Can anyone advice me on bunnies' diet and what kind of toys they like to play with?

Question

I bought my first bunny today, and I have no experience with their diet. The shop assistant gave me some dried food (Burgess Supa Rabbit) and dried gras. Whad do they need more? Also, I bought no toys for it? what do they like? many thanks for your help

Answer 1

The Triad of Bunny Rabbit Food

Finally, after talking about what gets done to the food inside
rabbits' bodies and the debates about what rabbits should eat, here's
the low-down on the three main types of food sources recommended for
house rabbits.

Hays and Grasses

As mentioned above, hays and grasses help support the healthy
bacteria and protozoa that break down plant matter in the rabbit's
cecum. The fiber also keeps food moving properly through the
digestive system and helps prevent GI statis or rabbit indigestion
which can result in very small stools or none at all. This is a very serious
illness and rabbits can quickly die from it. Chewing of hays and grasses
also helps wear down the teeth in a healthy way.There are grass hays and
legume hays which provide different benefits to your rabbit.

Grass Hays: Examples are timothy, meadow, oat, rye, or barley hays
and Bermuda grass. These are full of nutrients and also provide a
lower energy diet appropriate for house rabbits. Adult rabbits in
particular will benefit from the higher fiber and lower protein and
calcium levels in these hays. Do not feed straw and make sure that
hays and grasses are dry and free from molds and, if possible,
organic. Feel free to mix hays.

Legume Hays: Examples are alfalfa, clover, peas, bean or peanut hays.
These are higher in protein and calcium (especially alfalfa) so are
more appropriate for younger rabbits (6 months old and younger).
Sources discourage feeding rabbits who are over 6 months old too many
legume hays because it can lead to digestive disorders and obesity.

*As long as your yard is free from pesticides, yard grasses and
"weeds" also provide great grazing sources for your rabbit.

Commercially Produced Pellets or Feed

Pellets and feeds were originally developed for the commercial rabbit
industry (i.e. rabbits meant to be consumed or tested in a lab, not
as pets) and so provide a food source with concentrated nutrition to
encourage rapid growth. Of course, not all pellets and feed are the
same so choose according to the needs of your rabbit. In other
words, read the label! Some rabbit pellets are higher in fiber and
others are higher in protein. Feed mixes that include cereals, nuts
or other treats should be considered just that-a treat-and not used
as the basis for your rabbit's daily diet. Whichever type of pellet
or feed you choose, be sure it looks and smells fresh and, unless
otherwise instructed by your vet, only offer the recommended serving
size.

Vegetables and Fruits

The guide here is the greener and leafier the better. Again, advice
on which vegetables are best for house rabbits varies. Benefits to
feeding house rabbits a diet filled with dark green leafy vegetables
not only include the various vitamins and nutrients found in
different vegetables, but also the water content and fiber they add
to what your bunny rabbit drinks. Be aware and conscious when
introducing new vegetables to your rabbit's diet. If you observe
soft stool, choose a different vegetable that may be more easily
digested by your rabbit. Because of the high sugar content in
acceptable fruit, they are only to be offered as treats. Organically
grown vegetables and fruit are, of course, preferable.

Please note that the lists below are just examples of preferable and treat
foods. Check with your veterinarian with any questions you have. *Click
here to go to our Links page where you can find the ASPCA's website
which lists toxic and non-toxic plants.
Green Leafy Vegetables (Preferable)
Cilantro
Parsley
Dandelion greens
Kale
Broccoli (leaves & tops)
Cabbage
Celery
Collards
Swiss Chard
Mustard Greens
Romaine, Buttercrunch, and Leaf Lettuces (*Iceberg lettuce is not
recommended as it is very low in nutritional value.)
Carrot tops

Fruits & Other Vegetables (Treats)
Blueberries
Strawberries
Apple
Banana
Pear
Melon
Pineapple
Cranberries
Grapes
Pea pods (flat with peas removed)
Alfalfa or bean sprouts
Carrots
Green, Red, or Yellow Bell Peppers

Foods to Avoid (High Fat, High Starch Foods)
Breads
Cereals
Oats
Beans
Corn
Nuts
Seeds
Wheat
Chocolate
Refined Sugar

Other essentials for a healthy diet

Water: Though rabbits who eat a large amount of greens will be
provided with some water naturally, it is important that they also be
provided with a clean and plentiful supply of fresh water daily.

Minerals and Salt: Salt wheels and mineral blocks provide rabbits
with a supplement to their natural diet and also give them a chance
to chew and prevent overgrowth of their teeth.

Sources:
The Small Animals Question and Answer Manual. David Alderton. 2001.
Hop to It: A Guide to Training You Pet Rabbit. Samanth Hunter.
1991.

"Feeding the Pet Rabbit: Rabbit Nutrition." Peter G. Fisher, DVM.
Oxbow Hay Company.

"Care of Rabbits." Susan A. Brown DVM.
http://www.hrschicago.org/dietcarefr.html

"Lettuce Start Learning About Rabbit Digestion."
http://www.hopperhome.com

"Digestibility in the Rabbit Diet." Marinell Harriman.
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-3/digestibility.html

"Types of Hays & Grasses."
http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/diet/hay_grass.html

Answer 2

Rabbit pellets alone will provide an adequate diet. I would stay clear of rabbit mixes, supplementing the pellets with a few oats, hay, carrots, cabbage and greens. The discarded outer leaves from the kitchen will be fine, wash them well in case of insecticide and never give bunnies frost bitten vegetation. From the garden, grass, clover, groundsel but never chickweed. Excess lettuce can be harmful so I never give this to rabbits. Avoid sweet human food as this will shorten bunny's life.
The best toy for a rabbit is another rabbit!

Answer 3

A rabbit's diet should contain lots of greens and hay, not commercial rabbit food. Your little bunny will get the nutrition it needs from the grass and leaf part of their diet. Not to mention, the high calorie content of the pellets can lead to obesity. They should have an unlimited amount of hay (preferably not legume hays) and at least one cup of greens for every two pounds of your rabbit each day. There should be a minimum three different kinds of greens in the mix. As for toys, rabbits like cardboard boxes to play and hide in, balls to chase, stuffed animals to cuddle, plastic keys, and things they can chew on... Good Luck! Hope this helps.

Answer 4

NO alfalfa hay unless it's a baby. Rabbits need hay--all the grass hay they can eat. Timothy is a commonly found and good choice. Only feed 1/4 cup of pellets for every 5 lb.s of rabbit. Dark leafy green vegies are OK too. Limit other foods to an occasional treat only. Lots of fresh water daily. Go to www.rabbit.org for toy ideas. A favorite is to stuff hay inside a cardboard tube and let them chew it to bits! Exercise, like running around a covered porch or a bunny-proof room is enjoyed. Remember, they will chew on anything and everything! Keep an eye on him! :)

Answer 5

Food - They should eat loads of hay - some of the smaller petshops, ie, not Petsmart or Pets At Home or whatever they call themselves nowaday, have fresh meadow hay delivered by local farmers, etc. They don't have pesticides on them and you are keeping your local farmers in business. Hay, should make up the main part of their diet - top this up with veggys, carrots, etc and he should be a happy bunny....incidentally, I don't give my two boys pellets but the same petshop also provides like a dried fruit or a dried veg meal - looks like a bag of breakfast cereal and they love it.

Remember, any rabbit which is stuck in a cage is going to get fat so allow them to run around in as big a space as you can - make the garden safe and secure and let them roam free!

Toys - rabbits are extremely inquisitive and enjoy most things that are thrown their way - however, they are natural chewers so they must be durable and strong. Mine love balls - they have a couple of baby toys, these balls that are made of tough plastic with a rattle and/or a bell in them and they never tire of them - they also have an old casey football in there domain too which they never tire of bonking either!!!! Put in a few wooden items too, even a branch from a fruit tree and they will spend hours chewing on them, thus keeping their teeth in good order too. They also like to bat out at things so if you can safely suspend something that will blow a little in the breeze this will keep them entertained for hours too. Play tunnels are also a good idea they love running through them and they can escape for a bit of privacy if they need to.

I found my two in the garden once playing on my kids little play castle thing - it has a raised up platform, has a slide on it and there is room underneath as well. They loved it - they could hide underneath, climb up and bask in the sun on the top and yes they even used the slide too!!!!! I also found one on the seat of my sons play car too. They are easily pleased as long as they have something to chew on and something to boot about whether it be a ball or similar. Enjoy them - they are really funny creatures............

Answer 6

Believe this or not,but when I go out in my garden the next doors bunny, runs up and down his side of the fence. Because I always take a tea biscuit for him, and feed Mr Bunny a bit at a time and he loves it.

Answer 7

rabbit pellets, alfalfa hay is important, the mineral lick. fresh fruits and veggies. i dont know about toys. they will chew on everything though- so watch it when you let it out or if anything is near cage. they will chew furniture and wires...anything. you might try a small ball or cat toys....depends on the rabbit's personality

Answer 8

my rabbits hate pellets alone so i buy this food called fiesta. also 4 the toys buy wooden stuff so they can keep their teeth down. mine dont like stuff with bells on it, but who knows yours might

Answer 9

my best friend had a rabbit and she fed it pellets and carrots. she didnt have any toys for it. i think your'e doing a great job.

Answer 10

This should have been sorted out before you got the rabbit.

Try the Following

www.thebrc.org

www.houserabbit.co.uk/rwf/articles/hey.htm