Rabbit Diet Basics: Why Hay Comes First, Always
Unlimited hay, the right greens, and why muesli mixes cause dental disease — a simple feeding framework for rabbits and guinea pigs.
Hay is 80 percent of the diet
Rabbit teeth grow continuously. Only the long, grinding chew of grass hay wears them evenly, which is why hay-poor diets lead to painful dental spurs.
Offer a pile at least as big as the rabbit, refreshed daily, and keep it dry and dust-free.
Greens and pellets in proportion
A packed handful of leafy greens per kilogram of body weight daily, plus a small measured portion of plain pellets, covers the rest. Introduce any new green gradually over several days.
- Good daily greens: romaine, coriander, basil, spring greens
- Limit: carrot, fruit, and anything sold as a yoghurt 'treat'
- Avoid muesli-style mixes — rabbits selectively eat the sugary bits
Watch the litter tray
Droppings are your best health monitor. Smaller, fewer, or absent droppings mean a vet visit today, not tomorrow — a rabbit that stops eating can deteriorate within a day.
Feeding your rabbit a hay-first diet
Fresh hay should make up the bulk of your rabbit's diet. Buying from a supplier with fast turnover keeps your rabbit's main food greener and more fragrant than hay that sits in a warehouse for months.
We keep timothy and orchard hay, pellets and safe chews in stock and ship them nationwide so your rabbit never runs low.
Happy Pets Academy ships pet supplies nationwide.
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