RSPCA Norfolk West Branch

Feeding your pet rabbit high-energy commercial pet food can lead to tooth problems, boredom and even aggression. Recent research by veterinary surgeons and rabbit food companies has shown that feeding rabbits a healthy diet could prevent most of the common illnesses that they suffer from.

Your rabbit's health depends almost entirely on the food you feed it. An incorrect diet can be a contributing factor in all these common pet rabbit problems:

Dental problems / overgrown teeth

Obesity

Diarrhoea

Fly strike

Gut stasis

Snuffles/Runny eyes


Some of these conditions can be fatal but you can significantly reduce the risk of your rabbit developing these conditions just by feeding it the right diet. There is little or no cure for rabbits with rear and front teeth problems. About 25 - 30% of the rabbits coming to us have rear teeth problems and have to be put to sleep - this is nearly always preventable with the correct diet.

WHAT IS THE CORRECT DIET?
The pet rabbit is descended from the wild rabbit, which has become very well adapted to living on poor quality grasses. In the wild rabbits are grazers feeding mostly on grass and hay, which is dried grass.
This natural diet is low in energy and high in fibre, keeping wild rabbits' teeth and waistlines healthy. Wild rabbits spend a lot of their time eating and looking for food.
Wild rabbits are much less likely to suffer from the above conditions because of the fibre content in their diet. Therefore, the correct diet for a pet rabbit is one that is high in fibre. Hay is high in fibre and should, therefore, make up 80 - 90% of your rabbit's diet. Click to continue or use the links below...