The appropriate diet for your pet bunny is crucial to maintaining its overall health. Overfeeding can cause obesity and a host of other health problems. Likewise, underfeeding is dangerous. Thus, you might ask, “how many times a day should I feed my bunny?”
Perception of what, when, and how to feed a rabbit is a primary concern of many caring rabbit owners. As a result, this article explains the fundamentals of rabbit feeding by answering the following question
- What should I feed my bunny?
- What should I not feed my bunny?
- What time should I feed my bunny?
- Should I feed my bunny three times a day?
- Do you feed a bunny every day?
- Do rabbits stop eating when they are full?
What Should I Feed My Bunny?
Rabbits have a fragile digestive system. In that case, you can avoid most health problems by feeding your rabbit the proper diet. The following are the vital constituents of a rabbit’s diet.
Hay
This is the most essential part of your rabbit’s diet. The fiber in hay promotes normal digestion and prevents hairballs. Rabbits need hay to maintain their dental health. Ensure you offer your rabbit an unrestricted quantity of Timothy or other grass hay at all times.
Rabbits have a habit of nibbling on small amounts of food frequently throughout the day. Refusal to give them hay for long periods can cause gastrointestinal stasis.
It is noteworthy that alfalfa hay is not suitable for adult rabbits as it causes digestive problems for them. However, young bunnies can eat alfalfa hay without any issues. In addition, avoid giving your rabbits wet, damp or stale hay.
Rabbit pellets
Rabbit pellets contain hay and other nutrients that may not be present in grass. By and large, rabbit pellets should have at least 18% fiber, 12-14%protein, not more than 3% fat, and 0.5- 0.8% calcium.
An adult rabbit will need a quarter to half cup of pellets per six pounds of body weight per day. If the rabbit finishes the daily portion before the next day, there is no need for refilling. Ensure you feed your rabbit with pellets high in fiber content (higher than its protein content). And keep the pellets in a cool, dry place.
Fresh Vegetables
Rabbits need green leafy vegetables daily for a healthy digestive tract. They love eating fibrous plants. Even so, it is best to introduce newly weaned rabbits to vegetables gradually to prevent diarrhea.
Some veggies include kale, broccoli, raspberry leaves, spinach, Brussel sprouts, green peppers, strawberry leaves, peppermint leaves, etc. On the contrary, cabbage and iceberg lettuce are not suitable for rabbits because of their low nutrient. Still, don’t feed just one type of green; try to provide a variety of vegetables.
All fresh foods should be clean and free of pesticides. The total amount of green food suitable to your rabbit daily is a minimum of 1 (loosely packed) heaping cup per 5 pounds of body weight. So, how many times a day should I feed my bunny fresh vegetables? The best time is twice daily.
Treat Foods
Rabbits also have a sweet tooth and crave treats. The treats are usually fruits, and only a small amount daily is appropriate. Examples of such fruits are pineapple, strawberries, banana, papaya, carrot, etc.
Water
Fresh and clean water is an essential part of rabbits’ diet. Rabbits gulp a substantial volume of water in comparison to their size. Therefore make sure they have sufficient water always.
The container for water should be cleaned daily because algae can quickly grow in it. In addition, if you are using a water bottle, secure it to the side of the cage. Similarly, if you are using a crockery pot, make sure it is heavy or weighted to not tip over.
Constantly check during winter months that the water does not freeze.
What should I not feed my bunny?
In any case, you should not feed your bunny the items listed below because they can cause stomach upset, obesity, and other health problems. Whenever you are in doubt about what to feed your bunny, ask for advice from your vet.
- Vitamins supplements (pellets are already fortified with vitamins)
- Salty or sugary snacks
- crackers
- nuts
- chocolate,
- breakfast cereals
- grains, including oatmeal and corn.
- Avocados
- Fruit seeds/pits
- Raw onions, leeks, garlic
- Meat, eggs, dairy
- Broad beans and kidney beans
- Rhubarb
- Iceberg lettuce
- Mushrooms
- House plants
- Raw potatoes
What time should I feed my bunny?
The best time to feed your bunny is at dawn and dusk. Rabbits are naturally active before sunrise and after sunset (i. e they are crepuscular). When in the wild, rabbits feed during these periods because they face less risk of attack from predators.
Consequently, hay and water should be available for your rabbit all day. Then, let your bunny eat pellets and fresh greens during the evening and early morning. Try to have a feeding schedule and stick to it.
Should I feed my bunny three times a day?
While you need to give your rabbit hay at all times, it is not always necessary that your rabbit eats pellets and greens three times a day. Ideally, you should feed two times daily. What is important is that you maintain a good feeding schedule.
If so, how many times a day should I feed my bunny? A few factors determine the number of times you should feed your rabbit.
Age
Rabbits’ feed should correspond to their age and development. For healthy baby rabbits, feed twice a day. But if the rabbit has low weight for its age, you provide food three times a day. Typically, a growing rabbit (eight months or less) should eat twice what you usually feed a fully grown adult rabbit. However, the frequency remains the same.
Pregnancy and lactation
A breastfeeding or pregnant rabbit should eat three times the average feeding amount for a mature rabbit. Hence you may decide to increase feeding time from twice to three times a day. Alternatively, you may give your rabbit unlimited access to pellets and vegetables until after weaning the kits.
Level of activity
When evaluating the quantity and frequency of feeding your rabbit, you should consider how much energy it uses daily. A more active rabbit should eat more than a less active one.
Overfeeding can result in obesity. A good pattern to follow is feeding your pet rabbit grass and hay in the morning and proper commercial feed in the evening.
Do you feed a bunny every day?
Yes. Like most other pet animals, rabbits need their feed daily. The longest a rabbit can go without food is 12hours. If a rabbit goes more than this time without eating, the pH in the gastrointestinal tract will change, and gas-producing bacteria will grow.
As a result, the rabbit will have painful gas, low appetite, and complete loss of appetite. If the rabbit does not receive urgent veterinary care, it could die.
Do rabbits stop eating when they are full?
Rabbits do recognize when they are full. Some rabbits can self-regulate their food consumption and eat reasonable amounts of food. And others may eat too much and pay attention to low-quality foods that are high in calories. In most cases, rabbits get greedy when they see vegetables and treats. Bunnies with a tendency to overeat should have their food served in portions.
Rabbits are grazers, so they love to nibble continuously. It is their nature. Even when resting, a rabbit may wake up, munch on some hay, and go back to sleep. With this in mind, it is not advisable that you free-feed your bunny. Free feeding (unrestricted access to feed) often leads to overeating and obesity. Obesity can cause several health problems.
A diet rich in hay and grass makes rabbits feel full faster than other foods. Thus, rabbits should have unlimited access to hay daily. Vegetables, fruits, and other treats should be in limited Quantities because rabbits will eat as much of these as they can.
When a rabbit eats an unlimited quantity of pellets, it can suffer from chronic diarrhea, gastrointestinal stasis, kidney disease, liver problems, etc.
Conclusions
You are what you eat. Not only you but your pet bunny too. A good diet in the right proportion and appropriate frequency will save you money, time, and the heartache of taking care of a sick bunny.
How many times a day should I feed my bunny? In summary, the ideal time is twice a day for pellets and vegetables and all day for hay. Then again, the age, reproductive condition, and activity level will determine whether to increase the quantity and frequency of feeding.