BEFORE anyone buys a rabbit they should read up on a few important areas of care. These include the breeds, housing, feeding, health, handling, grooming and reproduction. Understanding the feeding requirements of a rabbit is vital. Feeding the correct diet can keep a rabbit healthy but a poor diet could cause it to become ill or even die.

Every animal requires a balanced diet that is eating the correct food types in the right amounts. This also applies to humans and we know how much time is spent on considering our diet. Many TV programmes together with articles in the newspapers and magazine are abundant so we must not take nutrition lightly.

The six ingredients of a balanced diet are: carbohydrates, lipids (fats and oil), vitamins, minerals salts and fibre or roughage. Water is a vital liquid to all living organisms but it is not a food.

Carbohydrates can be supplied by oats, wheat and maize. Sunflower seeds provide oil for livestock. Protein foods include oats, barley, maize, hay, straw and root crops. Vitamins and mineral salts can be found in fresh greens such as clover, grass, dandelion and cabbage. Grass and hay are said to be valuable roughage foods.

Feeds can also be grouped as follows: Roughages - hay.

Succulent foodstuffs - roots and green foods.

Concentrates - cereals and their by-products and animal products such as fish meal and meat meal.

Rabbit pellets or compounded feeds.

There are many different types of complete foods which you can purchase from the pet shop or garden centre. Allen and Page based in Norfolk have a range of food that is drug free and GM free. Under the banner of "The Natural Petfood Company" they produce Rabbit Herb and Fibre. They also produce Natural Rabbit Pellets, Premium Mix, Breeders and Growers Pellets and Green Pea Rabbit Mix. Another good range comes from Supreme Petfoods, based in Suffolk, under the banner of Russel Rabbit which includes the Original, Carrot and Leek Gourmet, Parsnip and Beetroot and Russel Junior (for bay rabbits 4-20 weeks and dwarf rabbits). If you require a concentrated pelleted rabbit food that contains a coccidiostat then Basil L Leeder and Sons Ltd, whose mill van be found in Long Stratton, Norfolk, is the one for you. Many breeders use this to prevent loss of youngsters due to the parasite Coccidiosis. (More details in a future article).

There are many wild and cultivated plants as well as vegetables that can be fed to rabbits. Many provide some of the ingredients of a balanced diet as well as having medicinal properties. Every experienced rabbit keeper has their favourite plants to feed to their stock and many will grow these in their garden. The table on the left shows some of the plants I have used over the last 45 years.

When feeding plants to rabbits they should be clean, unfrosted and free from mould. You should be aware that roadside plants may have been fouled by dogs. Some rabbit keepers wash their greens before feeding. If in doubt do not feed the plant to your rabbit.

Rabbits need something to chew to wear down their incisor teeth as they continually grow throughout their life. Hay and pieces of wood are useful. Some rabbit keepers give fruit tree cuttings such as apples. Hazel wood is also popular with some keepers. Rabbits must have fresh clean water at all times. In his book "The Domestic Rabbit", John Sandford wrote that a rabbit could lose nearly all its body fat and more than half its protein and survive, but to lose one-tenth of the water content of the body will result in death. The rabbit needs water to make up all the fluids of the body such as digestive juices and the blood. The removal of harmful substances from the body also relies on water.

There are many types of water containers that are in use today. The popular ceramic bowl is still popular but the water could be split and contaminated. Clip on water containers are also available as shown above. The one I find the best is the Ezi-filla drinker that can be topped up with its removal from the pen. All drinkers and bowls must be cleaned disinfected on a regular basis to prevent the build up of moulds, viruses and bacteria.

Useful contacts
Basil L. Leeder & Sons Ltd 01508 530444
Allen and Page 01362 822902
Supreme Petfoods 01473 823296

Books on feeding rabbits
Rabbit Nutrition - Virginia Richardson, Coney Publications, Chattisham, Ipswich, Suffolk IP8 3QE. (ISBN 1-898015-03-1)
Green Food for Rabbits and Cavies - FR Bell (ISBN 0-903775-11-5)
The Domestic Rabbit - J. C. Sandford - Blackwell Science Ltd, Osney Mead, Oxford, OX2 0EL. (ISBN 0-632-03894-2)

  • Product: Russel Rabbit Carrot and Leek Ingredients: Alfalfa pellets, flaked maize, whole oats, flaked peas, flaked carrot, alfalfa stalk, locust bean extrusions, wheat extrusions, flaked wheat, dried leek, anise and fenugreek oil, vitamins and minerals.
  • Nutritionally complete and balanced for all rabbit breeds.
  • Contains high levels of dietary fibre.
  • Increased levels of carrot and leek enhance the diet's aroma, visual appearance and palatability.
  • The variety of ingredients aid dental wear.
  • Unique formulation aids and promotes efficient gut function.
  • Contains natural prebiotics, which promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and aids the reduction of harmful bacteria within the digestive system.
  • Highly palatable.
  • The variety of ingredients promotes foraging - a natural behaviour.
  • Based on alfalfa - an excellent natural source of fibre, calcium and protein.
  • Visually appealing for both animal and owner.
  • Contains recommended levels of stable vitamins and minerals.