What do pet rabbits eat?

Answer 1

This answer is only a summary and a discussion. For the details and complete answer (and links and sources), please see the related questions below!

Pet rabbits' main diet is hay. Hay is the best way to prevent all sorts of health problems (including dental, digestive, and mental problems). There are two kinds of hay: grass (like timothy) and legume (like alfalfa). Legume hays are high in protein and calcium, so they're great for babies (under a year old) and nursing/pregnant mothers, but no good for healthy adult rabbits. Adult rabbits (older than 1 year) should eat grass hay only, and lots and lots of it!

Another thing pet rabbits eat are special rabbit pellets(ask your pet store about these). There are good (healthy) pellets, and bad (poor quality, high-junk) pellets, so do some market research before buying any! The pellets should not include food coloring, because this can be harmful for the rabbit.

Another thing pet rabbits eat are fresh fruits and vegetables. Mostly this should be dark leafy greens. A daily "salad" of greens is good for bunnies. Non-leafy vegetables and fruits should be considered treats only (this includes carrots): a bite or two is enough! As for the "salad," some greens are good, others are bad: you'll have to do research finding out which ones are which beforehand!

SOME MORE INFORMATION

One person writes:

Give bunny fruit and vegetables such as carrots, bok choy, carrot tops, beet greens, apple (SEEDS ARE POISENOUS), pear and many more.

Do not feed bunny any..

junkfood such as cake or biscuits

small number of pellets are okay

banana (get addicted)

chocolate

treats are given once a day.

treats include

almonds, sultanas (a favourite), sour sobs and commercial treat bars.

Disagreement:

Do NOT feed your bunny almonds, ever, or any kind of nut. Nuts are high in fats and proteins. Too many fat and protein is very bad for a rabbit and will make them sick (if not immediately, then in the long-term). Rabbits get all the fat and protein they need from their pellets: any more is unhealthy and should be avoided.

Commercial bunny treats (drops, bars, chews, etc.) should be avoided, too. Usually they're filled with all sorts of unhealthy things. Remember: pet food companies are more interested in making money than taking care of your pet. The companies that ARE interested in your pet's health do not make or sell these kinds of treat foods! A bite or two of fresh fruit is just as yummy to your rabbit as a commercial treat; it's also less expensive for you, and it's healthier, so just skip the commercial junk food and stick to fresh fruits and vegetables.

One person writes:

They love to snack on your pesky dandelion weeds (leaves and flowers, both), clovers, wild onions, and other weeds around your yard. Rabbits enjoy carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and parsnips.

Disagreement:

Avoid all kinds of onions. Onions are poisonous to rabbits, so never give any to your bunny. Be careful about weeds from your yard and other places because they can be polluted (like with car exhaust, or pesticides, or fertiliser, or parasites that wild animals have left behind).

One person writes:

Sweets: Do not give your rabbit more than a few sweets every two or three weeks, because even if they are "healthy" they can still give your bunny Diabetes.

Here are some sweets you can give your bunnies small amounts of:

apple slices (they can eat the core, but seeds are poisonous)

a few raisins (do not give them many of these at a time especially)

grapes (or grape stems)

a thin banana slice (my bunny could eat bananas all day, but they are so sweet that you should limit it to a thin slice)

So dont give them sweets too often.

They can eat all of those above, but their primary diet is weeds, hay and pellets.

Answer 2

carrots letticue cucumber rabbit food - dried stuff you can get it from the pet shop