RSPCA Norfolk West Branch

It is very important not to change your rabbit's diet suddenly. Changes should be made gradually, preferably over a period of ten days so that your rabbit's digestive system has time to adjust. Give your rabbit a healthier diet by introducing hay, grass and greens gradually to reduce the likelihood of diarrhoea and change its rabbit mix to one of the high-fibre ones.

Introduce 10% of the new mix in the same feeding bowl with your rabbit's normal food and increase this by 10% daily. By day five your rabbit should be eating 50% new mix and 50% old diet and by day ten he should be on 100% new mix. Throughout this change-over period watch carefully for signs such as loss of appetite, bloating, abnormally runny droppings and changes in behaviour or demeanour, as these may show that your rabbit is not adapting well to the new diet.

REMEMBER…
The best diet for a rabbit is good quality hay. (80 - 90% of its food)
Fresh vegetables can also be given.
Small quantities of fruit are OK but avoid those high in sugar.
Sudden changes in diet should be avoided.
Lawnmower clippings should be avoided.
Small amounts of a commercial diet can be given as a supplement but should not be fed ad lib as this leads to obesity and overgrown teeth.
Feeding your rabbit with a healthy diet could prevent most of the common illnesses that rabbits suffer from.

Make sure that fresh hay is always available for bunny to eat.