DIET
The right diet is absolutely crucial for a happy and healthy rabbit.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Food/feeding_en.pdf
http://www.houserabbit.co.uk/rwf/articles/safefoods.htm
Many pets rabbits in this country are NOT being feed properly, leading to bad health, many are often brought into the rescue overweight, with dental problems and/or with wet/soiled bums. Most of these problems are due to bad diet, a diet lacking in essential components.
The main bulk of the diet 80/90% should consist of unlimited access to good quality, fresh hay. Meadow hay or Timothy Hay is popular, or you can visit your local farm shop to get good fresh stuff. As well as being good for their digestion, hay is also good for a rabbit's teeth.
pet shop bought hays are not very good qualility so why not try the farm its is often alot cheaper so you save money or have it delivered from one of the online stores!! see links pages!
without hay a rabbits gut cannot digest the food that its eating rabbits are graisers this is because they need to be constantly chewing to keep their gut mobile, lack of hay togther with a low fibre rabbits pellet or mix lead to overweight bunnies not only does that put pressure on the heart and kidneys but they also cant get to consume their caecotrophies (night poos) which are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, they also can not keep thereselfs clean if they are over weight leading to wet soiled bottoms and them being highly prone to flie strike.
Your rabbits should also enjoy a small amount of dried food. We recommend using a pellet food, as opposed to a muesli style mix, as this helps to prevent selective feeding, and ensures your rabbits are getting all the goodness from the food. The museli style foods are low in fibre, rabbits need a high fibre diet,! Look for a feed with a high fibre content, and not too much fat, here at the rescue we use Science Selective. http://www.russelrabbit.com/science_selective.php
Another important aspect of the ideal rabbit diet, is a good selection of fresh greens and various vegetables. Please click here for a pdf list of which fruits, vegetables and plants are safe for your rabbit to enjoy. When introducing a new food, please do so slowly, and allow the rabbit just one small piece to start off with, to be sure that the stomach is not unsettled and repeat this process over the next few weeks before gradually increasing the amount . Thanks to www.mckellier.com for the rabbit menu.
once you rabbit is on a full range of vegetables with no dietary problems we would recommend you slowly withdrawing the pellets altogether the best diet for an adult rabbits is a bowl of five vegtables twice a day with unlimited hay and grass.
TREATS
rabbits enjoy eating BUT giving your rabbits treats is unessacary a treat to a rabbits is a fresh piece of brocolli, a slice of apple, a new willow toy or one of the fancier hays/herb mixes NOT chocolate buttons, digestive biscuits or friut loaf!