I have gathered the statistics for the pet rabbit industry in the UK from a variety of sources. As I discover new statistics, I’ll keep adding to this page.
How many pet rabbits are there in the UK?
There are currently about 900,000 pet rabbits in the UK.
Perhaps you are a proud rabbit owner who is also a proud guinea pig owner. Or perhaps you’ve run out of rabbit pellets (also called rabbit nuggets) and the local supermarket only has guinea pig pellets. Either way, you need to know whether you can safely give food designed for guinea pigs to your rabbit if you need to (or if your bunny steals food from your guinea pig – some bunnies are quite mischievous…). So here’s a complete answer, beginning with a short summary for those who want the key points.
Is guinea pig food safe for rabbits to eat?
Rabbits can safely eat guinea pig food, including guinea pig pellets and snacks. Their diets are extremely similar, both being mainly based on hay. The main difference is that guinea pig pellets have extra vitamin C added, which bunnies don’t need but guinea pigs do. Because of this, guinea pig pellets are safe for rabbits in an emergency or for a short period of time, but switch back to pellets formulated for rabbits when you can.
What foods do guinea pigs eat?
Guinea pigs are herbivores who need high quantities of fibre. The best diet for guinea pigs is lots of fresh hay (preferably timothy hay) or grass (about 90% of their diet). Roughly, you need to give them each day a quantity of hay about equal to their body size. You can then supplement this with some fresh vegetables or herbs, and about a tablespoon of guinea pig pellets. Small quantities of fruit can be given as a treat. And don’t forget fresh water. Check out more details here.
What foods do rabbits eat?
You will notice the similarity with guinea pigs. Rabbits are also herbivores who need lots of fibre in their diets. Like guinea pigs, rabbits also need mostly fresh hay or grass, and again about the size of their body each day. A handful of green vegetables or herbs can be given in addition. And rabbits can have about an egg-cupful of rabbit pellets each day. Just like guinea pigs, small quantities of fruit make a tasty treat for bunnies. And rabbits drink lots of water.
What is the difference between rabbit pellets and guinea pig pellets?
If you look at the ingredients on rabbit pellets and guinea pig pellets, they are almost identical. The only significant difference is that the makers add vitamin C to guinea pig pellets.
This is because guinea pigs can’t make vitamin C in their bodies – they need it in their diets. Rabbits are different. Rabbits do make vitamin C in their bodies, and so don’t need it added to pellets or in their diets (find out more about what vitamins and minerals rabbits need).
Here’s a table comparing the ingredients of guinea pig pellets and rabbit pellets from the same manufacturer (Burgess). As you can see, the biggest difference is how much vitamin C is in the pellets, with guinea pigs getting an order of magnitude more.
Is the extra vitamin C in guinea pig pellets dangerous to rabbits?
The amount of vitamin C in guinea pig pellets is not dangerous for rabbits. While a gigantic excess of vitamin C is bad for rabbits (a gigantic excess of pretty much anything is never healthy), the levels in guinea pig food are fine. The safe limit for vitamin C in rabbit food is double what you find in guinea pig pellets (check out more about rabbit nutrition here).
Can you feed your rabbit guinea pig treats?
Any treat that is sold by a reputable manufacturer as being suitable for guinea pigs is also almost certainly suitable for rabbits, because their diets are so similar.
However, by the same token, just as you can get some treats that are unhealthy for guinea pigs, so these will also be unhealthy for rabbits.
But a good rule of thumb is, if guinea pigs can eat it, so can bunnies.
How much guinea pig food should you feed your rabbit?
You should feed your rabbit their normal amounts if substituting guinea pig food. Of course, hay is the same for both guinea pigs and rabbits. If you need to use guinea pig pellets, give your bunny about an egg-cupful of pellets a day, just as you would with rabbit pellets.
Conclusion
If you need to feed guinea pig pellets to your rabbit, or if your rabbit steals some guinea pig pellets, you can relax. Guinea pigs and rabbits have pretty much the same diet, and the pellets are extremely similar in composition. The only significant difference is that guinea pig pellets have additional vitamin C, which rabbits don’t need, but the vitamin C won’t cause your rabbit any harm.
If you want to find out more about your bunny’s diet and health, check out these posts:
For some, peas are our favourite vegetable; little bright spheres of taste to enliven a plate of food. I’m not actually in that camp – I’ve never liked them, from childhood. I’m more like Lola, who declares to her older brother Charlie, ‘Don’t even think about giving me a pea… …they are too small and too green’ (you can find the delightful Charlie and Lola children’s books here). But I’m unusual. Most kids and adults wolf them down. But what about your fluff-ball pet bunny? Can they also wolf down peas safely? (If you’re wondering about mange-tout, look here)
Is it safe to give peas to rabbits?
Rabbits can eat fresh, green peas safely in small quantities. Like other legumes, giving too many peas to a rabbit could lead to stomach problems including gastro-intestinal stasis. A portion size of peas for an adult rabbit would be no more than a couple of tablespoons a day.
The nutritional benefits of peas for rabbits
Peas do provide some important nutrients for rabbits (though they can also get these through other foods). However, as the table below shows, peas aren’t suitable as the major food for bunnies, which should always be hay.
Ingredient
Peas per 100g
Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed
Comments
Water
78.9 g
Energy
81 kcal
Protein
5.42 g
12-17 g
Peas are low in protein compared to what rabbits need. This is one reason why it shouldn’t be the main food for bunnies.
Fat
0.4 g
2.5-5 g
Peas are low in fat, which is good as bunnies thrive on a low fat diet.
Fibre
5.7 g
14-25 g
Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems. Peas don’t provide enough fibre. Rabbits need hay, which is high in fibre, with some greens like peas as additions.
Carbohydrates
14.4 g
< 20 g
Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Peas are not particularly low in carbohydrates, and over a third of these carbohydrates are in the form of sucrose (sugar). Too much sugar can play havoc with the delicate digestive system of rabbits, allowing bad bacteria to build up and painful gases causing GI stasis.
Calcium
25 mg
500 mg
Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones. Peas are lower in calcium than Timothy hay, their main food source, so are fine.
Iron
1.5 mg
30-400 mg
Peas only provide a little of the iron that rabbits need in their diets.
Magnesium
33 mg
30-300mg
Peas provide good levels of magnesium for rabbits.
Phosphorus
108 mg
400 mg
Peas can provide some of the phosphorus needed by rabbits.
Potassium
244 mg
6,000 mg
Peas can contribute a little to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A
765 IU
1,000-1,200 IU
Peas are quite good for vitamin A, which rabbits need.
Vitamin C
40 mg
None
Rabbits don’t need vitamin C (their bodies make vitamin C). The vitamin C in peas won’t harm them, but it won’t help them either.
Vitamin E
0.13 mg
5-16 mg
Peas don’t provide much vitamin E for rabbits.
Vitamin D
None
80-100 IU
Peas provide none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Vitamin B complex
2.76 mg
None
Peas provide some vitamin B, but rabbits don’t need vitamin B. Their bodies make all that they need.
Zinc
1.24 mg
5-15 mg
Peas provide some zinc.
Selenium
0.0018 mg
0.005-0.032 mg
Peas provide a little of the selenium that bunnies need.
Table of nutrients of fresh raw peas compared with rabbits’ nutritional requirements. Pea nutrition taken from USDA
As you can see from the table, peas aren’t suitable as the main diet for rabbits. They don’t provide enough fibre, and are too high in sugars. But in small quantities they do provide some of the other nutrients that rabbits need, like vitamin A and magnesium.
What are the dangers of peas as the main food for rabbits?
What might happen if you fed too many peas (or, even worse, only peas) to your rabbit? Your bunny could develop a range of problems:
Although peas have some fibre, rabbits need lots of fibre. The fibre helps food to move through their intestines. Put simple, if there’s no fibre, the food blocks up (gastro-intestinal stasis, or GI stasis). This is extremely dangerous for rabbits: if you suspect your rabbit has GI stasis, consult a vet at once. Rabbits need their main food to be high in fibre, like hay.
Peas are high in sugar. Too much sugar upsets the delicate balance of the digestive system (find out more here). It encourages bad bacteria to grow in the intestines, particularly the caecum. This in turn means that food isn’t digested properly, and causes gases to build up, which rabbits find extremely painful. In turn, this can also lead to GI stasis. This is why, even if peas aren’t the main food you give rabbits, you still need to be cautious in the quantities and not give too much.
Peas are low in protein. If you tried to feed rabbits mainly with peas, they wouldn’t have enough protein to build and maintain their muscles.
What is a suitable portion of peas for a rabbit?
A safe portion daily of peas for a rabbit is about 1 tablespoon for every 2lb (1kg) your rabbit weighs. A rabbit like a minilop typically weighs anywhere from 4-6 lb as an adult, so a safe portion size is no more than 2 or 3 tablespoons of peas.
Do rabbits like peas?
Rabbits are like humans – different from one another! Just as I don’t like peas, but other members of my family love them, so some rabbits will gobble up peas, and others will sniff, turn their noses up and hop away.
Can rabbits eat dried peas or cooked peas?
Don’t feed dried peas to rabbits, as this can increase the danger of GI stasis. Rabbits can eat cooked peas, but they won’t be as good for them as fresh raw peas.
Can baby rabbits eat peas?
You need to be careful with young rabbits with every new food. For the first six weeks, baby rabbits should be depending on their mother’s milk. After this, they transfer to hay (and a few pellets). Only later can other foods be introduced, and it is best to do this a little at a time, and one new food at a time. This is because young rabbits have extremely delicate digestive systems that can be easily upset.
Can you feed peas to rabbits every day?
It is best to include variety in the food you give rabbits. The best diet for rabbits is one based on unlimited availability of hay and water, with up to an eggcup-full of rabbit pellets, and a handful of fresh greens (such as herbs like thyme or other green vegetables) every day. In addition, they can have a small treat (eg a small portion of fruit) each day.
Conclusion – can rabbits eat peas?
Rabbits can eat peas safely in small quantities. A suitable portion is about 2 tablespoons of peas for an adult rabbit. If rabbits eat too many peas, it could lead to dangerous intestinal problems.
You know what it’s like. You get to the end of a long day, you feel a little tired, you stretch out and yawn. It’s so natural to us that we usually don’t even notice (we even yawn in the womb). But do our bunnies also yawn? Here’s a quick summary, but do read on for more detailed information.
Rabbits do yawn. Just like humans and many other animals, rabbits yawn when they are feeling sleepy. Yawning may help increase blood flow to the brain, and help regulate the temperature of the brain for better physiological performance. This also increases the arousal level of the rabbit when they are tired. Yawning may also reduce anxiety in rabbits.
Reasons why rabbits yawn
Sleepy rabbits yawn
Rabbits get tired, lazy or sleepy just like us humans. And just like us humans, when they are tired they are more likely to yawn. You are most likely to notice your bunny yawning as they settle down to go to sleep, or as they’re waking up. In slightly more scientific terms, rabbits yawn when transitioning between being awake and asleep.
The reason sleepy rabbits yawn may be to maintain or increase their arousal levels. Particularly when waking up, an animal needs to become alert as soon as possible. Yawning may be one of the ways that animals ensure this.
Yawning helps to increase blood flow to the rabbit’s brain
One of the effects of yawning may be to increase blood flow to the brain. The way this works is complex, but involves the stretching in yawning affecting vagus nerves resulting in more flow of highly oxygenated blood to the brain. This in turn helps with arousal levels. In particular, yawning appears to create cortical arousal
Yawning helps rabbits to regulate the temperature of their brain
Yawning also helps rabbits (and other animals) to control or regulate the temperature of their brain. This is known as the thermoregulatory theory of yawning. This is backed up by research showing that yawning is controlled by a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which also controls the regulation of temperature.
How this works is also complicated, involving cooling arteries that supply the brain and other effects. But it seems to work.
This has been confirmed by experiments on rats – yawning helped lower their brain temperature by up to 0.5oC.
So when your bunny yawns, they are helping to make sure that their brains are not getting too hot or too cold.
Yawning may reduce anxiety in rabbits
Despite what we may expect, we are more likely to yawn before a stressful event (so don’t be surprised if you find yourself yawning before an important public speech or competition).
Animals also yawn when facing stressful situations. Why would they (and we) do this? Because stress heats up our brains. And yawning helps control that heating effect, keeping our brains from getting too warm.
So your bunny won’t only yawn when they’re waking up or going to sleep, but also when they are feeling stressed out by a situation. Yawning is one way of your rabbit keeping in control.
Yawning isn’t about increasing oxygen levels for rabbits
A popular myth about yawning is that it increases oxygen levels and decreases carbon dioxide levels, as it is a massive intake of breath. However, scientific tests haven’t backed this theory up, at least in humans. They’ve tried increasing carbon dioxide levels, with no increased yawning (their breathing changed in other ways). And subjects who breathed pure oxygen didn’t show a decrease in yawning. Similar results have been found in experiments with rats.
How do rabbits yawn?
A rabbit is about to yawn will usually settle down, putting out their front feet, before lifting their head back to be able to open their mouths as widely as possible and stretch for the yawn.
Yawns are contagious in quite a few animals, not just humans. We develop the habit of yawning when other people yawn around the age of 5 years old, which suggests it has a social function alongside the physical effects. The animals where scientists have observed contagious yawning (in some cases in response to human yawning) include dogs, sheep, elephants, wolves, chimpanzees and even lions. These are all animals who live in social groups.
In lions, yawning together seemed to help coordinate them as a group and engage in cohesive action (you can check out the study here).
However, no-one appears to have studied rabbits yet.
As rabbits are extremely sociable, it would not be surprising if yawning was contagious in rabbits. But we don’t know for certain yet.
If anyone is an aspiring scientist or vet, and has multiple bunnies, perhaps you could do the research? The world needs to know!
Conclusion
Rabbits yawn, just like us humans. They yawn when they’re going to sleep and when they’re waking up, and also if they are facing a stressful situation. Yawning increases their alertness levels and helps them regulate their temperature.
I love going to the cinema for a new blockbuster. Some films need to be seen on the big screen. And many of us will treat ourselves to a bag or tub of popcorn (salty is my favourite, but others prefer toffee). Sometimes we recreate the experience at home, settling down on the sofa with a bag of popcorn to watch the latest movie. But can you feed popcorn to rabbits? Should you worry if you spill some popcorn and your bunny starts munching it? Can it be a treat for them as well? Find all the answers you need below.
Should you feed popcorn to rabbits?
You should not feed popcorn to rabbits. Although popcorn is not poisonous to rabbits, it is entirely unsuitable nutritionally for rabbits’ delicate digestive system. Popcorn is high in carbohydrates, and usually sugars, salt and fat. Eating too much popcorn could lead to serious stomach problems for a bunny such as GI stasis. Rabbits need low fat, high fibre diets based around hay.
Why popcorn is bad for rabbits – nutritional breakdown
Here’s a comparison table of the nutrition in popcorn (without anything added) and what rabbits need in their diets.
Ingredient
Popcorn per 100g
Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed
Comments
Energy
387 kcal
Popcorn is high in calories. Rabbits need to watch their weight, too. High energy foods like this don’t help.
Protein
12.9 g
12-17 g
This value is OK.
Fat
4.54 g
2.5-5 g
Air-popped popcorn is low in fat, which is good. But some snacks are covered in butter, which will add lots of fat.
Fibre
14.5 g
14-25 g
Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets. Popcorn does have some fibre.
Carbohydrates
77.8 g
< 20 g
Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Popcorn is really high in carbohydrates (and if you like it sweet, you’re adding more carbohydrates with the sugar).
Calcium
7 mg
500 mg
It doesn’t contain too much calcium.
Sodium
8 mg
100 mg
Popcorn doesn’t have too much salt – unless it’s been added to the snack, in which case it will probably be too salty for rabbits.
Iron
3.19 mg
30-400 mg
It only provides a little of the iron that rabbits need.
Phosphorus
358 mg
400 mg
Popcorn does provide an appropriate amount of phosophorus for a healthy rabbit diet.
Potassium
329 mg
6,000 mg
A small contribution to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A
196 IU
1,000-1,200 IU
It provides a little of the vitamin A that rabbits need.
Vitamin C
None
None
Rabbits don’t need any (their bodies make vitamin C).
Vitamin E
0.29 mg
5-16 mg
Popcorn doesn’t provide much.
Vitamin D
None
80-100 IU
Popcorn provides none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Vitamin B complex
22 mg
None
Rabbits don’t need vitamin B complex. Their bodies make all that they need.
Zinc
3.08 mg
5-15 mg
Popcorn provides nearly the right amount of zinc.
Selenium
None
0.005-0.032 mg
It provides none of the selenium that rabbits need.
Popcorn nutrition taken from USDA based on air-popped, unsalted
Popcorn is a bad food for rabbits because it is much too high in carbohydrates, as you can see from the table above. Any additions to popcorn such as butter, salt, sugar or toffee only add more ingredients that are unhealthy for bunnies.
If rabbits have too much carbohydrate, it upsets the delicate balance in their digestive system. Unhealthy bacteria can start growing inside the gut, leading to the release of gases which are painful for the rabbit. Rabbits can’t relieve the pressure by burping, and any blockages mean that the gases just build up.
It can also lead to further dietary problems, such as GI stasis, where rabbits have trouble transporting food through their intestinal systems. Essentially, their digestive system blocks up.
GI stasis is a serious condition, which can prove fatal. If you suspect your bunny may be suffering from this, contact a vet straight away.
Are popcorn kernels safe for rabbits?
Popcorn kernels are more dangerous for rabbits than popped corn. Nutritionally, kernels are pretty much identical (it’s just that the starch hasn’t ‘popped’). However, the hard kernel is extremely difficult for the rabbit’s intestines to digest. This means that the kernels can accumulate inside the rabbit digestive system, again leading to serious and even fatal problems. You can hope that the kernels will just pass through the intestines, but there is no guarantee.
There is a report of an autopsy on a pet rabbit that found loads of unpopped kernels in the rabbit’s stomach. The owner hadn’t deliberately fed them kernels; these had simply built up over time and never passed through, until finally they caused a fatal problem.
A further reason why popcorn is a bad treat for rabbits
Popcorn is a food that’s relatively easy to choke on, because it is large and puffed up. That’s not normally an issue for humans, but rabbits can have more difficulties if they start choking. Rabbits don’t have a vomit reflex, and can’t communicate their distress easily if they are choking.
I always compare feeding food to a rabbit to feeding food to a toddler. If I thought a toddler might choke on it, I wouldn’t give that portion size or food to a rabbit.
What are alternatives to popcorn as treats for rabbits?
Fruit works well in small amounts as a treat because rabbits can digest the sugars (fructose) in fruit, whereas their digestive systems are not designed to process other types of sugar such as sucrose. In the wild, rabbits do occasionally come across apples or other fruit, and will enjoy nibbling them. Replicating this behaviour at home is a good idea.
Help! My rabbit ate some popcorn – what should I do?
If your bunny has just nibbled a bit of popcorn, don’t panic. Popcorn isn’t poisonous, so this is the equivalent of us having a really unhealthy snack.
However, if your rabbit has had a much larger amount, keep an eye on them for the next 24 hours to make sure they’re OK. In particular, make sure that they are eating and drinking normally, moving around normally and pooping as usual.
If you have any concerns about your rabbit at all, contact a vet straight away.
Chocolate popcorn is dangerous for rabbits
Occasionally, people like chocolate sauce on their popcorn. Chocolate is dangerous for most pets, including rabbits. If your bunny eats any of the chocolate sauce, consult a vet straight away.
What diet should rabbits have?
Rabbits need a diet which mimics what they would get in the wild. This means that rabbits need plenty of hay (preferably Timothy); you can’t feed too much hay to a rabbit. Bunnies also need lots of fresh water available. These are the basics.
Beyond this, you can give about an egg-cupful of rabbit nuggets each day, along with a handful of greens and a small, appropriate treat such as a slice of banana. This diet will help keep your rabbit’s digestive system in tip-top shape, and help keep their teeth healthy too (read here to find more about rabbits’ teeth)
Conclusion
Popcorn is a great treat for humans, but a rubbish treat for bunnies. It doesn’t match their nutritional needs, and too much can cause rabbits serious problems with their guts. Keep popcorn for your movie nights, and find a better treat for your bunny.
Peanut butter sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly (if you’re American), peanut butter and bananas. Many of us love it, smooth or crunchy, and will happily spread it on toast or combine it with other foods. But can rabbits eat peanut butter? Should you panic if they do? Find out more.
Is peanut butter safe for rabbits?
You should not feed peanut butter to rabbits. Although peanut butter is not poisonous to rabbits, as a food it is entirely unsuited to rabbits’ complex and delicate digestive system. Peanut butter is extremely high in fats. Eating too much peanut butter may cause stomach problems including GI stasis for rabbits, which need low fat and high fibre diets based on hay.
Why peanut butter is bad for rabbits – nutritional breakdown
Peanut butter may be a tasty topping for humans, but it is a bad food for bunnies. This table shows how peanut butter doesn’t provide the nutrients that rabbits need, and also provides too much of nutrients that rabbits don’t need and that are bad for them.
Ingredient
Peanut butter per 100g
Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed
Comments
Energy
598 kcal
Peanut butter is high in calories. Just like humans, rabbits need to watch their weight. High energy foods like this don’t help.
Protein
22.2 g
12-17 g
Peanut butter is high in proteins. You might think that this is a good thing, but the higher concentration of proteins in the rabbit gut could cause problems, upsetting the balance of bacteria inside the rabbit intestinal system.
Fat
51.4 g
2.5-5 g
Peanut butter is much too high in fat for rabbits. This can create short term problems in the gut, and longer term issues over rabbits becoming overweight. This is a major concern for peanut butter as part of the diet.
Fibre
5 g
14-25 g
Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems. Peanut butter doesn’t provide much fibre.
Carbohydrates
22.3 g
< 20 g
Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Peanut butter is high in carbohydrates (including sugars).
Calcium
49 mg
500 mg
It doesn’t contain too much calcium. Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones.
Sodium
426 mg
100 mg
Peanut butter has way too much sodium for rabbits (because of the salt). Just like too much salt is bad for us, so too much salt is not good for rabbits.
Iron
1.74 mg
30-400 mg
Peanut butter only provides a little of the iron that rabbits need in their diets.
Phosphorus
335 mg
400 mg
Peanut butter does provide an appropriate amount of phosophorus for a healthy rabbit diet.
Potassium
558 mg
6,000 mg
Peanut butter can contribute a bit to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A
None
1,000-1,200 IU
It provides none of the vitamin A that rabbits need.
Vitamin C
None
None
Rabbits don’t need any (their bodies make vitamin C).
Vitamin E
9.1 mg
5-16 mg
Peanut butter does provide an appropriate amount of vitamin E for rabbits.
Vitamin D
None
80-100 IU
Peanut butter provides none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Vitamin B complex
78 mg
None
Rabbits don’t need vitamin B complex. Their bodies make all that they need.
Zinc
2.51 mg
5-15 mg
Peanut butter is OK on the amount of zinc.
Selenium
0.004 mg
0.005-0.032 mg
Peanut butter provides an appropriate amount of the selenium that rabbits need.
As the table shows, peanut butter is much too high in fats (over 50% of peanut butter is fats). Rabbits are designed to live off grass and other vegetation which is high in fibre and very low in fat. Wild rabbits rarely get to eat anything so fatty, so their digestive systems haven’t evolved to cope with high amounts of fat.
If rabbits have too much peanut butter, their digestive system has to cope with way more fat than it is designed for. Part of the digestive system is the caecum. This part digests the fibre. If too much fat is in the caecum, it encourages the growth of unhealthy bacteria. In turn, this causes problems with gas and diarrhoea.
While indigestion is just inconvenient to us, it is dangerous to rabbits. The rabbit digestive system needs to keep food moving, with large amounts of fibre essential to this. If a rabbit does develop stomach problems, this can lead to GI stasis (gastro-intestinal stasis). The rabbit may become constipated, and stop feeding.
If you suspect that your bunny has GI stasis, consult a vet straight away, as it can prove deadly for rabbits.
Another problem with peanut butter is the high calorie count. Each little portion packs quite a big energy punch. Eating high calorie food like this on a regular basis could easily lead to your bunny being overweight. This in turn can cause other health problems for your rabbit.
And most peanut butter is also high in salt. Too much salt is also bad for bunnies.
Peanut butter isn’t toxic to rabbits. It is not poisonous. But it is unhealthy, and best avoided as a snack.
Can you add peanut butter to other foods for rabbits?
You should not add peanut butter to other foods for rabbits. Whilst peanut butter is not toxic, all you are doing is adding unhealthy fats to a food. You might also be conditioning your bunny to be getting used to food that is too high in fat and salt.
What are alternatives to peanut butter as treats for rabbits?
The best treat for bunnies is small, cut up pieces of fruit such as bananas. You can find a list of which fruit you can safely give to rabbits in our article here (including appropriate portion size, and debunking some of the myths you find in some areas of the internet).
Help! My rabbit ate some peanut butter – what should I do?
If your bunny has nibbled a little bit of peanut butter, then there’s no need to panic. It is the equivalent of us having a really unhealthy snack. It’s not done them any good, but it is unlikely to do them any harm.
If you’re at worried, monitor your rabbit over the next 24 hours, and make sure that they keep on moving about, eating, drinking water and pooping as normal.
If you’re in any doubt or have any concerns over your rabbit’s health, consult a vet straight away.
What diet should rabbits have?
The best diet for rabbits is lots of hay (preferably Timothy) with lots of fresh water. Rabbits don’t really need anything else. You can’t overfeed hay to rabbits. It provides the nutrients they need in the right balance, and helps keep both their bowels and their teeth in the best condition.
However, you can also give rabbits about an egg-cupful of rabbit nuggets each day, and a handful of fresh greens each day. And you can also give your rabbits a small treat each day, like a piece of fruit.
Conclusion
Peanut butter is not a good food for rabbits, and you should not feed peanut butter to bunnies. It is too high in fats and salts. Too much peanut butter could upset rabbits’ delicate digestive system, and lead to serious intestinal problems.
Over the last few decades, food tastes in Britain have become more adventurous, and more international. So the other day we found ourselves cooking pak choi (cut in half lengthways, quickly fry, add a splash of water to the pan, cover and cook for a couple more minutes – lovely). For those unfamiliar, pak choi is a type of chinese cabbage, and is common in Asia and Australasia (and also known as bok choy or pok choi). But we had more than we needed. So my partner asked – ‘can our rabbits eat pak choi’? If you’re in a similar position, here’s the answer, with a quick summary followed by more detailed information.
Can rabbits eat pak choi (bok choy) safely?
Rabbits can eat pak choi (bok choy) safely as part of a varied diet based mainly on hay and water. A suitable portion of pak choi for an adult rabbit is about a handful. Bunnies can eat both the green leafy part and the crunchier base of pak choi safely. Pak choi provides helfpul nutrients for rabbits, in particular vitamin A, magnesium and potassium.
Pak choi (bok choy) nutrition and rabbit requirements
Ingredient
Pak choi per 100g
Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed
Comments
Water
95.3 g
Most of pak choi is water. This is fine – bunnies need water, and get it through either their food or their water bowl. But the high water content means that it’s not the main food that rabbits should be getting.
Energy
13 kcal
Pak choi doesn’t provide much energy for rabbits. This is another reason why pak choi should be a supplement for a main diet of hay for rabbits, rather than their only or main food.
Protein
1.5 g
12-17 g
Pak choi is low in protein. As rabbits need more protein, this is yet another reason why the main food for rabbits should be hay, with pak choi as an additional item.
Fat
0.2 g
2.5-5 g
Pak choi is low in fat, which is good as bunnies thrive on a low fat diet.
Fibre
1 g
14-25 g
Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems. Pak choi doesn’t provide enough fibre. Rabbits need hay, which is high in fibre, with some greens like pak choi as additions.
Carbohydrates
2.18 g
< 20 g
Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Pak choi is low in carbohydrates.
Calcium
105 mg
500 mg
Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones. Pak choi is lower in calcium than Timothy hay, their main food source, so it is fine.
Iron
0.8 mg
30-400 mg
Pak choi only provide a little of the iron that rabbits need in their diets.
Magnesium
19 mg
30-300mg
Pak choi provides good levels of magnesium for rabbits.
Phosphorus
37 mg
400 mg
Pak choi only provides a little of the phosphorus needed by rabbits.
Potassium
252 mg
6,000 mg
Pak choi can contribute a little to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A
4,479 IU
1,000-1,200 IU
Pak choi is great for vitamin A, which rabbits need.
Vitamin C
45 mg
None
Rabbits don’t need vitamin C (their bodies make vitamin C). The vitamin C in pak choi won’t harm them, but it won’t help them either.
Vitamin E
0.09 mg
5-16 mg
Pak choi doesn’t provide much vitamin E for rabbits.
Vitamin D
None
80-100 IU
Pak choi provides none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Vitamin B complex
0.96 mg
None
Pak choi doesn’t provide much vitamin B, but in any case rabbits don’t need vitamin B complex. Their bodies make all that they need.
Zinc
0.19 mg
5-15 mg
Pak choi doesn’t provide much zinc.
Selenium
0.0005 mg
0.005-0.032 mg
Pak choi provides just a little of the selenium that bunnies need.
Table of nutrients of pak choi or bok choy compared with rabbits’ nutritional requirements. Pak choi nutrition taken from USDA
As the information in the table shows, the main benefits of pak choi are some of the nutrients it can provide, in particular vitamin A, magnesium and potassium.
The information also shows why it is good to provide your bunny with a varied diet. Other greens will provide some of the other nutrients lacking in pak choi.
What are the dangers of pak choi (bok choy)as the main food for rabbits?
If you feed your rabbit too much pak choi (bok choy),or even worse, only pak choi, then your rabbit could develop a range of problems.
Pak choi is mostly water. If this is the only food the rabbit is getting, this might lead to diarrhoea.
Pak choi does not contain much fibre. If this is the only food your bunny eats, then they will develop intestinal problems. Rabbits’ digestive systems are designed to use high quantities of fibre which help keep everything moving inside. Without this fibre, rabbits can develop gastro-intestinal stasis (GI stasis) – a type of constipation which can be extremely dangerous for rabbits. Additionally, rabbits depend on high fibre food to wear down their teeth (which never stop growing). If a rabbit’s teeth grow too long, it can cause all sorts of medical issues.
Pak choi is low in protein. If this is the only food your bunny gets, they won’t have enough protein to build or maintain their muscles.
Some rabbits develop gas if they have too much food from the cabbage family. Again, this can be serious in rabbits.
If you ever have any health concerns about your rabbit, consult a vet as soon as possible.
The list above can seem a little frightening, but this only applies if you feed your rabbits lots of pak choi and little of anything else. If you stick to a healthy, varied diet based mainly on hay, then pak choi is a healthy part of that variety.
Do rabbits like pak choi (bok choy)?
Rabbits are like humans – some of us like pak choi, others don’t. Some bunnies love pak choi; others will turn their noses up at it.
Having said that, most rabbits do seem to like pak choi, and for some bunnies it will become their favourite treat.
Our rabbits all like pak choi. They don’t get it very often, but that’s only because we don’t have it frequently. Rabbits in Asia, Australia and New Zealand are more likely to have portions, as pak choi is much more readily available.
Can you feed cooked pak choi to rabbits?
You can feed cooked pak choi to rabbits so long as you haven’t cooked the pak choi with anything else that might affect the rabbits. The cooked pak choi won’t be quite as healthy for the rabbits as the raw pak choi (and they might not enjoy it as much). But it will be fine for them.
Can baby rabbits eat pak choi (bok choy)?
With young rabbits, you need to be careful with every new food. For the first six weeks, baby rabbits should be depending on their mother’s milk. After this, they transfer to hay (and a few pellets). Only later can other foods be introduced, and it is best to do this a little at a time, and one new food at a time. This is because young rabbits have extremely delicate digestive systems that can be easily upset.
Can rabbits eat pak choi every day?
It is best if rabbits don’t eat pak choi every day, but have some variety in their diets. The best diet for rabbits is one based on unlimited availability of hay and water, with up to an eggcup-full of rabbit pellets, and a handful of fresh greens (such as pak choi, but also herbs such as thyme or other green vegetables) every day. In addition, they can have a small treat (eg a small portion of fruit) each day.
Conclusion
Rabbits can eat pak choi safely, as long as it is part of a healthy varied diet. Pak choi provides some helpful nutrients for rabbits. But you couldn’t just feed a rabbit pak choi – that would lead to problems for your bunny.
Ever wondered when rabbits are most active? Is it at night? Perhaps you’ve a pet bunny (or two or three…) and want to know more, or maybe you’re just interested in finding out more about wild rabbits. Either way, there’s a simple answer to ‘are rabbits nocturnal’, and a more complicated (but interesting!) answer. Next up is the quick, simple answer.
Are rabbits nocturnal?
Rabbits are mainly crepuscular, being active around the times of dawn and dusk. However, some species of rabbits, such as Dice’s Cottontail, are nocturnal, mainly active at night. Additionally, rabbits are adaptable, and in certain habitats may change their active times to avoid predators and give greatest access to food. This means that pet rabbits may be able to adapt to fit the routine of their owner.
What do nocturnal, diurnal and crepuscular mean?
First, some quick definitions.
Nocturnal – being active mainly during the night
Diurnal – being active mainly during daylight
Crepuscular – being active mainly at dawn and dusk
Rabbits are crepuscular
Rabbits prefer being mainly active during dawn and dusk. Bunnies are more likely to have a nap during the middle of the day or the middle of the night (you can find out more about how and when rabbits sleep here).
This is one of the reasons that many people find rabbits make great pets. If you’re out at work during the day (and asleep at night), your bunnies are most active just when you’re around the home to play with them.
How do we know that rabbits are crepuscular? The research
We know that rabbits are crepuscular in a couple of different ways. First of all, there’s a wealth of experience from owners from all over the world. But secondly, we know from science. Scientists have done surveys of wild rabbits, and noted when they’re active and when they’re not.
One example is a study carried out on wild rabbits in Spain (you can find it here). Within a fixed area, scientists counted how many rabbits were active (that is, not in their burrows but in the open air) at different times of the day (and different times of the year, too).
You may wonder how they counted them, whether it was some high-tech satellite thermal imaging device. No. I don’t think there’s enough money in wild rabbit research for fancy technology.
The researchers basically drove slowly (15 kmh, or about 10 mph) 137 separate times along a 13 km (about 8 mile) route in some scrubland in south-west Spain. As they drove, they counted how many rabbits they could see (presumably not the driver doing the counting). At night, they used a powerful spotlight. The drives were conducted four times a day for three days running each time: once at sunrise; once at midday; once at sunset and once at midnight.
Once they had done this, the researchers considered a whole range of different variables that might affect the numbers: time of day; month in year; wind; moonlight; temperature; and so on.
The research showed, for these rabbits in Spain:
Rabbit activity and time of day – research results
The rabbits were most active at dusk.
The rabbits were also active at dawn in the summer months, but less so in winter.
The rabbits were also quite active at night, particularly in winter.
The rabbits were least active at midday, but were a bit more active in the winter than the summer.
Rabbit activity and other factors – research results
Rabbits were less active when it was windy.
Rabbits were more active after it had been raining in the previous days (in the scrubland environment, this is when plants grow).
Rabbits were more active when the moon was out.
Rabbits were less active in extreme temperatures (so less active at midday in the summer and dawn in the winter)
So far, so good. And also, this makes sense from thinking about rabbits and their need to survive and thrive. They want to avoid extremes of temperature, just like we do. We don’t like getting too hot or cold, and neither do rabbits (though their version of ‘too cold’ is much colder than ours – check out this article). In particular, rabbits find it difficult to regulate their bodies if it’s too hot, so they avoid the midday sun (though in Britain that’s quite a rare event anyway).
But rabbits need to think about, not just their temperature, but also any predators, including birds of prey.
And rabbits have potentially lots of predators. Some of these predators will be diurnal (around during the daytime) and others will be nocturnal (around during the nighttime). Being active at dawn and dusk is a good trade-off; rabbits have pretty good vision (find out more here), being better able to see in dim light conditions than diurnal predators, but without full night, where nocturnal predators may be able to see better.
But what happens if most of the predators are diurnal, that is, around during the day?
Are rabbits always crepuscular?
Rabbits are not always crepuscular. In some conditions, rabbits are nocturnal after all. They adapt to their circumstances.
A nocturnal rabbit
We know this because of a couple of other scientific studies. One study (find it here) looked at predators and prey in Costa Rica. This study had a bit more technology (they needed it, as they were studying in forests with lots of potential cover rather than fairly open scrubland). The researchers set up cameras in a variety of locations, that were triggered by the animals using an infra-red sensor. In this way, they could see when animals were most active. It was a large study: they found 8 predator species and 16 different prey species.
One of the prey species studied by the researchers was a rabbit – Dice’s Cottontail. This is a smallish (typically about 3lb for an adult), black and brown rabbit native to Costa Rica.
The researchers found that Dice’s Cottontail was nocturnal. Nearly all (96%) of its recorded activity took place at night.
In other words, some species of rabbit are nocturnal. Another example of a nocturnal species (which lives in a similar type of habitat) is the rarest rabbit of all, the Annamite striped rabbit.
Nocturnal rabbits changing to crepuscular
The second study, published in 2021 (find it here), goes back to the rabbits in Spain. In this experiment, researchers moved a group of rabbits from one location to two new one.s The new locations had different predators. Researchers compared the activity patterns (using camera traps) of the three groups.
In their original location, the rabbits were mostly nocturnal, with predators including red foxes and Egyptian mongeese (who are diurnal – mostly around during the day).
In one location (a fenced area where the main predators were mongeese, around during daylight), the rabbits remained nocturnal.
However, in another location (an unfenced area with a variety of predators) the rabbits became mostly active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular).
In other words, the same species of rabbit can be nocturnal in one context, and crepuscular in a different one.
How adaptable are rabbits to different routines?
Although in the wild, rabbits often revert to crepuscular activity, rabbits turn out to be adaptable to a wide range of different daily activity patterns.
Again, scientists have done the work, this time with rabbits in laboratories. The research was carried out in 1991, in this paper: ‘The rabbit: a diurnal or a nocturnal animal?‘.
The researchers tried out four separate conditions:
‘Normal’ conditions – an environment with lots of background noise during the time the lab had lights on.
‘Sound-isloated’ conditions – an environment where there was no background sound.
‘Constant light’ conditions – an environment where a light was constantly on at the same strength.
‘Food-restricted’ conditions – food was only available for four hours each day, during the lit period.
The researchers found:
In the normal conditions the rabbits varied when they were active; some individuals were diurnal, others nocturnal, and others had no preference.
In the sound-isolated conditions the rabbits became nocturnal.
In the constant light conditions the rabbits ended up with a daily pattern a bit longer than 24 hours (this is typical of nocturnal animals).
In the food-restricted conditions, most of the rabbits’ activity was when food was available.
In other words, the routine for rabbits can be set by the external conditions, including when it’s light, how noisy it is, and when there’s food around. Rabbits are adaptable to different routines.
Rabbit owners can relax a bit about routines
The research means that owners don’t have to worry too much about what a rabbit routine should be. Although rabbits may be crepuscular, if you’re only around at a different time of day, they will happily adapt to that. This adaptability makes rabbits flexible pets for owners.
Conclusion
Rabbits are usually crepuscular, but sensibly they will adapt their routines and activity to avoid predators and be around when food is plentiful. This means that some species of rabbit are nocturnal, and in some contexts rabbits may become mainly nocturnal. Pet owners of bunnies may find that their rabbits adapt to the routine that their owner gives them.
Many of us love to munch away on almonds as a healthy snack. These nuts are jam-packed with nutrients, including the good kind of unsaturated fats. And they’re tasty – what’s not to like? But what about our pet rabbits – can we give almonds to rabbits, how healthy are almonds for bunnies, and should we worry if our bunny does eat an almond?
Can rabbits eat almonds – summary
You should not feed almonds to rabbits. While almonds are not toxic to bunnies, they provide the wrong balance of nutrients for rabbits. Almonds are extremely high in fats. Eating too many almonds may cause stomach problems including GI stasis for rabbits, which need low fat and high fibre diets based on hay.
Why almonds are bad for rabbits
Almonds may be good for humans, but they’re not so good for rabbits. This table gives the nutrition inside almonds, and compares it to what rabbits need.
Ingredient
Almonds per 100g
Rabbit daily nutritional requirements per 100g of feed
Comments
Energy
579 kcal
Almonds are high in calories. Just like humans, rabbits need to watch their weight.
Protein
21.2 g
12-17 g
Almonds are high in proteins. You might think that this is a good thing, but the higher concentration of proteins in the rabbit gut could cause problems, upsetting the balance of bacteria inside the rabbit intestinal system.
Fat
49.9 g
2.5-5 g
Almonds are much too high in fat for rabbits. This can create short term problems in the gut, and longer term issues over rabbits becoming overweight.
Fibre
12.5 g
14-25 g
Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems. Almonds aren’t too bad in this regard, though still not providing the amount of fibre that rabbits require.
Carbohydrates
21.6 g
< 20 g
Rabbits need a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Almonds are high in carbohydrates.
Calcium
269 mg
500 mg
Almonds contain calcium. Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones.
Iron
3.71 mg
30-400 mg
Almonds only provide a little of the iron that rabbits need in their diets.
Phosphorus
481 mg
400 mg
Almonds are slightly higher in phosphorus for a healthy rabbit diet.
Potassium
733 mg
6,000 mg
Almonds can contribute to the potassium that rabbits need each day.
Vitamin A
None
1,000-1,200 IU
Almonds provide none of the vitamin A that rabbits need.
Vitamin C
None
None
Almonds don’t contain vitamin C, and rabbits don’t need any (their bodies make vitamin C).
Vitamin E
25.6 mg
5-16 mg
Almonds provide a little too much vitamin E for rabbits.
Vitamin D
None
80-100 IU
Almonds provide none of the vitamin D that rabbits need.
Vitamin B complex
58 mg
None
Rabbits don’t need vitamin B complex. Their bodies make all that they need.
Zinc
3.12 mg
5-15 mg
Almonds are OK on the amount of zinc.
Selenium
0.004 mg
0.005-0.032 mg
Almonds are OK on the amount of selenium that rabbits need.
As you can see from the table, the main problem with almonds is that they are so high in fats (almost 50% fat). Rabbits have evolved to live off vegetation, including grass, which is high in fibre and with little or no fat. In the wild, rabbits rarely get to eat nuts, so their digestive system is not geared up for them.
If rabbits have too many almonds, their digestive system has to cope with much more fat than it is designed for. Part of the digestive system is the caecum, which digests the fibre. If too much fat is in the caecum, it can encourage the growth of unhealthy bacteria. In turn, this causes problems with gas and diarrhoea.
While indigestion is usually just inconvenient to us, it is far more dangerous to rabbits. The rabbit digestive system needs to keep food moving, helped by all the fibre in their usual diet. If a rabbit does develop stomach problems, this can become GI stasis (gastro-intestinal stasis). The rabbit may become constipated, and stop feeding.
If you suspect that your bunny has GI stasis, consult a vet straight away, as it can prove fatal for rabbits.
Another problem with almonds is their high calorie count. Each little nut packs quite a big energy punch. Eating high calorie food like almonds on a regular basis could easily lead to your bunny being overweight. This in turn can cause other health problems for your rabbit.
Almonds aren’t toxic to rabbits. They are not poisonous. But they are unhealthy, and best avoided as a snack.
Help! My bunny ate some almonds – what should I do?
If your bunny just found one or two almonds on the floor – don’t worry. They have effectively had an unhealthy snack. If they usually have a good diet, your rabbit should have no problems.
If your rabbit has eaten lots of almonds, make sure to keep a careful eye on them over the next 12 to 24 hours. Check that they are poo-ing and eating as usual. If you have any concerns at all, consult a vet straight away.
What diet should rabbits have?
Rabbits should have a diet that is based mainly on hay and fresh water. These provide practically all that rabbits need nutritionally. Basically, you can’t give your rabbit too much hay. You can supplement hay (preferably Timothy hay) with an egg-cupful of rabbit nuggets and a handful of fresh greens each day. You can also give a small snack like a slice of fruit.
Conclusion
Rabbits should not be given almonds. Although not toxic to rabbits, almonds are extremely high in fats, which could upset the rabbit digestive system if eaten in sufficient quantities. Rabbits should eat mainly hay, and if you want to give your bunny a snack, a slice of fruit is a better alternative.
Like many people, I love honey. It is both sweet, and a natural food; what’s not to like? My favourite is the thicker type, but we also use runny honey in cooking. But is it safe to give to rabbits? Would honey make a nice treat for bunnies?
Is honey safe for rabbits?
You should not feed rabbits with honey. Although honey is not poisonous to rabbits, as a food it is entirely unsuited to rabbits’ complex and delicate digestive system. Because all honey, whether raw or processed, is a combination of pure sugars, giving a rabbit too much honey may result in diarrhoea and other intestinal problems, and in the longer term contributing to obesity, which also results in health problems for rabbits.
Why honey is bad for rabbits
Honey is a bad choice to give bunnies because it is mainly a combination of sugars:
As you can see, honey is mainly glucose and fructose. It contains practically no fibre or protein. But the intestines of rabbits are designed to process food heavy in fibre (for example, hay typically is about 17-18% fibre). The fibre is vital, as it helps the food move through the intestines.
Without enough fibre, rabbits may quickly develop GI stasis (an extremely dangerous form of constipation). They stop pooing, and stop eating. If you suspect your bunny may have this, contact a vet straight away.
But even if your bunny is getting some fibre, having a high quantity of honey is still likely to cause problems with their gut.
In particular, rabbits’ digestive systems have developed to be able to cope with fructose (which is the main sugar found in fruit) but not other types of sugar, in particular glucose [source here]. As the table shows, honey has a large amount of glucose as an ingredient.
Bacteria in the rabbit’s gut (in particular their coecum) will feed off the glucose, and the wrong bacteria are likely to grow and multiply. The growth of the toxic bacteria then makes the rabbit sick. This can lead to diarrhoea. Again, if diarrhoea develops, contact a vet straight away.
Honey is also unhealthy because (just like it is for us) it adds calories to a diet. If you give 20g of a banana to a rabbit, you are giving them about 18 kcal. If you give 20g of honey to a rabbit, you are giving them 61 kcal – over three times as many calories.
Can you add honey to other foods for rabbits?
You should not add honey to other foods for rabbits. Whilst honey is not toxic, all you are doing is adding unhealthy sugar to a food. You might also be conditioning your bunny to be getting used to food that is too sweet.
Some commercial snacks for rabbits occasionally have honey in them. If you only very occasionally give your rabbit one of these as a treat, you are not unlikely to be doing any harm to your bunny. Just be aware that they are an unhealthy snack, and so should only be given rarely if you choose to use them.
What are alternatives to honey as a treat for rabbits?
Rather than give honey, small pieces of fruit make a great treat for rabbits. Fruit still has some sweetness (most fruit contain some of the sugar fructose).
Rabbits are great pets. There’s something so cute about the way they hop around, or break out into a zoom around the room or garden. But they’re also extraordinary. Even rabbits’ teeth are amazing. Read on for 14 amazing facts about bunnies’ teeth.
1. Rabbit teeth never stop growing
Your teeth and mine grow when we’re young, and then stop. But rabbits are different. Their teeth just keep on growing through their lives.
In fact, they grow between 3-5 inches (7.5-13cm) every year.
How come you don’t see your rabbit with really long teeth? Rabbit teeth are designed to be worn down by the rough food they eat, like hay and grass. The tough fibres wear away the teeth as they grow, so they are always the same length.
The technical term for this phenomemon where teeth keep growing is elodont.
Rabbit teeth are elodont – they never stop growing
While we’re on technical terms, rabbit teeth are also aradicular – their teeth have open roots – and hypsodont – they have a long crown (the visible part of the tooth) compared to the root (the part of the tooth below the gumline).
In other words, most of the tooth is visible rather than hidden in the gum.
Because rabbit teeth do keep growing, it is vital that they eat food that wears away their teeth – otherwise problems result. See lower down the list for both the problems, and what a healthy diet looks like.
Adult humans have 32 teeth, but rabbits only have 28 teeth. One reason is that we have canine teeth (the sharper, pointy teeth to the side of the front incisor teeth), but bunnies don’t have canine teeth.
Instead, rabbits have three types of teeth:
Incisors – these are the sharp teeth at the front of the mouth. Rabbits have 6 incisors in total. Bunnies use these for slicing through grass and other vegetation. Rabbits have 4 upper incisors and 2 incisors on the lower part of their jaws. They have two large, central upper incisors, and then two smaller incisors either side. These smaller ones are also called peg teeth.
Premolars – these are near the back of the mouth, and are used for grinding. Rabbits have 10 premolars in total. Rabbits have 6 premolars on their upper jaw (three each side) and 4 on their lower jaw (two each side)
Molars – these are also near the back of the mouth, and are used for grinding. Rabbits have 10 molars in total. Rabbits have 6 molars on their upper jaw (three each side) and 6 on their lower jaw (three each side)
The premolars and molars look nearly identical, and together are called cheek teeth.
3. Rabbits have baby teeth, just like us, which they lose as they get older
Baby rabbits have baby teeth, just like children have baby teeth. But while we lose our baby teeth from around the age of 6 years, it’s a lot quicker for bunnies. They lose their baby teeth soon after they are born, and get their adult teeth from around week 5.
Baby rabbits also have fewer teeth than adult rabbits. Baby rabbits have 16 teeth compared with adult rabbits who have 28 teeth. The difference is that baby rabbits do not have any molars. They have 6 incisors and 10 premolars.
The technical term for animals like rabbits and humans who have two sets of teeth is duplicidentata. Now you know!
4. Rabbit teeth grow curved
As the teeth of rabbits grow, they curve. The longer the tooth, the more it will be curved. Incisors curve into the mouth; upper cheek teeth curve outwards (buccally), and lower cheek teeth curve inwards (lingually).
If a tooth becomes too long, it may start to cause problems. The incisors (front teeth) may stick out of the mouth, and catch on things. The cheek teeth (back teeth) won’t be as visible, but if too long can cause a range of serious problems.
The best way to protect rabbit teeth from growing too long is the right diet – see below.
5. Rabbit’s upper incisor teeth have a groove on them
The teeth at the front of rabbits’ mouths are incisors. The two large upper incisor teeth of bunnies have a groove running all the way down them.
6. Rabbits use their incisor teeth for cutting through food
The front teeth of rabbits, called incisors, are sharp. This is so that bunnies can cut through tough food, like twigs or leaves. It also means that they can chop up long grass or hay easily. Once the food has been chopped up by the incisors, it is the turn of the cheek teeth.
7. Rabbits use their cheek teeth for grinding up their food
Once the rabbit’s incisors have chopped and sliced up their food, rabbits use their cheek teeth to grind it up ready for swallowing. Bunnies grind their teeth together in crescent-shaped movements.
Bonus fact – bunnies can only chew on one side of their mouth at a time.
8. Rabbit upper incisor teeth only have enamel on one side – to sharpen them up
Rabbit teeth are made up of four components:
dentine
cementum
pulp
enamel
Dentine makes up the bulk of teeth in both rabbits and humans. It is a hard tissue, full of calcium apatite (also called hydroxyapatite). The levels of calcium is why it is also sometimes called a calcified tissue. Dentine is harder than bone, but softer than enamel.
Cementum is another calcified, hard tissue that sticks (cements) the tooth to the bone so it doesn’t fall out.
Pulp is the central part of teeth where you find blood vessels and connective tissue.
Enamel is the hardest substance. It contains even more calcium apatite than dentine, and is nearly all (96%) mineral. Enamel forms a thin surface on teeth, to protect them and make them hard enough to cut and chew food.
In rabbits, their upper incisors only develop enamel on one side (the outside, technically called the labial side, as it is the side closest to the lips).
This means that the front of their upper teeth are harder than the back. The softer back part of the teeth, only having dentine rather than the protective enamel, wears away quicker. The result is that the edge of the teeth become sharper. This means they can slice through food even more effectively.
You get a similar effect with the cheek teeth. Here, enamel surrounds the whole tooth, but the middle is made up of softer cementum and dentine. This wears away quicker, leaving a ridge around the tooth of harder enamel.
Again, this means that the cheek teeth have sharp ridges for grinding up tough, fibrous food like hay.
9. There’s a big gap between rabbit incisors and cheek teeth
We generally don’t have big gaps between our teeth. But rabbits are different. For a start, they have no canine teeth. But also, they separate out their front incisors from their cheek teeth. The incisors are at the front of their mouth, and the cheek teeth are set towards the back of the mouth.
The gap between the front incisors and the rear cheek teeth is called the diastema.
10. Rabbits don’t have many nerves in the visible part of their teeth
Rabbits have far fewer nerves in their teeth than we do. If there’s a small gap in our enamel, eating ice cream can turn from pleasure into agony, because the cold reaches nerves in our teeth.
But bunnies are different. They only have a few nerves (which help to tell them how hard they are pressing, for instance). Given how much tough food they have to eat, and that they continually wear away their teeth, you can see that it makes sense.
11. Rabbits chew lots – up to 120 movements of their jaws each minute
Bunnies love to chew. This can include hay, twigs, leaves, and anything you might leave around. Rabbits are designed to chew lots because they need to break down the hard, fibrous food they rely on. So their jaws can chew both up and down and side to side, to cut up and grind down the cellulose and other fibrous food.
They can also chew fast. Rabbits can chew with up to 120 different jaw movements each minute. That would give me jaw-ache.
12. You don’t need to brush your rabbit’s teeth
Some pets need their teeth brushing regularly, even daily. But not so for rabbits.
Rabbits do not need to have their teeth brushed. You should not brush the teeth of your bunnies. Bunnies will be better off just having the correct diet.
Cats’ teeth and dogs’ teeth are similar to ours, and regular brushing of their teeth helps their dental health. However, because rabbits are lagomorphs, their teeth are very different. As they grow continually, there is not the same requirement for daily brushing. Instead, chewing on hay is what will keep rabbit teeth healthy.
13. Good dental health is vital for rabbits
When rabbits have healthy teeth, everything works well. But when there are rabbit dental problems, they can affect bunnies in all sorts of ways (even their eyes).
Vets grade the health of rabbit teeth, with grade 1 being the best. Here’s a quick summary:
Grade 1
Everything normal 🙂
Grade 2
The teeth are starting to get a bit too long, but there may be no symptoms.
Grade 3
Acquired malocclusion – the teeth end up going the wrong way or are the wrong size, and it starts affecting the rabbit visibly. Some of the symptoms may include:
they find it harder to groom themselves. This in turn can lead to other conditions like flystrike.
their cheek teeth can develop sharp points, causing cuts inside the mouth. In turn, this can lead to a rabbit losing appetite, producing lots of saliva, and being in pain.
the nasolacrymal ducts can get blocked or affected. These are ducts connecting the nose and the eyes. The blockages can cause bacterial infections, leading to eye problems such as dacryocystitis (inflammation of the tear ducts).
rabbits may develop abscesses in their cheeks.
loose teeth, with tooth infections possible as well.
Vegetation can get stuck in the teeth.
Grade 4
The tooth stops growing. In cases like this, the rabbit may need to be given soft food.
Grade 5
Rabbits can end up with infections in their bones or abcesses, leading to more severe symptoms.
There are two main causes of acquired malocclusion in pet rabbits. Both relate to their diet. The two causes are:
not having food that’s rough (abrasive) enough.
not having food with the right minerals (including the right level of calcium).
Of course, just like humans, sometimes rabbits just bite on something hard and damage a tooth. And sometimes teeth problems are biological in origin. But it’s good to know that, at least for the two main causes, us owners can make sure that our rabbits have the best possible chance for healthy teeth.
If you think that your rabbit might be having any problems with their teeth, check them out with a vet.
14. Rabbits need a healthy diet for healthy teeth
The best, easiest way to make sure that your pet rabbit has healthy teeth is to give them a healthy diet.
But hay also is full of tough, hard to chew fibre. As bunnies cut and grind hay up, it wears away their teeth as fast as they are growing. Eating hay means that the teeth never get too long.
You can feed your bunny other food as well, like an eggcup size portion of rabbit nuggets, a handful of fresh herbs and greens, and a little fruit as a treat.
But if you just feed your rabbit on nuggets, for instance, although they will get all the nutrients they need, their teeth won’t be worn down enough, and could grow too long, creating all sorts of problems.
So, for a healthy bunny, lots of hay and water.
Conclusion
Rabbits are amazing, with bodies designed to make the best possible use of grass and other vegetation. And that means their teeth are amazing, with teeth that constantly grow and sharpen themselves on the food.
Some of the sources used
This resource is aimed at vets, but is full of detailed, technical facts.
Do you have a household full of pets? And does that include both dogs and rabbits? And do the bunnies try to steal food from your hounds?
Both need feeding regularly. But can rabbits eat dog food? You need to know whether you need to keep the bunnies away from the hound’s feeding bowl. Tl;dr: No, bunnies can’t eat dog food, and you need to keep them away from the dog’s bowl.
Can rabbits eat dog food?
Rabbits should not eat dog food. Do not feed dog food to bunnies, because it contains nutrients that are not suited to rabbit digestive systems. Eating dog food could lead to serious intestinal problems, such as GI stasis, because the combination of fats and animal proteins in dog food can cause harmful bacteria to release gases and toxins. Rabbits need hay, fresh greens and water.
Dog food, nutrition and rabbits
Here’s a table comparing the nutritional needs of rabbits with what dog food typically provides. It’s worth noting how unsuitable dog food is for rabbits in so many different areas.
Ingredient
Dog food per 100g
Rabbit nutritional requirements per 100g
Comments on suitability of dog food for rabbits
Energy
362 kcal
Protein
25 g
12-17 g
Dog food is too rich in protein for a healthy rabbit diet. Additionally, these proteins are likely to have the wrong balance of amino acids for rabbits.
Fat
15 g
2.5-5 g
Dog food is much too high in fat for rabbits. This can create short term problems in the gut, and longer term issues over rabbits becoming overweight.
Fibre
3 g
14-25 g
Dog food has comparatively little fibre. Rabbits need a lot of fibre in their diets to keep food moving through their digestive system. Without fibre, it all blocks up and creates problems.
Calcium
1 g
500 mg
Dog food is relatively high in calcium. Rabbits need a low calcium diet, as they are prone to developing extremely painful kidney stones.
Phosphorus
0.7 g
0.4 g
Dog food is slightly higher in phosphorus for a healthy rabbit diet.
Vitamin A
1,500 IU
1,000-1,200 IU
Dog food is high in vitamin A. Although rabbits do need this vitamin, if you give too much to your rabbits it makes them unwell.
Vitamin E
15 IU
5-16 mg
The dog food only provides a little of what the rabbit needs.
Vitamin D
144 IU
80-100 IU
Although dog food is high in vitamin D, too much is bad for bunnies.
Zinc
15 mg
5-15 mg
Dog food is OK on the amount of zinc.
Selenium
0.04 mg
0.005-0.032 mg
Dog food is much higher in selenium than rabbits need.
Table comparing the nutritional content of dog food with the nutritional requirements of rabbits. Dog food nutrition based on Pedigree, Taste of the Wild, and Blue dry dog food. More on rabbit nutrition can be found here.
Dog food is designed for dogs (surprise!) – and dogs are omnivores who need a lot of meat in their diets. Rabbits are herbivores – they only eat plant based food. So it’s no surprise that their dietary needs are so different.
For the table, I looked at some of the best selling dog food brands in the USA and in Britain – the values vary slightly from one brand to another, but not by much.
Eating dog food is bad for bunnies because the food is entirely wrong for rabbit digestive systems. Rabbits need a diet with lots of fibre, and dog food is much too low in fibre. Without this fibre, the intestines of rabbits will have a hard time moving the food along. If it stops moving, then rabbits can develop GI stasis, which is a serious problem for bunnies.
Dog food is also much too high in fat and protein for rabbits. These high levels of fat and protein will cause further problems as rabbits try to digest the food, and can lead to gastro-intestinal stasis (GI stasis). Inside the intestines, bacteria feed on the fat and then release gases, causing stomach pains for the rabbit. The bacteria can also start releasing toxins.
The stomach pains mean that the rabbit may stop eating. This then changes the pH level (acidity level) in the intestines, leading to more bacteria producing gas and toxins. Additionally, the toxins may poison the rabbit’s organs.
Rabbits with GI stasis may move much less than normal, stretch more than normal, and refuse food.
If you suspect GI stasis, consult a vet immediately, as the condition can be extremely dangerous for rabbits.
How to stop your rabbit eating dog food
Prevention is better than cure. People who own both dogs and rabbits may try to keep the bunny away when the dog is eating. This can be difficult if you have a free-roam bunny, but you need to work out a way to keep your rabbit safe.
This might mean not leaving dog food out in a bowl for your dog to graze, as your rabbit can also nip in and steal some of the food.
There are no straightforward answers except keeping the rabbit away during feed times and keeping the food out of reach at all other times.
Help! My bunny ate some dog food – what should I do?
If your rabbit just nibbled a little bit of dog food, then keep an eye on your bunny for the next day. Check that they are pooing normally, and that they are continuing to eat and behave normally. Make sure they have plenty of access to hay and water (these are always the best things for a bunny’s diet).
There is no immediate need to panic – if you check out some rabbit forums, you’ll find that a number of owners have discovered their bunnies stealing a little of the dog food with no harmful effects. But it is better to be safe than sorry.
If your bunny changes their behaviour (for example, stops eating, or seems much more lethargic than usual) then consult a vet immediately.
What diets should rabbits have?
The best diet for rabbits should be mainly based on hay – preferably Timothy hay. This provides them not only with nearly all their nutritional requirements, but also has the right amount of fibre to enable their teeth to remain healthy (the fibre wears down rabbits’ teeth, which never stop growing) and food to keep moving through their digestive system.
Also give your rabbits a handful of greens every day – mix this up a little to provide variety and to ensure that rabbits get all the nutrients they need.
You can also give your rabbits about an eggcup’s worth of rabbit nuggets.
Rabbits also need lots of fresh water.
But they don’t need dog food. Ever.
Conclusion
Never feed dog food to your rabbit. It is bad for them, and could lead to serious problems in both the short and long term. Stick to hay, water, greens and the occasional treat for your bunny, and they’ll be healthier and happier for it.
We’re the besotted owners of Fish and Chips, two gorgeous mini lop bunnies. We’re learning as we go and passing on information, tips, reviews and more.
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