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Humans and rabbits have a lot in common, which is why we find ourselves looking for snacks and treats for rabbits! We love snack time and we can see our buns love it too.
Today we’re putting together a delicious menu but before we send you off into the world of snacks and treats for your rabbit, you need to understand the basics of their diet!
Once you know the ins and outs of what your rabbit needs then you’ll have a better understanding of how treats fit into the plan!
Sometimes humans get the wrong idea when it comes to treats. If your mind goes straight to sugar when you think of treats then we need to work on that!
A treat is anything that adds a bit of a spring in your step. Something that makes you smile when you see it! It certainly doesn’t need to be anything that will give you a stomach ache.
When you think about treats, think about something that's new or out of the ordinary of the day-to-day diet. Keep healthy in mind with new flavors, new textures, or even something to do!
You can’t come up with healthy treats outside of the day-to-day diet without establishing a solid day-to-day diet! So let’s quickly run through what that daily diet should look like so that we’re all on the same page.
The center of every rabbit's diet should always be hay! Rabbits need hay available 24/7 as a free-choice food. The free-choice hay needs to be low-fat and low-calcium for most adult rabbits. It also needs to be good quality, fresh hay so that your rabbit wants to eat it.
This is important. If your rabbit isn’t eating enough of their main course, then you can forget about snacks and treats!
If you don’t eat your dinner then you go to bed without dessert! We run a tight ship in the rabbit world.
Timothy hay and orchard grass hay are great choices for adult rabbits. Young rabbits (less than 6 months old) can have alfalfa hay. Alfalfa hay is higher in fat and calcium but growing rabbits (as well as pregnant and nursing rabbits) have extra demands on their body which makes the nutrient profile ofalfalfa hay appropriate.
Alfalfa hay can also be used as a treat for adult rabbits! It's a healthy way to get variety as long as this hay doesn’t become their free-choice food.
Let’s See SomeHay
Leafy greens are something a rabbit can have every day! About one cup per 2 pounds of body weight is appropriate each day. Make sure you aren’t feeding the same greens day in and day out. In fact, each day you should have different greens mixed together for your bun.
Consider it a daily salad that you can assemble. A nutrient-packed side dish. Don’t get stuck on a few favorites when you have so many options!
All greens should be rotated but especially the greens marked with a * on this list should be rotated as they’re high in oxalates. Too many oxalates can contribute to bladder and kidney issues. These vegetables are fine as long as they aren’t the daily go-to!
Rabbit food pellets are the daily supplement. These are often fortified with good vitamins to help fill in any nutritional gaps. The first ingredient should be hay and the pellets should look boring. That means no colorful pieces, seeds, or any other fillers!
Rabbit pellets should make up less of a rabbit’s diet as he or she grows older. From 7 weeks to 7 months, rabbits can have unlimited access to pellets. From 7 months to 1 year, decrease rabbit food pellets to 1/2 cup per six lbs. body weight. From 1 year to 5 years, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of rabbit pellets per six lbs. body weight (depending on metabolism) is recommended.
Rabbits 6 months and younger should haveYoung Rabbit Food Pellets
In addition to a food bowl, your rabbit will need a water bowl with fresh water available 24/7! Some rabbit parents prefer to use a water bottle but both can also be used. A water bowl below the water bottle will catch any drops or leaks!
As you will soon see, there’s a large variety of different types of food that can be used as rabbit treats. Some of these treats can be given more than others and we’ll talk about what you need to keep in mind with each one.
In general, you can give a rabbit a treat every day as long as it’s a healthy treat and that you have the correct portion size. We will talk about appropriate sizes to give as treats as we run through the delicious options!
A rabbit’s digestive system runs on fiber. The best treats contribute to a rabbit’s overall health goal of eating lots of fiber every day!
A rabbit’s gut is full of fiber-eating, hay-loving bacteria. This is important for digestion!When a rabbit eats too much food that doesn’t promote good gut bacteria, there’s a shift in that bacteria which makes their digestive system less effective leading to stomach aches and digestive issues.
The best treats avoid this! As well as portion control and keeping treats as treats. So while we love giving our rabbits treats, treats aren’t fun unless they keep our pets feeling their best.
You may have some of the best treats for rabbits in your fridge right now! Fresh foods make great treats and rabbits love them. Now we talked about leafy greens being given every day so these will be fresh foods other than the leafy greens we love!
Fruits are a clear favorite in the rabbit world. Have you ever peeled a banana and watched the rabbits come running? That sweet smell brings everyone to the kitchen.
Fruits are one of the treats on this list that especially need to be given in moderation. Too many fruits can definitely throw off the good bacteria balance in your rabbit’s gut.
When you give a rabbit a piece of fruit, consider their size! A small piece to you is a big piece to them. A piece the size of the top of your thumb is usually perfect.
Carrots are one vegetable that should be treated like a fruit when it comes to treats for rabbits. Although Bugs Bunny was always snacking on carrots, they’re actually high in sugar compared to other vegetables and need to be eaten sparingly!
We discussed leafy greens and how great those are to give to your rabbit every day. Providing variety with greens is a treat but here are other vegetables that work great as treats for your
rabbit:
While these are lower in sugar than fruits they still need to be given in moderation as too much can cause gas and bloating.
Herbs are the spices of the rabbit world. Herbs are packed with flavor as well as vitamins and minerals. A powerhouse snack if you will.
You can give them to your rabbit fresh or dried and they’re the perfect snack for foraging. You can sprinkle dried herbs on your rabbit’s hay pile or you can add fresh herbs to their daily greens.
They are a great snack on their own as well of course.
When it comes to dried herbs, Small Pet Select makesHerbal Blends that rabbits love. They also sell dried herbs that may not come to mind (or your kitchen) but are perfect for rabbits! Herbs are where you can provide a lot of diverse flavors for your rabbit while keeping everything in line with their dietary goals.
To TheHerbs!
While fresh foods are fun, there’s also room in a balanced diet for commercial treats as long as you’re choosing safe and healthy treats!
Let’s talk about what to look for and what to put back on the shelf.
Pet stores have lots of treats for rabbits, you’ll notice them right away with the cute rabbits on the package. Before you get excited about what you see on the front, check the back of the package.
This is where you find out what the treats really are. Real food is what you should be getting excited about!
Treats with added sugar, dairy, dyes, or ingredients that you’re confused about are a big no. There are so many good options there’s no reason to get caught up in treats that are bad for your rabbit’s health.
Hay treats are one of the best packaged treats you can give your rabbit. When the first ingredient is hay, you know you’re on the right track.
WithHay Cubes, hay is the only ingredient! You get something that your rabbit’s digestive system is very familiar with and give it to your rabbit with a different texture and a little more crunching and munching time.
Healthy Snackers takes the idea of Hay Cubes and adds dried fruit to sweeten them up. More of a treat now but still plenty of hay in the overall square to keep this on our yes list!
Healthy Snackers come in many different flavors so there’s plenty of room to surprise your bun with something new. Definitely keep these in the treat category next to fruit though and don’t feed more than one a day.
The best types of toys are edible and it's possible the best types of treats are the ones you can play with! When it comes to treats, don’t forget the treats that bring a lot of fun to your rabbit’s day!
Balls, sticks, twists, mobiles, and logs are all fun to munch on and they last longer than a typical treat. So if you’re looking for something to bring out on the slow Sunday afternoons, consider a stash oftoys and chews!
We mentioned what you want to avoid on package labels but let’s review real quick:
Foods high in fats like nuts and seeds should definitely be avoided as well. There are also some vegetables that are not healthy (and even toxic) to give your rabbit.
Any new food needs to be given in small doses. Monitor your rabbit to make sure they’re digesting it well. Only give one new food at a time so if there’s a reaction, you know exactly what caused it.
Some rabbits are more sensitive than others so if you have one rabbit that does okay with certain foods that doesn’t mean your other rabbit will!
Make a list of the foods you’ve tried with your rabbit so you remember what works and also so you have some ideas to fall back on when you get in a rut.
The menu is growing!
Rabbits can be subtle with their feelings so you’ve really got to pay attention to their day-to-day behavior so that you’ll notice when something is off.
If you notice any of these symptoms then contact a rabbit-savvy exotic vet as soon as possible. Rabbits will often hide how they’re feeling until they can’t anymore - and in that case, they really aren’t feeling well!
Have an exotic vet picked out before your rabbit is sick. Emergencies aren’t the time to be researching online or trying to find out who knows about rabbits.
Unless your rabbit has a very sensitive stomach, there’s no reason you can’t try new things with them. As long as you are experimenting safely (with healthy snacks and treats) and keeping portion sizes small, then there are plenty of foods for your rabbit to love.
Be intentional with your treats and keep the big picture in mind.If you ever think hay is taking a back seat then stop giving snacks and treats so you can reset and your rabbit can get focused.
When the focus is on hay, snacks and treats can certainly be a part of a balanced and healthy diet for rabbits.
Happy snacking buns!
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