Food·6 min read
The ideal rabbit diet: hay, fresh greens and treats
Which leafy greens to give every day? Where do carrots or strawberries fit in? Discover the balanced bowl that keeps our rabbits in top shape.
Updated on 11 November 2026
The essentials
- Green, fragrant, dust-free hay makes up 70 to 80% of the daily diet.
- Fresh greens (romaine lettuce, carrot tops, herbs, chicory, fennel) are always introduced gradually.
- Sugary roots and fruits (carrot, strawberry, apple) remain small occasional treats.
1. Unlimited hay: the number one secret to good health
A rabbit's teeth grow throughout its life (up to several millimetres a week!). Only the prolonged sideways chewing of hay and grass allows natural, even wear of the molars and incisors.
Good meadow hay (timothy, orchard grass or, in moderation for adults, Crau hay) should smell of dried grass, show a nice green colour and stay available 24/7 in a clean hay rack, away from damp.
2. Putting together a varied plate of greens
On our Cute Bunny Club channel you often see our rabbits feasting on grass and leafy greens in the open air. An adult rabbit used to greens enjoys around 8 to 10% of its body weight in fresh greens, split into two meals a day.
Go for variety (3 to 4 different plants per meal), washing and drying each leaf carefully and always serving it at room temperature, never ice-cold straight from the fridge.
- Gentle safe bets: chicory (Belgian endive), fennel, celery stalks, romaine, oak leaf and Batavia lettuce.
- Aromatic greens: coriander, flat-leaf parsley (in small amounts), dill, basil, mint.
- Safe wild pickings: tall untreated grass, dandelion leaves, ribwort plantain.
3. The golden rule of dietary transition
A rabbit's digestive system relies on extremely sensitive caecal flora. Any new food is introduced one at a time, starting with a leaf the size of a postage stamp for 2 to 3 days while checking that the droppings stay nice and round and dry.
For newly weaned young rabbits, always ask exactly what their mother had them eating before gently widening the menu.
4. Carrots, strawberries and pellets: in moderation!
Even though our rabbits love crunching a slice of carrot or a piece of strawberry on camera, these sugar-rich foods remain treats given in small portions (1 to 2 times a week).
If you top up with pellets, choose only complete extruded pellets with no cereals or colourful seed mixes (around 1 to 2% of an adult rabbit's weight), alongside a heavy ceramic bowl of fresh water changed every day.