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What's in a Diet? Everything You Need to Know About Feeding Your Pet Rabbit!

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 20:19:56 GMT

Written by Sabrina Murdocca | September 5th, 2025

Your Rabbit’s Unique Digestive System

Rabbits are herbivores, but did you know that they have evolved to develop a digestive system that is radically different from other herbivores? A rabbit’s digestive system is designed to take in large quantities of food while simultaneously separating the digestible components from fibrous waste, which happens in the colon. Interestingly enough, this system actually runs on fiber! That’s why good hay is such a crucial part of your rabbit’s diet. Once the colon has separated the digestible from the nondigestible parts, the digestible parts are sent to an organ called the caecum , which acts as a sort of reservoir for fermentation. It may be helpful to think of the caecum as a pouch filled with good bacteria. When the digestible parts of a rabbit’s diet enter the caecum, it is held there for about 4 hours in the process of fermentation–during which the bacteria break down the grass and hay to release energy and nutrients.

What Goes In, Must Come Out!

This is the part of the process where we need to talk about poop (yes, poop). When your rabbit’s caecum is done breaking down the nutritious part of their diet, it gets coated in mucus and released as cecotropes , which are (you guessed it) poop. Interestingly enough, cecotropes differ from the more common type of poop you will see in your rabbit’s pen: fecal pellets. While fecal pellets are large, dry, and somewhat round in shape; cecotropes are soft, mucus coated clusters of poop. Now, here is something that shocks most first time rabbit owners: after your rabbit has disposed of cecotropes from their colon, they will turn around and eat them! While this may sound disgusting to us, eating their own poop (cecotropes, NOT fecal pellets) is actually a healthy and normal part of your rabbit’s diet! As a pet owner, you may not even see this happen, since rabbits typically ingest cecotropes immediately after producing them. If you do see a lot of cecotropes piling up in your rabbit’s enclosure, this may be a sign that something is amiss and you should speak to a veterinarian.

What should you feed your rabbit?

We’ve already mentioned how important fiber is to your rabbit’s digestive tract–this is what keeps their whole system running! That’s why grass and hay are a foundational part of your rabbit’s diet. Some experts recommend your rabbit’s diet being 85% hay, 10% leafy greens and herbs, and 5% pellets. A healthy rabbit will actually eat their body’s volume in hay everyday! While this may seem like a lot, it’s important to remember that hay is very lightweight, so your rabbit’s volume worth of hay is actually only a fraction of their body weight.

When it comes to choosing a type of hay to feed your rabbit, Timothy hay is the most highly recommended. When it’s not growing in meadows or on mountainsides, Timothy hay serves as an important source of fuel for not only rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas, but also deer horses, and livestock animals! What makes Timothy hay so beneficial for rabbits is its high-fiber content and ability to file a rabbit’s continually growing teeth to a manageable length. Some sources even recommend a blend of Timothy hay and Orchard hay as a great base for your rabbit. Interestingly, Bermuda grass hay is a healthy food source with about the same nutritional content as Timothy and Orchard hays–but rabbits don’t find it as tasty!

Another type of hay that you may be familiar with is Alfalfa hay. While Alfalfa does have its benefits, it is important to know when and why to feed this type of hay to your rabbit. Alfalfa is a high calorie, high calcium hay that is typically recommended for rabbits who have trouble gaining or maintaining weight. It can be beneficial for young bunnies, and rabbits who are pregnant, nursing, elderly, or ill. However, it is not recommended for healthy adult rabbits. Alfalfa does not contain enough fiber to produce healthy rabbit droppings, and the high calorie and high calcium content can actually lead to “sludge” in their urine, excessive weight gain, and cecotrope pellets not being eaten (which takes us back to our earlier discussion about the importance of poop). It is not recommended to put bunnies on a strict Alfalfa diet, as this can lead to some of these issues as well.

In addition to hay, your rabbit will thrive with a variety of leafy greens and herbs in their diet. Some sources recommend about a large handful of safe, washed greens everyday–ideally a mixture of five to six different types! Some good foods are kale, celery, rosemary, mint, parsley, cabbage, broccoli, and spinach. While this may be a shock to your favorite cartoon rabbit, carrot taproots (the orange parts) are actually high in sugar and not a great source of nutrition–replace them with the leafy green carrot tops instead! It is also recommended to introduce new greens into your rabbit’s diet gradually, to avoid stomach upset.

To Treat, or not to Treat?

While a small, measured portion of high-quality pellets is considered beneficial for your rabbit, this should amount to no more than 5% of their diet. It is also not recommended to top your rabbit’s bowl with pellets, as this may lead to them not finishing their necessary portions of grass and hay! When it comes to sweet treats, like fruits, carrots, and root vegetables–these should only be occasional goodies. You don’t want your rabbit to over-indulge in sugar, as this can lead to a variety of potential health concerns.

Additional Sources

We hope this covers any questions you may have had about the best way to approach feeding your pet rabbit, but you may find these additional resources useful as well! Make sure you visit us in store to check out our selection of rabbit food and supplies, or to speak to one of our knowledgeable staff members about any questions you might have.

https://www.vetexotic.theclinics.com/article/S1094-9194(02)00024-5/fulltext

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/digestion/

https://hastingsvet.com/rabbit-food-the-best-and-worst-foods-to-feed-a-bunny/

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rabbits/diet

https://sandiegorabbits.org/education/all-about-hay

https://www.kaytee.com/learn-care/small-animals/what-is-timothy-hay

5 Tips for Senior Dogs

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 15:44:24 GMT

Written by Elizabeth Flores | November 15th, 2022

Give your old pal the best life by considering the following things

1. Oral Health

Unfortunately, senior dogs are likely to suffer from tooth decay. This is due to both diet and poor oral hygiene over the course of several years. Here are some things that you can do to prevent or mitigate the consequences of tooth decay.

Avoid foods or treats high in sugars - Not only is this important for maintaining your dog’s overall wellbeing, this is crucial for dental health. Most formulas on our pet food wall of shame should be avoided for this reason.

Address your dog's dental pain - Have you noticed a loss of appetite in your old pal? A common problem in senior dogs is that it's too painful for them to chew their food. If so, consider making one of the following modifications:

If you're feeding a dry dog food diet, consider pouring warm water or bone broth over kibble to soften it.
As an alternative to kibble, consider a gently cooked food such as A Pup Above or Freshpet, both of which are packed with nutrition and easy to chew. Alternatively, canned dog food is another readily available option that is easier to store than refrigerated foods.

Avoid plaque - Veterinarians recommend brushing your dog's teeth daily, or at a bare minimum of 2x a week to remove plaque and prevent disease. We sell a variety of toothbrushes and toothpastes appropriate for dogs along with other dental products such as toys, treats, dental wipes, and oral gels. You can browse through some of our products here , but they are available for sale in-store only.

Don’t hesitate to take your pal to the vet - They might be due for a teeth cleaning, especially if there is noticeable plaque. Left untreated, plaque deteriorates your dog's oral health in stages, leading to gingivitis and eventually periodontal disease. In some cases, having your dog's decaying tooth pulled is the best thing you can do to prevent the surrounding teeth from rotting.

2. Diet Changes

Senior diets are formulated to specifically address the health needs of elderly dogs. As dogs get older, their lifestyles change, their bodies change, and as a consequence they will have different dietary needs. If you haven't done so already, switching to a senior dog food formula just might be the best move. The appropriate diet for your aging dog will contain ingredients that promote the following health needs:

Maintain a healthy weight - Dogs are less active with age, and are not burning as many calories as they used to when they were puppies. Senior dog food contains less calories per serving while still keeping your pet feeling full. Although we love our adorable, chunky doggos, obesity leads to other health issues and should be prevented if you wish to keep your pet alive and well.

Bone and joint health - Senior dog food formulas contain glucosamine & chondroitin to support healthy bone and joint functions. These are compounds that are naturally produced in your dog's cartilage and help cushion the impact on their joints. As your dog ages, the natural production of these compounds declines. Adding glucosamine and chondroitin to your senior dog's diet may help reduce pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.

Healthy gut and a strong immune system -
The main function of a probiotic is to support food digestion. As dogs age, their digestion abilities decline, which compromises their gastric and intestinal health.
Probiotics increase the number healthy bacteria in the digestive tract. daily diet will improve their immune strength and prevent them from getting sick often.
Omega 3 fatty acids comes from cold water fish and provides many therapeutic benefits for dogs, including managing chronic inflammatory disorders like colitis, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, joint pain from arthritis, and allergic skin problems.

3. Joint Pain

Glucosamine and chondroitin may be included in a senior formula, also available as supplements
Glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound made of a sugar and an amino acid, tied to the body’s production of lubricants and shock absorption for healthy joint function. Glucosamine is made in your dog’s cartilage; it’s also a building block for arterial cartilage and helps rebuild damaged cartilage. Glucosamine benefits lots of body parts, including:
Nails, Tendons, Skin, Eyes, Synovial fluid, Bone, Ligaments, Heart valves, Mucous secretions in the digestive, respiratory, and urinary tracts
chondroitin is produced in your dog’s body but diminishes with age. A chondroitin sulfate supplement may help hydrate your older, arthritic dog’s cartilage and keep it from breaking down, cushioning some of the impact on his joints. Unlike conventional medications, chondroitin helps alleviate joint pain by addressing the disease process itself and by restoring some integrity to the joint.
Omega 3 fatty acids comes from cold water fish and provides many therapeutic benefits for dogs, including managing chronic inflammatory disorders like colitis, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, joint pain from arthritis, and allergic skin problems.
CBD for pain

4. Exercise

maintains healthy joints
weight management - overweight dogs are at a greater risk for disease
fight depression - keeps their minds occupied
active lifestyle will help prevent arthritis and muscle loss.
walking on grass or sand - low impact, avoid extreme weather
swimming is another great low impact exercise
follow your dog's pace and don't push them to their limits

5. Accommodate Their Environment

Raised bowl appropriate for your dogs height - helps prevent unnecessary strain to senior joints when bending.
orthopedic bed helps ease the pain in dogs with arthritis, painful joints, trouble standing up, mobility issues
ramps - ramps are better for senior dogs with joint and mobility issues. A dog ramp provides a smooth, gradual rise up to your bed or couch, giving your senior dog a comfortable way to get close to you