Rabbit Food Calculator – How Much Should I Feed My Rabbit?
Hay first, then greens, then a small measure of pellets. Enter your rabbit's weight for the daily amounts.
A rabbit that stops eating is an emergency
If your rabbit has not eaten or produced droppings for 12 hours or more, they need to see a vet the same day. Gut stasis can be fatal within a day.
Your rabbit's daily food
- Hay or grass
- Unlimited – at least a bundle the size of Your rabbit
- Fresh leafy greens
- 2 packed cups
- Pellets
- 50 g
- Treats (carrot, fruit)
- Thumbnail-sized piece at most
Hay should make up around 85% of everything Your rabbit eats.
Rabbit age in human years
36 human years
Based on 3 rabbit years. Most pet rabbits live 8–12 years.
The rabbit plate: hay, greens, pellets
A good rabbit diet is simple but strict. Around eighty-five per cent of what a rabbit eats should be grass or good hay, available all day and every day. A useful measure is a bundle at least as big as the rabbit itself. Next come fresh leafy greens – about one packed cup per kilogram of body weight, split across two servings. Pellets come last, at roughly 25 g per kilogram, which for many rabbits is a single small eggcup a day.
Worked example: a 2 kg rabbit
Unlimited hay, plus about two packed cups of mixed greens over the day and around 50 g of pellets. That pellet amount surprises people – it is far less than most bowls hold. If your rabbit leaves hay because the bowl is always full, cut the pellets first.
Why hay is non-negotiable
Rabbit teeth grow continuously, by two to three millimetres a week. Only the long sideways chewing of grass and hay wears them evenly. Rabbits on pellet-heavy diets develop sharp spurs on the molars that cut the tongue and cheek, and the pain stops them eating, which then triggers gut stasis. The same fibre keeps the digestive system moving, which is why hay is both a dental and a life-saving measure.
Safe greens, and ones to avoid
- Good choices: spring greens, kale, cavolo nero, broccoli leaves, celery leaves, coriander, basil, mint, parsley, dandelion leaves.
- Treats only: carrot, apple, banana, pepper – a thumbnail-sized piece at most.
- Avoid: iceberg lettuce, potato and potato leaves, rhubarb, onion, leek, garlic, avocado, and grass clippings from the mower.
- Introduce anything new one item at a time, over several days.
Rabbit years in human years
Rabbits grow up fast and then settle. The first year is worth roughly twenty human years, the second about ten, and each year after that around six. A five-year-old rabbit is therefore about forty-eight in human terms – middle-aged, and a good point to start six-monthly health checks. Most pet rabbits live eight to twelve years when neutered, vaccinated and kept in a pair.
Daily health checks that take two minutes
- Count the droppings – fewer or smaller than usual is an early warning.
- Check they are eating hay, not just picking at greens.
- In warm months, check the back end twice daily for flystrike, which can kill within hours.
- Weigh weekly on kitchen scales; rabbits hide illness until it is advanced.
- Make sure water is clean and both a bowl and a bottle are available.
Frequently asked questions
What should a rabbit eat every day?
Mostly hay – at least a bundle the size of the rabbit itself, always available. Then about one packed cup of safe fresh greens per kilogram of body weight, and roughly 25 g of pellets per kilogram.
Why does hay matter so much?
Chewing long-strand fibre wears down teeth that grow continuously, and keeps the gut moving. Rabbits fed mostly pellets or muesli commonly develop painful dental disease and gut stasis.
Are muesli-style rabbit foods bad?
Yes. Rabbits pick out the sugary bits and leave the fibre, which causes dental disease and obesity. Use a uniform extruded pellet instead, in small amounts.
Which greens are safe?
Spring greens, kale, cabbage, broccoli leaves, herbs such as coriander, basil and parsley, and dandelion leaves. Introduce new greens one at a time. Avoid iceberg lettuce, potato, rhubarb and anything from a bulb.
Can rabbits have carrots and fruit?
Only as an occasional treat, no more than a thumbnail-sized piece a day. Both are high in sugar.
My rabbit hasn't eaten for a few hours. Is that serious?
Yes. A rabbit that has not eaten or passed droppings for 12 hours or more needs to see a vet the same day – gut stasis is a life-threatening emergency.
How old is my rabbit in human years?
Roughly 20 human years for the first year, about 10 for the second and around 6 for each year after. Most pet rabbits live 8 to 12 years.
Do guinea pigs eat the same?
The hay rule is the same, but guinea pigs must also get vitamin C daily from fresh food or a supplement, because they cannot make their own.
Estimates only – not a substitute for advice from your vet.
Last reviewed: 22 September 2026