabbit need each day?
- As a general guide, an amount roughly the size of the rabbit itself, available at all times rather than given as a single daily portion. Rabbits graze on hay throughout the day, so it should never run out.
- Can rabbits eat too many pellets?
- Yes — pellets should be a small, measured daily amount rather than freely available, since filling up on pellets can lead a rabbit to eat less of the hay it actually needs for healthy digestion and teeth.
- What vegetables are safe for rabbits every day?
- Leafy greens like romaine lettuce, herbs such as basil and parsley, and other rabbit-safe vegetables introduced gradually are suitable daily additions. Introduce anything new slowly and check with your vet or a reliable rabbit welfare source if you are unsure about a specific food.
- Why does my rabbit need constant access to hay?
- A rabbit's digestive system relies on a steady, near-continuous intake of fibre to keep functioning properly, and hay also wears down their continuously growing teeth. A gap in eating is taken far more seriously in rabbits than in most pets, since their gut can slow down quickly without it.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.