M-n-M Rabbits - What should Rabbits Eat?

What should rabbits eat? Here's a short run-down of what we feed the M-n-M rabbits...

What should rabbits eat?

Rabbits should eat alfalfa-based rabbit pellets, available at most feed or pet stores. Anything extra you give them should be in moderation, because these pellets are formulated to meet or exceed a rabbit's nutritional needs. In addition to the pellets, we feed the M-n-M rabbits a mixture of other hays, grains, and treats. We deem these items as necessary for our rabbits' happiness. One important thing to remember is not to overfeed! Overfed rabbits will be unhealthy and useless as breeding or showing animals.

Water

The most important part of the rabbit's diet is WATER! Rabbits need clean, fresh water or else they will not eat! Care should be taken so that the water container (bottle, bowl, crock, or pipeline) is disinfected regularly to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Pellets

The pellets need to have between 16-18% protein, between 2-4% fat, and at least 16% fiber. The feed needs to be measured so the rabbit gets the same recommended amount of feed every day. We feed and recommend Pen Pals® Professional Rabbit 16. It's a winning formula for us!

Hay

Because eating hay is the rabbit's natural purpose in life and it gives the rabbit something to do, we feed our rabbits high-quality timothy or other grass hay. Individual bags of hay can also be purchased at feed or pet stores. We stay away from alfalfa hay because it's very rich in nutrients and can mess them up! Alfalfa is already in the pellets and they don't need any more.

Oats and Barley

We feed steam-rolled oats and barley in the morning as their breakfast. This, again, gives the rabbits something to do (eat) and makes them feel full enough to wait for supper! The plain oatmeal you can buy from the grocery store is the exact same thing as steam-rolled oats, but it's a lot cheaper for us to buy the 50 pound bag at the feed store without the fancy packaging and brand name! For other healthy choices, try plain Cheerios or wheat bread!

Formula One

We periodically add ingredients to our rabbits' diets to prepare them better for the show table. These ingredients may help perfect a coat of fur or body condition. A number of performance feeds are sold for this purpose.

Treats

Treats, such as specially mixed feeds, fruits, and vegetables should be administered with caution, as rabbits can start eating more of the treats than pellets! Treats shouldn't make up a large portion of the rabbit's diet. Stay away from leafy greens like lettuce and cabbage because they can mess the rabbit up. Treats may be used to help a rabbit who has stopped eating regular food for some reason.

Say No to Salt!

Despite claims that salt spools are "needed" or "help" the rabbit, DO NOT buy salt spools. Rabbits receive plenty of salt from their feed and don't need any extra salt in their diet. The salt in the salt spool will destroy your expensive cage in no time flat! We learned that the hard way and recommend not using salt spools.

We'll help you!

Since rabbits are creatures of habit and we want to make their move as easy on them as possible, we'll supply you with a starter bag of our feed (Pen Pals® Professional Rabbit 16) for you to mix with your own feed, a bag of steam-rolled oats, and a bag of high-quality grass hay to make a more graceful transition.