Rabbit Diet
- Onion, leek, garlic, potato, yam, peas, beans, lentil, pulses. (Avoid feeding these types of vegetables as they are generally either toxic or contain high levels of starch.)
- Carrot, parsnip, turnip, swede, beetroot, cucumber, sweet pepper, pumpkin, apple, squash, blackberries, strawberry, raspberry, pear, pineapple, tomato. 'not leaves' (These parts of plants store energy, so are high in sugars, and should make up a smaller portion of your rabbit’s diet.)
- Celery, chard, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, carrot leaves, cabbage/broccoli leaves, kale, blackberry/raspberry leaves, strawberry leaves, romaine lettuce (not iceburg), radish tops, broccoli/cauliflower heads. (The green leafy parts of vegetables are best for rabbits to eat; these are low in calories and high in fibre.)
- SEEDS: Although most of the seeds and grains humans eat are not poisonous to rabbits they are high-energy foods and not suitable for rabbits in large quantities. Remember rabbits are primarily leaf eaters not seed eaters.
- Feeding Vegetable Off Cuts: In addition to sharing the vegetables you eat, rabbits can also eat many of the parts of vegetable plants that humans discard because they are tough and fibrous – the same characteristics that make them good for rabbits. These include cauliflower leaves, broccoli stalks, and carrot leaves. Supermarkets often strip vegetables of the leaves before sale so try visiting markets or farm shops to source your fresh food. Not all parts of vegetables plants are safe to eat though, for example, the leaves, and stems of tomato plants are poisonous.
- Wild Plants: Many of the plants that make up a wild rabbit’s diet grow in gardens as ‘weeds’ and can make an excellent free addition to your rabbit’s diet. Common ‘weeds’ that are safe for rabbits to eat include Plantain, Clover, Dandelion, Thistle, Chickweed, Nettle, Blackberry/Bramble leaves, and Shepherd’s Purse; and there are many more. A good reference book on plants is essential as some garden plants and weeds are toxic. You should only pick plants from areas that are free from traffic pollution and pesticides, and have not fouled by other animals. If your garden is a weed free zone, you can buy or collect seeds and grow your rabbit’s favourites in pots like any other plant. Just be careful to pick them before they set seed or your garden won’t stay weed free for long! If you don’t have any outside space, then try growing them inside on a windowsill.