Types Of Rabbit Food
Hay
This makes up most of your rabbits diet. They should eat a ball of hay the same size as themselves every single day, which will be around 80% of their daily diet intake.
There are various sub-types out there. Timothy, orchard, oat or meadow grass hay is best for adults as it contains less calcium and more fibre. For young (under one year), pregnant or nursing rabbits, opt for legume hay such as alfalfa or clover
Pellets/Nuggets
These are absolutely packed with nutrients, more than enough for your rabbit’s daily intake which is why they only make up around 5% of their daily feeding. They are often made up from a blend of hay and greens and have added natural ingredients to promote digestion, healthy skin and fur, and steady weight
Greens
This is the part you have to improvise and prepare the most. Greens include things like kale and bok choy, and you can also harvest your own. Always check what they can eat, as they can’t just have the leftovers of the vegetables you had for dinner.
Bag Sizes
Rabbit food can come in bags ranging from around 500g up to 10kg. The bigger the bag, the better value the purchase usually is. However, the freshness and benefits of rabbit food can start to deteriorate after around four weeks, so unless you have multiple rabbits, a large bag may be too much.
Also, think about where you will be storing it. You can now purchase Subscriptions for rabbit food too, so a small 1kg bag once a month could be better than one 5kg bag every four months.
Changing Food
You should never switch a rabbits food for a clean swap one day to the other. To introduce a new food, mix a slight bit in with their current and gradually increase the ration until they are happily eating the new food.
A sudden change can cause digestive issues and upset stomachs, even if it is a switch to better food, so bear this in mind! The most likely scenario in which this will be done is the change from young food to adult.
Selective Feeding
When offered a muesli diet, which is a pellet mix blended with pea flakes and bits of dried greens or fruit, rabbits will pick the elements high in starch and sugars and neglect everything which is natural or high in fibre. This is selective feeding.
It can cause an unbalanced diet and issues with dental disease and gut or digestion. If you feel that your rabbit is currently on a muesli diet and is not eating enough, you may wish to gradually change them to pellet only. The vast majority of rabbits will eat any pellets.
Many vets and professionals actually state that you should avoid muesli altogether.