How to Feed a Wild Rabbit
Choose a spot in your yard to place the food., Provide the wild rabbits with grass and hay., Place pelleted rabbit food out for the wild rabbits., Give the wild rabbits fresh vegetables., Provide the wild rabbits with small amounts of fruit.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a spot in your yard to place the food.
If you do not mind wild rabbits visiting your yard, you can create an area of your yard where the wild rabbits can eat.
Since wild rabbits tend to like wooded or shrubby areas on the edges of a particular area,consider creating a small brush pile near the edge of your yard or garden for the wild rabbits.
In the summer, when rabbits like to eat grasses and weeds, leave an area of your lawn partially uncut—this allows grass and/or weeds to grow up,and can also provide a sheltered area for the wild rabbits to eat.
If the wild rabbits feel safe in your yard, do not be surprised if they eat grass all day.During the colder months, when rabbits eat more barks and twigs, you can make a small pile of these items in a corner of your yard.Be aware that placing food in these spots could attract other wild animals to your yard. -
Step 2: Provide the wild rabbits with grass and hay.
Whether wild or domesticated, grass and hay are staples of a rabbit’s diet.The wild rabbits in your yard will have an abundance of grass to chew on, but will probably not have ready access to hay.
The recommended types of hay for wild rabbits are oat, and timothy.
Alfalfa hay should only be given to older rabbits.
Avoid giving adult rabbits alfalfa, as it is too high in protein, calcium, and sugar.Visit your local pet store or feed store to purchase the hay.
Do not spray pesticides in your yard in which you are feeding wild rabbits.
The pesticides could make the wild rabbits very sick., Pellets are a great nutritional source for rabbits.
Pellets with seeds are ideal for wild rabbits.Keep in mind that pellets tend to be very nutrient dense—you do not need to feed them in large quantities.Look for pellets at your local pet store.
If you can approximate the sizes of the wild rabbits, you could ask the staff at the pet store about an adequate amount of pellets to feed the rabbits. , Give them at least three different types of greens per feeding, and including one that is high in vitamin A.
For the wild rabbits in your yard, you can give them:
Collard greens (high in vitamin A) Beet greens (the tops, high in vitamin A) Lettuce:
Romaine, Red or Green leaf (no iceberg or light colored leaf) Spinach Parsley Basil Mint Bok Choy Dandelion leaves Mustard greens Pea pods (just the pods) Brussels sprouts Swiss chard Broccoli (the leaves and stems) Cilantro Dill The green part of carrots Celery leaves WatercressThoroughly rinsed carrot tops are another good vegetable option.Thoroughly rinse all vegetables to remove pesticides.
Although carrots are a very popular food for rabbits, they are high in carbohydrates and should only be fed in small quantities(only half a carrot every other day).Feed the wild rabbits a smaller amount of carrots than the other vegetables.
Do not feed the wild rabbits vegetables that can cause gas or bloating: broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
Since rabbits are unable to pass gas, the buildup of gas in their digestive systems can cause serious health issues and may even be fatal.Because wild rabbits are not as acclimated to vegetables as domesticated rabbits, introduce them to vegetables slowly.Try feeding them just one type of vegetable at a time.Begin with only a small amount of a green, and watch for any intestinal issues in your bunny, such as diarrhea or soft stools.Rabbits also have individual likes and dislikes when it comes to taste so if your bunny isn’t interested in a certain vegetable, make note of it and replace it with a vegetable she might prefer.
Wild rabbits can get diarrhea if they are introduced to new vegetables too quickly.
Wild rabbits also enjoy eating clover and watercress., Wild rabbits will eat small berries, but will also eat other plant parts to balance off the fruit’s high sugar content.If you would like to give fruit to the wild rabbits, consider giving them different types of berries: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries.For raspberries and blackberries, provide the wild rabbits with the fruit as well as the plant stems and leaves.Bananas and dried fruit are very high in sugar and should be fed only sparingly (even less than the other fruits).
Per rabbit, one to two half-inch slices of bananas and two to three pieces of dried fruit would be enough.Other types of fruit you could feed the wild rabbits include papaya, honeydew melon, and plums (without the pit).
However, you may want to stick with the berries, since the rabbits may be more accustomed to eating these in their natural environment. -
Step 3: Place pelleted rabbit food out for the wild rabbits.
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Step 4: Give the wild rabbits fresh vegetables.
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Step 5: Provide the wild rabbits with small amounts of fruit.
Detailed Guide
If you do not mind wild rabbits visiting your yard, you can create an area of your yard where the wild rabbits can eat.
Since wild rabbits tend to like wooded or shrubby areas on the edges of a particular area,consider creating a small brush pile near the edge of your yard or garden for the wild rabbits.
In the summer, when rabbits like to eat grasses and weeds, leave an area of your lawn partially uncut—this allows grass and/or weeds to grow up,and can also provide a sheltered area for the wild rabbits to eat.
If the wild rabbits feel safe in your yard, do not be surprised if they eat grass all day.During the colder months, when rabbits eat more barks and twigs, you can make a small pile of these items in a corner of your yard.Be aware that placing food in these spots could attract other wild animals to your yard.
Whether wild or domesticated, grass and hay are staples of a rabbit’s diet.The wild rabbits in your yard will have an abundance of grass to chew on, but will probably not have ready access to hay.
The recommended types of hay for wild rabbits are oat, and timothy.
Alfalfa hay should only be given to older rabbits.
Avoid giving adult rabbits alfalfa, as it is too high in protein, calcium, and sugar.Visit your local pet store or feed store to purchase the hay.
Do not spray pesticides in your yard in which you are feeding wild rabbits.
The pesticides could make the wild rabbits very sick., Pellets are a great nutritional source for rabbits.
Pellets with seeds are ideal for wild rabbits.Keep in mind that pellets tend to be very nutrient dense—you do not need to feed them in large quantities.Look for pellets at your local pet store.
If you can approximate the sizes of the wild rabbits, you could ask the staff at the pet store about an adequate amount of pellets to feed the rabbits. , Give them at least three different types of greens per feeding, and including one that is high in vitamin A.
For the wild rabbits in your yard, you can give them:
Collard greens (high in vitamin A) Beet greens (the tops, high in vitamin A) Lettuce:
Romaine, Red or Green leaf (no iceberg or light colored leaf) Spinach Parsley Basil Mint Bok Choy Dandelion leaves Mustard greens Pea pods (just the pods) Brussels sprouts Swiss chard Broccoli (the leaves and stems) Cilantro Dill The green part of carrots Celery leaves WatercressThoroughly rinsed carrot tops are another good vegetable option.Thoroughly rinse all vegetables to remove pesticides.
Although carrots are a very popular food for rabbits, they are high in carbohydrates and should only be fed in small quantities(only half a carrot every other day).Feed the wild rabbits a smaller amount of carrots than the other vegetables.
Do not feed the wild rabbits vegetables that can cause gas or bloating: broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
Since rabbits are unable to pass gas, the buildup of gas in their digestive systems can cause serious health issues and may even be fatal.Because wild rabbits are not as acclimated to vegetables as domesticated rabbits, introduce them to vegetables slowly.Try feeding them just one type of vegetable at a time.Begin with only a small amount of a green, and watch for any intestinal issues in your bunny, such as diarrhea or soft stools.Rabbits also have individual likes and dislikes when it comes to taste so if your bunny isn’t interested in a certain vegetable, make note of it and replace it with a vegetable she might prefer.
Wild rabbits can get diarrhea if they are introduced to new vegetables too quickly.
Wild rabbits also enjoy eating clover and watercress., Wild rabbits will eat small berries, but will also eat other plant parts to balance off the fruit’s high sugar content.If you would like to give fruit to the wild rabbits, consider giving them different types of berries: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries.For raspberries and blackberries, provide the wild rabbits with the fruit as well as the plant stems and leaves.Bananas and dried fruit are very high in sugar and should be fed only sparingly (even less than the other fruits).
Per rabbit, one to two half-inch slices of bananas and two to three pieces of dried fruit would be enough.Other types of fruit you could feed the wild rabbits include papaya, honeydew melon, and plums (without the pit).
However, you may want to stick with the berries, since the rabbits may be more accustomed to eating these in their natural environment.
About the Author
Sara Foster
Committed to making crafts accessible and understandable for everyone.
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