Rabbits are becoming increasingly popular choice for families, with an estimated 1.5 million kept as pets in the UK (PDSA Animal Wellbeing report 2016).
However, rabbits should not be viewed as an easy or low maintenance pet and ensuring they are fed the right foods is really important when it comes to keeping them fit and healthy.
Rabbits have an unusual digestive system which means they will eat their soft, moist droppings (caecotrophs) straight from their bottoms to extract more nutrients from the food they have eaten and they will also pass hard, dry droppings which are not re-ingested.
Good quality hay and/or grass should make up the majority of their diet as this keeps their digestive system functioning properly and keeps their teeth from overgrowing. Fresh leafy green vegetables and herbs can be fed daily with very small amounts of nuggets/pellets (or none at all).
Fresh water should always be available in a bottle and/or bowl. It is important to never change your rabbit’s diet quickly, and if they stop eating or passing faeces, call your vet straight away as this can be a sign of a serious illness.