Rabbit care & nutrition

1 million households have at least one rabbit

But providing pet rabbits with a balanced and nutritious diet is essential for their health and to ensure their longevity.

Rabbits are sociable and entertaining pets but, they can also be shy and nervous.

They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes – with many hundreds of varieties and, just like dogs and cats, rabbits are regularly thought of as one of the family. With gentle handling, the right diet and good veterinary care, a rabbit can live between 8 - 12 years; some may live longer.

Nutrition & diet

One of the most crucial aspects of rabbit care is their diet, largely due to some characteristics of a rabbit's physiology which have a significant impact on their daily dietary needs:

For efficient gut movement, rabbits need high levels of fibre;
Like guinea pigs & chinchillas, rabbits perform a digestive process called caecotrophy to extract as much goodness as possible from their food. Simply put – they eat their droppings (caecotrophs), allowing food to be reingested;
And due to their continually growing teeth, they need the correct diet to wear down their teeth sufficiently to avoid painful dental condition called malocclusions (misalignment of the teeth).

Providing an interesting and stimulating living space

Otherwise known as Behavioural Enrichment, the way you feed your rabbit and the environment in which they live is essential to your pet's wellbeing by helping to prevent boredom and stress.

Bowl refilling & cleaning

To maintain cleanliness and hygiene, provide separate bowls for your rabbit's food and water. This helps prevent contamination and ensures that their food remains fresh. You should also remember to wash their food and water bowls regularly to avoid the buildup of bacteria and other harmful pathogens.

Weight management for rabbits

Maintaining portion control is crucial when feeding your rabbit.

You should also avoid refilling half-empty bowls until your rabbit finishes all the food you've already provided them. This ensures that they don't overeat and helps prevent obesity. Keep an eye on their eating habits and adjust the portions accordingly to maintain a healthy weight.

UKPF Size-O-Meter - Sizing chart - Rabbits.png

At UK Pet Food, we work with many pet nutrition experts who have helped us create useful posters, tools and resources to support the healthy weight management of pets. They are written by professionals for professionals – to be shared with pet owners.

We've created a dedicated 'Spotlight on Obesity' section to bring these tools together in one place, to help you on your weight management journey.