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What do rabbits eat?
Rabbits are strict plant-eaters built to graze. Their teeth grow all their lives and are worn down by hours of chewing tough, fibrous grass, and their gut needs a steady flow of that fibre to keep moving. So the honest answer to "what do rabbits eat" is grass, then hay, then leafy plants, with very little else.
The RSPCA, PDSA and Wood Green all give the same shape for a pet rabbit: about 85% hay and grass, 10% leafy greens, herbs and weeds, and 5% plain high-fibre pellets. Fruit, root vegetables and shop treats are extras on top. Our rabbit diet guide covers exact daily amounts by weight and age. This page is the list of what you can put in the fresh part.
What do rabbits eat in the wild?
Wild rabbits eat grass and a wide range of other plants, grazing mainly at dawn and dusk, according to the RSPCA. They feed on leafy weeds, herbs and flowers in grassland and hedges, and nibble shoots, leaves and twigs. There is no fruit bowl, no grain and almost no sugar.
That is the model for a pet rabbit. The wild menu explains why hay matters more than anything you can buy in a bag, why leafy plants beat roots and fruit, and why rabbits are most interested in food early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
What do I feed a wild rabbit?
You don't need to feed wild rabbits at all, and it is better not to. They find everything they need in grass and weeds. Bread, pet food and heaps of carrots are poor food for them and can draw them towards roads, cats and dogs. If you want to help, leave a patch of lawn uncut and untreated, let dandelions, clover and plantain grow, and avoid weed killer and slug pellets.
What vegetables can rabbits eat every day?
Leafy greens are the everyday vegetables. The Rabbit Welfare Association (RWAF) lists these as safe for daily feeding. Mix at least three kinds each day and rotate them through the week.
| Group | Safe for daily feeding | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leafy greens | Romaine lettuce, spring greens, rocket (arugula), watercress, pak choi (bok choy), lamb's lettuce, frisée, dark salad leaves, carrot tops, radish tops, beetroot leaves (beet greens), dandelion leaves | The backbone of the fresh part. Skip iceberg. |
| Herbs | Basil, coriander (cilantro), dill, mint, thyme, parsley | Parsley is high in calcium, so rotate it |
| Non-leafy veg | Celery, fennel, green beans, mangetout (snow peas), sugar snap peas, asparagus | Cut celery into short pieces |
| Botanical fruits | Courgette (zucchini) and its flowers, cucumber, marrow, pumpkin, squash, ripe tomato flesh | No courgette leaves; no tomato leaves or stalks |
| Brassicas | Broccoli and its leaves, kale, cavolo nero, cabbage, cauliflower and its leaves, Brussels sprouts | Large amounts can cause gas, so keep portions modest |
HouseRabbit.org adds endive, escarole, radicchio, chicory, mustard greens, Swiss chard, turnip greens, wheatgrass and raspberry leaves to its US list, and says leafy greens should be about 75% of the fresh portion. It flags parsley, mustard greens, beet greens, radish tops, Swiss chard and sprouts as high in oxalic acid, so only one of your three daily greens should come from that group. UK sources are more cautious about chard: Burgess lists it to avoid and RWAF does not recommend it. We'd leave chard out.
For individual foods, see whether rabbits can eat lettuce, broccoli, kale and celery.
What veg should rabbits only eat sometimes?
Some vegetables are safe but only in small amounts or now and then. The RWAF puts these on its "occasional" list:
- Spinach: high in oxalates, so a few leaves now and then
- Bell peppers (capsicum): green is best, yellow and red are sweeter
- Carrot: a treat, not a staple; the leafy tops are better
- Parsnip: a treat only
- Root veg such as swede (rutabaga), turnip, celeriac, radish and Jerusalem artichoke: RWAF lists them as fine regularly, but in small pieces
Carrots surprise people. The cartoon rabbit has a lot to answer for: carrots are sweet, starchy roots that wild rabbits don't dig up, and Burgess suggests avoiding them as a regular food. Read can rabbits eat carrots for a safe portion.
What fruit can rabbits eat?
Rabbits can eat most common fruits as a treat, in tiny amounts. Fruit is high in sugar, which upsets the gut and feeds weight gain and tooth problems. PDSA's portion is about one eighth of an apple or pear; Burgess suggests fruit only once or twice a week.
| Fruit | Prepare it | Our guide |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | Remove all pips and core; pips are poisonous | Apples |
| Banana | Peeled; slightly green is better | Bananas |
| Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries | Washed, one or two berries | Strawberries |
| Pear, plum, peach, apricot, cherry | Stones and pips removed | Pears, cherries |
| Melon, watermelon | Seedless flesh | Watermelon |
| Kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapple | Peeled, a small cube | Kiwi, mango |
HouseRabbit.org also lists grapes. Its ceiling is about 1 teaspoon of fruit per 2 lb (0.9 kg) of rabbit a day, which for a medium rabbit is a piece about the size of your thumbnail. Fruit tree leaves and twigs (apple, pear) and strawberry, blackberry and raspberry leaves make a better treat than the fruit itself.
What wild plants and weeds can rabbits eat?
Safe weeds are some of the best fresh food you can give, because they are close to what wild rabbits eat. The RWAF, PDSA and the Scottish Government name these:
- Dandelion leaves and flowers (small amounts; they make rabbits wee more)
- Plantain, broad-leaved and ribwort
- Clover, chickweed, cleavers (goosegrass) and sow thistle
- Bramble, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry and blackcurrant leaves
- Apple, pear, hazel, hawthorn and willow leaves and twigs
- Yarrow, calendula (marigold), chamomile, nasturtium, roses and sunflowers
- Shepherd's purse, mallow, rosebay willowherb (fireweed) and lemon balm
- Pick from clean ground. Avoid roadsides, sprayed fields, dog-walking paths and anywhere treated with weed killer or fertiliser.
- Know exactly what it is. Only feed plants you can identify for certain. If in doubt, leave it out.
- Wash and shake dry. Rinse off soil and bugs, then shake off most of the water.
- Start small. Offer one new plant at a time, a few leaves, and check droppings the next day.
What can rabbits not eat?
Some foods are dangerous, and others are simply wrong for a rabbit's gut. The RSPCA's list of foods to avoid includes all of these:
| Never feed | Why |
|---|---|
| Onions, leeks, garlic, shallots, chives | Toxic to rabbits |
| Potatoes and potato tops, aubergine (eggplant), tomato leaves and stalks | Nightshade family; leaves and green parts are poisonous |
| Avocado, rhubarb, chocolate, caffeine | Toxic |
| Bread, pasta, crackers, cereal, rice | Starchy, no long fibre, upsets the gut |
| Meat, eggs, cheese and dairy | Rabbits are strict plant-eaters |
| Nuts, seeds, sweetcorn, muesli mixes | Too much fat, starch or sugar |
| Iceberg lettuce, mushrooms, chilli peppers | Little value or can upset digestion |
| Lawnmower clippings | Can make rabbits seriously ill |
| Foxglove, bluebell, tulip, ivy, holly, yew, buttercup | Poisonous plants |
See why rabbits can't eat onions and why bread is off the list. If your rabbit has eaten something toxic, or stops eating or passing droppings, ring a vet straight away. Our rabbit health guide lists the warning signs, and the complete rabbit care guide covers everything else.
What rabbits can eat: questions
What do bunnies eat in the wild?
Wild rabbits graze grass and a wide mix of wild plants, mostly at dawn and dusk, and spend much of their waking time eating. Their diet is very high in fibre and very low in sugar, with no fruit bowl and no grain. That is the pattern a pet rabbit's diet copies: mostly hay and grass, plus leafy plants.
What can wild rabbits eat from my garden?
Wild rabbits will happily eat lawn grass, clover, dandelions and plantain, and they help themselves to lettuce, young shoots and flowers. You don't need to feed them. If you want to help, leave an untreated patch of lawn and weeds, and don't put out bread, pet food or piles of carrots.
What vegetables can rabbits eat every day?
Leafy greens are the everyday vegetables: romaine lettuce, spring greens, rocket, watercress, pak choi, carrot tops, radish tops, beetroot leaves, lamb's lettuce and herbs like coriander, mint, basil and dill. Celery, fennel, green beans, mangetout and courgette also appear on the Rabbit Welfare Association's daily list. Rotate several each day.
What can rabbits not eat?
Never feed onions, leeks, garlic or chives, potatoes and their leaves, avocado, rhubarb, chocolate, bread, pasta, cereal, meat, eggs, dairy, nuts, mushrooms, sweetcorn, iceberg lettuce, tomato leaves or lawnmower clippings. Also avoid toxic plants such as foxglove, bluebell, ivy, holly, yew, buttercup and tulips.
How much fresh veg should a rabbit eat a day?
About a large adult handful of mixed greens and herbs a day for a medium rabbit, which is roughly 10% of the diet. HouseRabbit.org gives at least 2 cups of chopped greens per 6 lb (2.7 kg) of rabbit. Non-leafy veg like peppers or broccoli should be a smaller share, about a tablespoon per 2 lb (0.9 kg).
Can rabbits eat fruit every day?
Not as a habit. Fruit is high in sugar, so UK charities treat it as an occasional treat, and Burgess suggests once or twice a week. HouseRabbit.org gives a ceiling of about 1 teaspoon per 2 lb (0.9 kg) of rabbit a day. Fruit tree leaves and berry leaves give the same excitement with far less sugar.
