Safe Foods for Rabbits: What to Feed and What to Avoid
The short answer: the safest foods for rabbits are unlimited grass hay, a daily mix of leafy greens, a small amount of other vegetables and pellets, and fruit only as a tiny treat. Almost every rabbit tummy problem starts when that balance tips toward sugary, starchy or "people" food.
Below you will find a practical list of safe foods for rabbits, sorted by how often to give them, followed by the foods to keep out of reach and a worked example of one day's meals. The amounts come from the House Rabbit Society and the Merck Veterinary Manual, so you can check them for yourself.
Every rabbit is a little different, so treat this as a starting point and ask your vet if your rabbit is young, old, overweight or has had bladder or gut problems.
How a rabbit's diet should be built
Rabbits are grazers built to eat grass for hours a day. RSPCA Australia notes that wild rabbits graze for up to 6–8 hours a day and suggests a pet rabbit's diet be roughly:
- About 80% hay and grass
- About 15% leafy greens and vegetables
- No more than 5% pellets
The Merck Veterinary Manual's owner guide puts hay even higher, at about 85–90% of the diet, and warns that low-fiber diets raise the chance of severe digestive illness, especially in young rabbits. High fiber supports digestion and lowers the risk of intestinal disease. Fruit, commercial treats and anything starchy sit outside these percentages as occasional extras.
Hay: the one food rabbits should never run out of
Hay should be available all day, every day. Good choices for adult rabbits are timothy, orchard grass, oat hay and meadow hay. Fresh grass is also fine if it comes from an area free of pesticides, roadside fumes and wild rabbits.
Alfalfa hay is the exception. It is rich in calcium, so the House Rabbit Society reserves it for young and nursing rabbits. Merck adds that adult rabbits that are not pregnant or nursing generally should not eat alfalfa hay or alfalfa pellets, and that young rabbits can switch to timothy-based foods as they approach one year old.
Never use lawn clippings: RSPCA Australia lists them among the foods to avoid.
Leafy greens: rabbit safe foods for every day
Leafy greens are the core of the "fresh" part of the bowl. The House Rabbit Society recommends at least three different leafy greens a day, making up about 75% of the fresh portion. Rotating them keeps meals interesting and spreads out the natural compounds in each plant.
Everyday greens
- Romaine and other dark red or green leaf lettuces
- Arugula (rocket)
- Bok choy and yu choy
- Carrot tops
- Cilantro, basil, dill and mint
- Dandelion greens (unsprayed)
- Endive, escarole, frisée and radicchio
- Fennel, tops and base
- Kale
- Turnip greens
- Watercress
- Wheatgrass
Greens to rotate, not feed daily
Some greens are high in oxalic acid. The House Rabbit Society suggests only one of your three daily greens comes from this group: parsley, mustard greens, beet greens, radish tops, Swiss chard, spinach and sprouts. RSPCA Australia also advises avoiding spinach and parsley altogether for rabbits with a history of urinary problems.
Other safe vegetables (in smaller amounts)
Non-leafy vegetables add crunch and variety but are usually higher in sugar or starch. The House Rabbit Society keeps them to about 15% of the fresh portion, roughly 1 tablespoon per 2 lb of body weight a day. Safe choices include:
- Bell peppers (any colour)
- Broccoli leaves and stems, and broccolini
- Celery, cut into short pieces
- Cucumber
- Zucchini and summer squash
- Brussels sprouts and cabbage
- Carrots, as a treat only
Two notes. RSPCA Australia flags broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage as foods that can cause gas and bloating in some rabbits, so start small. And despite the cartoons, carrots are high in sugar: HRS says they should only be given in small quantities.
Fruit: safe treats, tiny portions
Fruit is a treat, not a food group. The House Rabbit Society suggests about 1 teaspoon per 2 lb of body weight a day at most. Safe fruits include:
- Apple (no seeds or stem)
- Banana (no peel)
- Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries
- Pear
- Melon and watermelon
- Papaya and mango
- Pineapple (no skin)
- Peach, plum and cherries (pits removed)
- Grapes
A blueberry or a thin slice of apple is plenty. Many owners use these as training rewards, which makes a little go a long way.
Foods rabbits should not eat
These are the foods that most often cause trouble. The lists combine guidance from RSPCA Australia, SPCA New Zealand and the Merck Veterinary Manual and are not exhaustive.
| Avoid | Why |
|---|---|
| Bread, cake, biscuits, sugar, breakfast cereal | Starchy and sugary; upsets the gut |
| Grain mixes ("rabbit muesli"), corn, nuts, seeds | Listed as foods to avoid by RSPCA Australia |
| Beans, peas and other legumes | Listed as foods to avoid by RSPCA Australia |
| Chocolate, caffeine, salty or fatty snacks | Unsafe for rabbits |
| Onion, garlic, chives, shallots, spring onion | Toxic |
| Avocado | Listed as unsafe by SPCA New Zealand |
| Potatoes and potato plants, rhubarb, tomato leaves and vines | Toxic plant parts |
| Houseplants and garden flowers: lilies, azalea, rhododendron, daffodil, hyacinth, yew, nightshade | Toxic plants |
| Lawn clippings and roadside plants | May carry pesticides or contamination |
If your rabbit eats something on this list, or anything you are unsure about, call your vet for advice rather than waiting to see what happens.
A sample day of safe food for rabbits
Here is how the House Rabbit Society amounts work out for a 6 lb adult rabbit:
- Hay: unlimited, topped up morning and evening
- Pellets: about ¼ cup of plain, timothy-based pellets (HRS suggests at least 18% fiber and no added fruit, seeds, nuts, corn or yogurt drops)
- Leafy greens: at least 2 cups in total, for example romaine, cilantro and a little parsley
- Other vegetables: about 3 tablespoons, for example bell pepper and a few slices of zucchini
- Fruit: about 1 tablespoon, for example two or three blueberries
- Water: always available; RSPCA Australia prefers a low, heavy dish over a bottle
Guidance does vary between organisations: Merck, for example, suggests about ¼ cup of pellets per 5 lb and roughly 1 cup of vegetables per 2 lb of body weight. That is why your vet's advice for your own rabbit comes first.
How to introduce new foods safely
A rabbit's gut does not like surprises. A simple routine:
- Add one new food at a time, in a small piece, alongside their usual greens.
- Watch the droppings for the next day.
- Remove any vegetable that causes soft stool or diarrhea, as HRS advises; sensitivity varies between rabbits.
- Increase gradually once a food agrees with them.
- Wash everything well. HRS recommends soaking produce in a bowl for at least two minutes, changing the water several times, because of the RHDV2 virus.
Merck also suggests checking with your vet before adding new foods, which is especially worth doing for young rabbits or those with a history of digestive problems.
Frequently asked questions
Can rabbits eat carrots every day?
It is better not to. Carrots are high in sugar, so treat them as a small occasional snack. Carrot tops, on the other hand, are a good leafy green.
Is lettuce safe for rabbits?
Darker leaf lettuces such as romaine and red or green leaf lettuce appear on the House Rabbit Society's list of safe greens. Mix them with other greens rather than relying on lettuce alone.
Do rabbits need pellets?
RSPCA Australia says pellets are not essential if hay and fresh greens are fed every day. If you use them, choose plain, high-fiber, timothy-based pellets and keep portions small.
What fruit is safe for rabbits?
Apples (no seeds), bananas, berries, pears, melons and pitted stone fruits are all safe in tiny amounts. Keep fruit to about a teaspoon per 2 lb of body weight a day.
The takeaway
When you are deciding what is a safe food for rabbits, think hay first, greens second and treats last. Stick to the lists above, introduce new foods one at a time, and keep the starchy and sugary stuff out of the bowl. Your next step: check your hay supply today, and if pellets or treats make up most of what your rabbit eats, talk to your vet about shifting the balance.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from a veterinarian.