#Frisee Chicory

[askwhatsforlunch]

Vår Sill Potatissallad (Spring Herring Potato Salad)

If you know me, you know I love eating herring and potato salad in all seasons! This elegant Vår Sill Potatissallad, which looks like a gargen at Springtime may just become my favourite! Happy Wednesday!

Ingredients (serves 2):

half a dozen New Potatoes 

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 ½ heaped teaspoon whole-grain Dijon Mustard

4 tablespoons Senap och Dillsås (Mustard and Dill Sauce) 

1 small Green Onion

155 grams/5.5 ounces smoked herring

2 cups frisée chicory, thoroughly rinsed and spin-dried

half a dozen snapdragon flowers (or other edible flowers, like borage) (optional)

Peel Potatoes, and place them whole in a medium pot with coarse sea salt. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and let cool at room temperature, until just warm.

In a large salad bowl, combine whole-grain Dijon Mustard and Senap och Dillsås, stirring until well-blended.

Finely chop Green Onion, and stir into the sauce.

Cut Potatoes into thick slices. Cut smoked herrings into chunks and add potatoes, herrings and frisée chicory to salad bowl, and toss gently to combine and coat in the dressing. Garnish with snapdragon flowers, if using.

Serve Vår Sill Potatissallad, with a glass of chilled rosé or Sauvignon Blanc.

#Recipe #Food #Vår Sill Potatissallad #Vår Sill Potatissallad recept #Spring Herring and Potato Salad #Herring and Potato Salad #Herring and Potato Salad recipe #Smoked Herrings #Fish and Seafood #New Potatoes #Garden New Potatoes #Potatoes #Frisée #Frisée Chicory #Frisee #Frisee Chicory #Chicory #Garden Green Onion #Green Onion #Whole-Grain Mustard #Senap och Dillsås #Mustard and Dill Sauce #Snapdragon Flowers #Edible Flowers #Salad #Salad recipe #Salad and Side #Spring Salad #Spring #Spring recipe

[thechestnutworkshop]

buttermilk & herb chicken with garlic crostini and simple salad

I love roasted chicken—something so incredible and fresh about its burnished blistered skin, crackling to unveil the juicy bouncy flesh in the heat of 450F. The drippings that render from chicken naturally, even when just showered with salt and freshly crushed black pepper, already have an indescribably complex and full profile.

However, if you do wish to infuse aromatics, it is paramount that they are stuffed under the very skin itself, which not only is sufficient to halfway imitiate the incredible juiciness of a brined bird, but perhaps more importantly also gives heady infusion of the marinade right into the drippings; these drippings have a taste just so far removed from your idea of flavored chicken fat that it was incredibly hard not to scarf down the whole loaf of baguette with it, dunking and munching (my favorite bread to have with is one with very high hydration, nearing a pan cristal, with a shatteringly thin crust and a porous supple inside). Merely stuffing the cavity offers the most feeble suggestion of aromatics that it's as if the drippings were muddied, rather than flavoured.

The other option is, of course, a marinade or brine, as I'm doing here if you can afford yourself some weekend leisure—and perhaps its potency is none better showcased than with a buttermilk brine. Alone the chicken takes on an unimaginative milky note, but the herbs introduced turn the dish into indescribable magic. A heady amount of chives with the buttermilk gives the chicken a bright flavor somewhere between a green goddess and a buttermilk ranch/sour cream & onion at first bite, but the woody herbs finish the palate with a warm complexity. The buttermilk also gives a wonderful contrast between parts of the skin that become charred and other parts that are wonderfully bouncy mouthfeel to it—a sometimes welcome break from the incredibly thin, crisp, and crackly skin of a normal roasted chicken.

Serve a side salad with this, and you have the most perfect lunch under early summery skies.

buttermilk & herb chicken with garlic crostini and simple salad

for the roasted chicken chicken 1 liter (33.8 fl oz) buttermilk

herbs: 2 bunches (2 cups) of minced chives 2 tbsp minced parsley 2 tbsp minced basil 1 tbsp thyme 1 tbsp marjoram 1 tbsp minced sage 1 fresh turkish bay leaf salt a touch of honey (just the smallest bit to assuage the tang of the buttermilk and to blister the skin, but it should not assert its sweetness in the slightest) cultured butter (a tbsp or so) brine chicken with buttermilk, herbs, salt, and honey overnight. pat incredibly dry (you do not want curdled buttermilk in your pan drippings), stuffing some of the herbs into the skin. scatter knobs of the cultured butter over the chicken before roasting—this part is essential for the most unbelievable flavor pairing with the marinade that returns pure chicken jus elixir. 450F for 25 minutes for already partitioned chicken pieces, and broil until the skin is slightly charred (the buttermilk discourages this). - for the crostini crusty bread garlic clove californian olive oil maldon salt in a dry pan toast a crusty piece of bread. while warm (very important), rub a cut garlic clove onto it. drizzle californian olive oil and maldon salt. - for the salad greens (I chose little gem, chicory, and frisee from the farmer's market) californian olive oil champagne (or white balsamic) vinegar salt tear greens gently—that way, the torn edge of the leaves will preserve the same texture as the rest of the leaf. with your hands, gently toss the greens with the olive oil, vinegar, and salt.

#roasted chicken #dinner #california cuisine

[chappythegardener]

What Are The Best Leafy Greens For Fall?

Growing leafy greens in the fall can be a great way to extend your harvest and enjoy fresh, nutritious produce well into the cooler months. Here are some of the best leafy greens to consider planting in the fall: Lettuce (Lactuca sativa): Varieties like 'Butterhead,' 'Romaine,' and 'Red Leaf' are excellent choices for fall. They're quick to mature and can be harvested as baby greens or full heads. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea): Spinach is a cold-hardy green that thrives in cooler temperatures. Plant varieties like 'Winter Bloomsdale' or 'Tyee' for fall harvesting. Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala): Kale is incredibly cold-tolerant and becomes sweeter after exposure to frost. Varieties like 'Curly Kale' and 'Lacinato' (Dinosaur Kale) are popular choices. Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla): Swiss chard can be grown throughout the fall. The colorful stems and tender leaves are versatile in cooking. Arugula (Eruca sativa): Arugula has a peppery flavor and is a fast-growing green, perfect for fall salads and sandwiches. Mâche (Valerianella locusta): Also known as lamb's lettuce, mâche is a cold-hardy green with a mild, nutty flavor. Endive (Cichorium endivia): Endive varieties like 'Escarole' and 'Frisee' can be grown in the fall for their slightly bitter leaves, which are excellent in salads and cooked dishes. Mustard Greens (Brassica juncea): Mustard greens come in various flavors, from mild to spicy. Plant 'Southern Giant Curled' or 'Ruby Streaks' for fall harvesting. Collard Greens (Brassica oleracea var. acephala): Collards are a traditional Southern green that thrives in cooler temperatures and becomes sweeter after a frost. Asian Greens (Various Varieties): Bok choy, tatsoi, and komatsuna are Asian greens that do well in the fall garden. They have a range of flavors from mild to peppery. Radicchio (Cichorium intybus): Radicchio is known for its bitter leaves and attractive red color. It's a cool-weather crop ideal for fall. Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata): Some cabbage varieties, like 'Savoy' or 'Red Cabbage,' can be planted in late summer for fall harvests. Sorrel (Rumex acetosa): Sorrel has tangy, lemony leaves and is a perennial green that can be harvested throughout the fall. Chicory (Cichorium intybus): Chicory varieties like 'Radicchio' and 'Sugarloaf' are cold-hardy greens with slightly bitter flavors. When planting fall greens, consider using row covers or cold frames to protect your plants from frost and extend the growing season. Additionally, choose varieties that are specifically suited for fall growing, as they tend to be more cold-tolerant and bolt-resistant. With the right care, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of leafy greens well into autumn. Read the full article

#fall #greens

[allthingsbunnie]

What Are the Suggested Vegetables and Fruits for a Pet Rabbit's Diet?

Rabbits in the wild all over the world consume different varieties of plants. Many types of dry and fresh plants and grasses comprise a large part of a rabbit's diet. You are required to know your pet rabbit's diet when you are undergoing rabbit breeding. 

This article will list some of the fruits and vegetables that rabbits consume and what types of fruits and vegetables you need to buy from the markets to feed your rabbit.  

Hay is a Portion of Important Rabbit Food. 

The majority of the house rabbit's diet is composed of grass hay. This grass hay is rich in Vitamin A and D; it is also rich in Calcium, proteins, and other nutrients. When a rabbit consumes healthy hay, it helps keep its teeth healthy and its gastrointestinal tract. They need to be available to your rabbit at all times.

You need to avoid the use of alfalfa hay as the main source of hay as it is high in proteins and calories, and this is far more than something that the average house rabbit needs. Fresh foods should also be made an important part of your rabbit's diet.

List of Fruits and Vegetables for Rabbit's Diet  

Some of the fruits and vegetables that can be a part of your rabbit's diet are as follows:

Leafy greens I

Spinach 

Parsley 

Swiss chard

Beet greens

Radish tops

Sprouts

Mustard greens  

Leafy greens II

Carrot tops

Cucumber leaves 

Endive 

Frisee lettuce 

Mache

red/green lettuce

Mint

Dandelion greens

Turnip greens

Basil

Watercress

Wheatgrass

Chicory 

Raspberry leaves 

Dill leaves 

Non-leafy vegetables 

Non-leafy vegetables should not comprise more than 155 of your rabbit's diet

Broccoli (steams/leaves)

Carrot 

Bell peppers

Chinese pea pods

Edible flowers

Broccolini 

Summer squash 

Zucchini squash 

Brussel sprouts 

Celery 

Fruits 

Fruits should not comprise more than 10% of your rabbit's diet. You need to wash the fruits thoroughly and leave the skin on the fruit and if you are concerned about chemicals in the skin, then remove it.

Apple

Peach 

Pear

Kiwi 

Berries

Plum 

Mango 

Cherries 

Berris

Berries (uncooked)

Star fruit 

Apricot 

Banana 

Pineapple

Currants 

Nectarine 

Melons 

Final Words 

If you want to improve the diet of your rabbit while you are busy with rabbit breeding, you need to visit an online rabbit food supply store. You can buy the relevant fruits and vegetables that can help make a perfect diet for your rabbit. You also need to ensure that your rabbit consumes these items in the correct amount to maintain its health. 

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Scene Of Midnight Gunfire Near Toronto,” Toronto Globe. April 20, 1931. Page 1. ---- When six men allegedly attempted to enter Plaza Lodge on the Hamilton Highway, just west of Clarkson, early Sunday morning, the manager, William Cook, opened fire, police say, and wounded Oscar Campbell of Pembroke Street. Campbell is in St. Joseph's Hospital, and five of his companions, as well as Cook, are in Brampton Jail. Upper right, picture depicts the entrance-way to the lodge where the shooting took place. Cook alleges the persons trying to get in opened fire, and perforated the glass above the doorway. At upper left is shown the framework in which the glass was situated, the pane being removed by police. At lower left is a picture of one of those arrested, Albert (’Frenchy’) Belanger, former world’s flyweight champion. At lower right is a general view of the lodge, which was formerly known as the Chicory Inn.

IN HOSPITAL OSCAR CAMPBELL Pembroke Street, who is in St. Joseph’s Hospital following a wound received early Sunday morning at ‘Plaza Lodge’ west of Clarkson, on the Hamilton Highway. [AL: William (’Big Bill’) Cook would be assaulted by a friend of Campbell’s, Michael McDonald, in October 1931, and there seems to be have been some kind of vendetta or feud between the two groups of men. Also arrested for attempting to enter the Plaza Lodge was Oscar’s brother, Melville, their brother in law Harry Frise, Charles Brown, Richard Ashcroft, and ‘Frenchy’ Belanger, a former world flyweight champion.]

#brampton #hamilton #shooting affray #shooting incident #roadhouse #big bill cooke #oscar campbell #melville campbell #shot in the arm #gang war #youth gangs #lodge #underworld #twillight struggle #great depression in canada #crime and punishment in canada #history of crime and punishment in canada

[mnjamblog]

Endive

Braised or grilled, added to a fresh salad or used as a scoopfor your favorite clean dip, the Belgian endive is a versatilevegetable you’ll soon consider a crisper-drawer staple Slender and compact, Belgian endive (pronouncedon-deev in Europe) belongs to the chicory family,along with radicchio, escarole and frisee. Served raw,this leafy vegetable’s refreshing flavor is slightly bitter,its crisp,…

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#Belgian #bitter #black pepper #bones #braised #calcium #Chicken #chips #crisp #crisper #endive #escarole #Europe #fiber #flavor #fresh salad #frisee #grilled #healthy #honey #italian #Juice #juicy #Kylie #Lemon #olive oil #parsley #perfect #potassium #radicchio

[ecmjoanne]

What I’m planting now, and why

Rain in Los Angeles – can you believe it? Looking to the upbeat, hopeful, future-oriented news, here’s what I’m planting now, and planning for the summer.

This past week, the rush on supermarkets was absolutely crazy. At this point, even the warehouses that back up all those supermarkets are likely emptied. That means the crunch is on at packaging and production levels — and who knows how many employees will be out sick, out taking care of family, and out for social distancing, all of which delays restocking. All that means we can totally expect to see higher food prices as people compete for the few remaining items, plus longer-term shortages.

I’m really glad my garden is packed with collards and chard right now, and boy do they like the rain! So in a bit I will have tons of that, plus grapefruits are dripping off my tree.

Right now, calendar-wise, we are at the change-over point in SoCalif seasons. The cool season crops — like my collards — are just completing, and once we get a spell of hot weather, most of those will be done. But it’s too soon for the summer crops — like tomatoes and peppers — they need it to be a bit warmer so as not to stunt their growth. So what are the crossover crops?

Arugula. This plant grows really quickly, it loves this time of year, cool and warm. You can succession-sow it (plant a little bit every few weeks to assure ongoing harvests). And as we get toward the end of April, if you seed it in the shade, you will probably have it deep into summer. Arugula can be eaten young and tender in a salad, or you can wilt it over pasta, so it has multiple uses, too.

Fava beans. We’re getting near the end of the planting window, but you can still put in another round, and they’ll yield for you. You can eat the growth tips as cooked greens, you can eat the finger-sized pods in their entirety, you can let the beans mature so that you get plump green fava beans, or you can let them dry out to get storage beans (or seed for next year).

Frisee-type chicories. These grow really well for me in my home garden. The pests that go after lettuce don’t seem to like them, so there’s more for me. I started with a chicory mix years ago, and the ones I continue to grow are the offspring of the survivors from that mix. I’ve read that you can cook them (I haven’t). I use them as salad greens instead of lettuce. They will continue into summer if planted in shade or filtered shade.

Leeks & green onions. You need it moist for them to sprout, so seeding in the rain is perfect. Plant them in the shade or filtered sun. If you let a few go to seed, you’ll have volunteers forever. (Volunteers = forever food, and isn’t that what we need right now?)

Chard. In coastal L.A. chard is nearly an all-season plant. It loves our cools season, but you can keep on planting it. If you plant toward the end of April, put it in the shade. Chard is a perfect substitute into any recipe that calls for “spinach.” Baby chard can also be eaten as a salad green.

Stay tuned for more about growing food in these crazy times. (you can subscribe to receive these posts in your email)

from What I’m planting now, and why

#Abundant Harvests - garden info

[oohlalamode]

crispy mustard chicken + frisee - ina garten

Another Barefoot Contessa recipe! Crispy mustard chicken. This was easy to make - one pan in the oven.

My notes: I did not find frisee at the grocery, so I just used mixed greens. My potatoes were also multicolored - which looked pretty! The recipe calls for chicken thighs - which were really moist. I also may try it with a breast or a boneless breast to see how it turns out.

ingredients

2 garlic cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup panko (Japanese bread flakes)

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Good olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup good Dijon mustard

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 large)

1 pound fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise

12 ounces baby frisee or chicory salad greens

Mustard Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup minced shallots

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 tablespoon good Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

instructions

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the garlic is finely minced. Add the panko, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the butter and pulse a few times to moisten the panko. Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, whisk together the mustard and wine. 

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Dip each piece first in the mustard mixture to coat the top and bottom and then coat the skin side only in the crumb mixture, pressing gently to make the crumbs adhere. Place the chicken on one side of a sheet pan, crumb side up, and press any remaining crumbs onto the chicken. 

Place the potatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and toss. Spread the potatoes on the other side of the sheet pan in one layer and roast both together for 40 to 50 minutes, turning the potatoes once during roasting, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. The chicken and potatoes should be done at the same time.

Meanwhile, place the greens on a serving platter. When the chicken and potatoes are done, toss the salad with enough vinaigrette to moisten and place the chicken and potatoes on top, adding any crumbs from the sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt and serve while the chicken and potatoes are still warm.

Mustard Vinaigrette:

Place the shallots, vinegar, olive oil, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl and whisk until emulsified.

recipe

Ina Garten’s photo:

#barefoot contessa #chicken #ina garten #mustard #crispy chicken

[santiagospauldin-blog]

How To Get Bigger Biceps muscle Tissues quick

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[marthawelsh]

Impossible Burger at Andrea’s is a Good Burger, But a Spectacular Veggie Burger

There’s been a good amount of buzz about a new menu item at Andrea’s inside Encore, the Impossible Burger, so we wasted no time trying the burger that uses “zero percent cow.”

The Impossible Burger is served three ways. We chose the sliders.

Some assembly required.

The Impossible Burger patties are served on a hot plate, with the patties still sizzling, and the fragrance is distinctly meatlike.

Despite their appearance, Impossible Burgers are completely meat-free and vegetarian-friendly.

“Improbable Burger” is probably more accurate, but doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

According to the Impossible Burger Web site, “Compared to cows, the Impossible Burger uses 95% less land, 74% less water and creates 87% less greenhouse gas emissions. And it’s 100% free of hormones, antibiotics and artificial ingredients.”

We may have removed a couple of Oxford commas from that excerpt, but only because they’re about as necessary as a clever pick-up line at a brothel. Moving on.

Yes, they could’ve inserted the meat in the kitchen, but imagine the number of H.R. and health violations.

Impossible Burger meat is a concoction of wheat, coconut oil, potatoes and other all-natural ingredients. We liked it, anyway.

A key ingredient of Impossible Burgers is something called heme. Heme is “an iron-containing compound of the porphyrin class that forms the nonprotein part of hemoglobin and some other biological molecules.” Which, as you can imagine, looks sexy as hell on the menu at Andrea’s.

According to the folks at Impossible Foods, heme “is what makes meat smell, sizzle and bleed.”

Andrea’s is named after Steve Wynn’s wife, Andrea Hissom. (Those are her eyes.) She’s not called Andrea Wynn, mainly because if she were, Wynn’s former wife, Elaine, would rain down hell fire and haunt us all for an eternity.

The three sliders are served with frisee (or endive, a member of the chicory family), kimchee (think vegetables with a personal hygiene problem) and pickles (think cucumber with a personal hygiene problem).

Impossible Burger sliders come with two delicious sauces, kalbi and kochujang aioli.

Yes, we took notes for a change.

The sliders cost $20, and were undeniably delectable. Millennial translation: They’re amazeballs.

We’re nominating the Impossible Burger as the best veggie burger in Vegas, emphasis on “nom.”

While Impossible Burgers are, indeed, tasty, we can’t say they’re indistinguishable from beef hamburgers. Veggie burgers still haven’t managed to replicate the mouth feel of their meaty counterparts, but Impossible Burgers are surprisingly close.

The other two dishes using Impossible Burger meat are the Thai Crispy Rice Cups (made with mint, cilantro, chili, onion, ginger and peanuts) and Ma Po Tofu (a take on meatballs, with chili paste, shiitake mushrooms and green onion).

While you’re devouring your Impossible Burgers, make sure to try one of our all-time favorite panty-dropper cocktails, the Asian Pear.

Bonus: The Asian Pear is meat-free.

If you’re visiting Andrea’s solo, have no fear. We had our Impossible Burgers while seated at the bar.

The Impossible Burger is that rare creature, so to speak, that lives up to the hype.

Andrea’s is a little fancy, so, please, no lederhosen.

Die-hard meat eaters may ultimately prefer a traditional burger to the Impossible Burger at Andrea’s, but there’s a lot to be said for having a viable alternative to meat, especially if one is toying with the idea of cutting back on meat, or even going whole hog vegan or vegetarian.

Yes, we see what we did there, although we’re not entirely sure what.

What, you thought we’d miss an opportunity to share a gratuitous photo of Encore? Do you know this blog at all?

The bottom line is this: Impossible Burgers don’t feel like a compromise or sacrifice. Whether you’d like to save a cow or possibly save the planet, meat-free food is inherently more appealing because it’s also free of guilt.

If you try an Impossible Burger, let us know what you think. Visit Encore’s Web site to learn more.

The post Impossible Burger at Andrea’s is a Good Burger, But a Spectacular Veggie Burger appeared first on Vital Vegas Blog.

Impossible Burger at Andrea’s is a Good Burger, But a Spectacular Veggie Burger published first on http://ift.tt/2lsgkJd

[busterbaxtersite]

Choosing The Best Rabbit Food in 2017

Someone wise once said that, ‘A rabbit is only as good as the food they eat’

Ok. That someone was me.

And that stemmed from the fact that choosing the best rabbit food for your bunnies is made out to be this immensely challenging, scientific load of bull that it is not.

Rabbit nutrition is simple. It is true that they eat a lot. But that is what precisely spreads out their daily nutritional requirement over a variety of food items that is tailored for them.

In this blog post today, I will be addressing everything related to food for your bunnies. Consider it like the Rabbit nutrition 101 guide that you always wanted. We will discuss everything from hay, natural grazing, vegetables and the occasional treats that will keep your bunny healthy, happy and fit.

By the end of this, you will be armed with enough information to pick the best rabbit food for your bunnies irrespective of the breed or the size. So sit back and resist your urge to chew on the furniture while you read this.

Quick Comparison: Top Rabbit Foods in 2017

Rabbit Food Quality Our Rating Best Rabbit Food For Adult Rabbits Oxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics Essentials A+ Small Pet Select Rabbit Food Pellets A+ Kaytee Supreme food for Rabbit A Sherwood Adult Rabbit Food - Timothy blend A- Manna Pro Small World Rabbit Feed A- Best Rabbit Food For Young Rabbits Oxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics Young Rabbit Formula A+ Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Food for Juvenile Rabbits A- Best Hay For Your Rabbit Small Pet Select 2nd Cutting Timothy Hay A Kaytee All Natural Timothy Wafer-Cut Hay A- Standlee Premium Western Forage Timothy Grass A-

* click on the product name to be taken to Amazon where you can check the current price and read customer reviews.

Below you’ll find in-depth reviews of each of the above products.

Understanding Your Rabbit’s Diet

Before we get going, let me clear one thing right off the bat.

Rabbits were originally wild animals that were later domesticated for keeping them as pets in homes. Hence, many experts refer to pet bunnies as ‘house rabbits’. If you are wondering why I mentioned this in the first place is that from a digestive and nutritive point of view, there is very little difference between a wild rabbit and a house pet.

They have identical digestive systems but there’s a huge difference in the type of food they eat which has been brought about by man’s addiction to dry packaged foods.

Don’t get me wrong here. Your rabbit will still need their pebbles. But many rabbit parents are guilty of overfeeding them with pebbles.

Like wild rabbits, which graze for hours on naturally available fresh grass, herbs, tree barks, dry grass, leaves, fruits, shrubs, herbs and sprouts, your first attempt must be to supplement your rabbit’s diet with a supply of natural grass.

The Natural Ingredients in Your Rabbit’s Diet

In ideal circumstances, your pet rabbit will have a healthy mix of grass, hay, herbs, vegetables, fruits and dry food which not only fill in their daily nutritive requirement but also cater to their taste buds by giving them a plethora of textures and flavors which wont keep them bored.

There are other advantages too which we will talk about in a bit.

But firstly, here’s a percentage graph of what your rabbit’s diet should look like.

Grass/Hay – 75- 80%

Fresh Veggies – 10-15%

Healthy Treats – 5%

Dry food/ Pellets – 5%

Now let’s go through each one of those in detail.

Grass or Hay

It is given that if you live in a city, getting access to meadows of fresh grass is next to impossible. The next best option that you have is to feed your rabbit with grass hay. Grass hay or just hay is nothing but dried grass that retains a lot of its nutritional content making it an excellent choice for rabbits that do not have access to fresh grass. It contains Vitamins A, D, Calcium, trace amounts of protein and a bunch of other nutrients.

Most rabbit parents don’t think twice before feeding their pets with a particular type of hay, which may be the most easily available option. However, different varieties of hay have different nutritional content. Some of this, when consumed in excess, can even be fatal for your pet.

Hence, it is always healthier to mix different types of hay depending on the age and weight of your pet.

Adult rabbits need less of calories and protein as compared to babies. So, babies should be fed more of alfalfa grass which is high in both the ingredients. For adults, a mix of orchard, timothy (both of which are fiber rich), oat, dried grass, meadow and Bermuda grass will be a good choice.

A small percentile breakdown of the nutrient profile of each type of hay:

Orchard grass: 32% Fiber, 10 % Protein, 0.33% Calcium

Timothy: 34% Fiber, 11% Protein, 0.5% Calcium

Alfalfa: 34% Fiber, 19% Protein, 1.5% Calcium

You can also pick one or two of the above and mix them for your pet.

As healthy as hay can be, loss of some of the nutrients, including vitamins and minerals is unavoidable due to the drying process. This is where fresh herbs and vegetables come into the picture.

Veggies and herbs

Fresh foods, vegetables and herbs in particular, can give the rabbit the moisture that is lacking in dry hay. Not only will it cater to your bunny’s taste buds, it will also improve their kidney and bladder function.

Now, there’s a lot of debate as to what the fresh part of your rabbit’s diet must contain. Having lived with bunnies for over a decade, I have learnt from experience that at least 75% of the fresh food that you give your bunnies must come from leafy green veggies.

That might sound blasphemous to a lot of people who will start to cringe about oxalic acid and the potential damage that it can do to your rabbit’s kidney function over a prolonged time frame.

For those who are unaware, Oxalic acid which is also called ‘Oxalate’ is naturally occurring ingredient in many foods, which has become a buzzword in health circles for humans as well as their furry counterparts. But the fact is that it is far from the bête noir that it is made out to be.

In limited quantities, it is harmless for bunnies. When it comes to rabbits, there are ample choices of leafy greens that do not contain oxalates.

To that end, I have a small table to share with you.

Here’s a bunch of low oxalate leafy greens and other veggies that you can feed your bunny.

Asparagus, Broccoli, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, swiss greens, turnips, basil, radish tops, beet greens, mint, chicory, cucumber leaves, carrot tops, watercress, bok choy, dill leaves, dandelion, frisee lettuce, wheatgrass, endive, cilantro and kale.

Here are a few leafy greens which have higher oxalate content. But there’s no reason for you to skip these completely from your rabbit’s diet. Instead, you can balance them out by feeding these in limited quantities because of the other nutrients that your rabbit can get from it.

Spinach, Mustard greens, Parsely, Carrots

The idea should always be to mix up the source of fresh greens and veggies giving your rabbits access to varied taste, textures and flavors while ensuring that the nutritional requirements are not left out. You can mix at least 2 -3 types of leafy greens and spread them out over the day. I regularly include spinach in my pets’ diet but ensure that I don’t overdo it for the risk of the side effects of oxalates.

Oxalates when fed in excess can cause a tingling sensation around the skin and the mouth of your pet. In extreme cases, it can cause severe kidney damage.

The only thing that I would keep an eye on while feeding the rabbit fresh veggies is to reduce the quantity of starchy and sugary veggies like broccoli because of possible gastrointestinal disturbances.

Fruits

The USDA recommends that you eat at least 5-7 servings of fruit every day. But that’s not intended for your bunnies. There’s a misconception that fruits which are touted to be loaded with antioxidants will do your bunnies a lot of good. The fact is that most fruits are loaded with natural sugars and starches which make for excellent treats but should not be a regular part of your rabbits diet.

Given a chance, your rabbit will gorge on all the fruit that they can get their hands on. That’s their natural instincts kicking in because in the wild, fruits are seasonal and in limited supply. Given the competition for food in nature, rabbits are inclined to eat as many fruits as they can at a time because it remains unsure if and when they will get their next meal.

However, excessive amounts of fruit will lead to an obese pet that most likely has gastrointestinal problems. Not the best of scenarios for a house rabbit.

It is recommended that you limit the fruit serving to less than half a tablespoon per lb of your pet’s bodyweight. Like other ingredients, this should be spread out over the day.

I usually introduce fruits to my rabbit’s diet after they have been fed hay for at least four weeks. This gives their digestive systems enough time to get used to the new foods and reduces the risk of any possible complications. You can introduce fruit in small limited doses and monitor the stool to see how your pet is faring. Soft stools may indicate that the rabbit’s digestive system is not agreeing with a particular food. You may want to strike that one off the shopping list.

 If you are giving fruits as special treats, your rabbits will look forward to it and it is also a great way to motivate them to get some much needed exercise. There’s nothing worse than a bunny that refuses to budge after sprawling out in a cage.

Dry food

Finally, we come to, what comprises of a large part of most house rabbits diets, dry food. Dry food was originally designed for caged rabbits that were bred for meat. For this reason, it is a very concentrated form of nutrition that packs in more nutrients than what your rabbit would need on a daily basis.

But that’s not necessarily everything that your rabbit needs. Most dry food lacks an adequate quantity of fiber that your pet needs for properly regulated bowel movement. If you try to increase the quantity of food to make do for the lack of fiber, it will lead to an overdose of most of the nutrients that your pet needs which will lead to severe health complications.

Now that we know about the disadvantages, let’s also talk about the perks of mixing this into a rabbit’s diet.

You may or may not have access to a mix of grass hays and all the veggies and herbs listed here for various reasons. If that is the case, then even a small dose of the best rabbit food can supplement for the nutritional deficiencies. Also, any rabbit’s diet that only consists of fresh foods clearly lacks many trace nutrients, vitamins and minerals that can be supplemented by using a good quality commercial dry food.

There are two main types of dry rabbit foods available in the market.

Mixed foods: These are a blend of different dried and processed ingredients that may include dried vegetables. It looks similar to breakfast cereals or muesli which makes them appear to be healthier than pellets, which are the other type of dried rabbit food. However, rabbit food mixes with their bright colors may not be the best of choices for your pet because your rabbits may selectively pick their choicest morsels leaving out nutritional ingredients. Also, I’d rather give my pets as less added flavoring and coloring as I can. That’s just me though. Nothing has been proven scientifically about the coloring and flavors in rabbit food.

Pellets: Pellets or nuggets are mostly made from dried grass and are uniform sized chunks that your rabbits cannot pick from. For this reason, you will find that a rabbit usually eats all the pellets left in their food bowl rather than cereals. There are many different brands of pellets to choose from in the market and there’s a lot of misleading advertising being used by manufacturers. A red colored pellet for example with the label screaming ‘all-natural ingredients’ may be misleading you into believing that it possibly contains carrot. A green one possibly indicating that it is sourced from leafy greens. But that is rarely the case. The most important thing that you should keep an eye on is the nutritional value on the product information label. This becomes all the more necessary if your pet does not have access to grass hay or other fresh herbs and veggies. For adult rabbits, look for a bare minimum of 19-20% dietary fiber to make the food easier for your bunny to digest. For young rabbits that are below six months of age, the food must contain at least 19% of protein to help them develop their bodies.

The next most important question that rabbit parents have is how much to feed their bunnies at different stages of their body growth. And it is a very critical part of the rabbit’s diet and well being.

How much is adequate? How much is too much or too little?

How Much Food Does my Rabbit Need?

Rabbits are natural foragers and in an enclosed environment like an urban home, it is very easy to overfeed them. So, I always divide the food that a rabbit needs everyday into different groups to make it easier for rabbit parents to understand the dietary needs of their pets.

Water: 24/7 – Your pet needs a never ending supply of fresh drinking water at all times. However, merely filling a water bottle or a bowl doesn’t cut it anymore. Water in bowls can get frozen in winters and bottles can get clogged especially if algae start to grow in it. You need to keep a check on these things.

Hay: An adult rabbit needs one bundle of hay that is the same size as they are. I will speak about the type of hay that a rabbit needs at different stages of their growth in a minute.

Leafy greens: There should at least be a handful of leafy greens fed to your rabbits spread out over the day. This should have at least three types of leafy green vegetables. Rotate the different leafy greens over the week to avoid repetitiveness and to introduce new nutrients to your pet’s diet.

Fruits: An occasional treat of apples or carrots will keep your rabbit happy and healthy. Limit this to one treat a day.

Pellets: A rabbit needs approximately 25 grams of pellets per kg of their bodyweight. For an adult rabbit that averages 4 kgs of weight, that translates into 2 cups or 50 grams of pellets per day.

How much food do baby rabbits and teenage rabbits need?

The first 12 weeks are the most important phase of a baby rabbit’s life where you need to establish the fundamentals of healthy eating and ensure that the nutritional requirements of their rapidly developing bodies are fulfilled. Here’s what you should feed your pets for the first 12 weeks of their life.

From birth until they reach 3 weeks of age – Only mother’s milk

3 to 4 weeks – In addition to mother’s milk, this is a great time to introduce alfalfa in tiny quantities

4 to 7 weeks – In addition to mother’s milk and alfalfa, you can give them access to the best rabbit food pellets.

7 weeks to 7 months – Time to weed them off the mother’s milk and alfalfa and give them unlimited access to their dry food (in controlled doses) and their blend of hay.

12 weeks – Time to introduce leafy greens one at a time

How much food does a young adult rabbit need?

Once a rabbit’s core dietary habits are established in the first few months, their digestive flora is primed and more readily accepts newer and more complex food sources. This is a great time to reduce their dependency on dry food and introduce newer fresh food sources. If you haven’t introduced a blend of hay yet, then it’s time to bring in timothy hay, oat hay and some of the others that I have mentioned earlier. It is also time to reduce the alfalfa content in their food, if you are still feeding them.

Pellets can be reduced to as less as 10-12 grams per 6 lbs of body weight.  You can experiment with different veggies to see what your pet can tolerate without it causing digestive problems.

This is also a great time to introduce the occasional fruit treat. Just a reminder, your best choices are apples and carrots.

How much food does a mature adult rabbit need?

The diet for a mature adult rabbit and a young adult is mostly identical. The only notable difference is that now you can experiment more with fresh veggies and give them unlimited access to their hay. There should always be a bundle of hay in their crate or cage. Veggies can be increased to as much as 2 cups a day and pellets can be increased or decreased depending on the other parts of the diet.

What is the ideal diet for senior rabbits?

The diet for a mature adult rabbit depends completely on their weight and overall health. If the rabbit is healthy and does not have any health problems, then a diet similar to that of the adult rabbit can be continued. However, if the rabbit has geriatric problems, like excessive calcium in the blood or is underweight, then they may need more pellets or alfalfa.

What Are The Best Rabbit Food Brands?

There are tons of rabbit food brands to pick from and the term ‘best rabbit foods brand’ may well be subjective. For example, if I have an adult rabbit, I’d look for the brand that offers the best pellets that are derived from timothy hay and do not have an excessive amount of sugar or starch.

But if I have a senior rabbit that is above the age of 6, I’d want to consider one which contains a little of alfalfa.

However, if you are new to rabbit foods and want to know about some of the popular brands, then here are some of them.

Oxbow: One of the most popular brands of rabbit foods that has a range of products for different age groups of bunnies.

Mazuri: Offers a wide range of exotic pet foods and is considered to be among one of the most trusted brands of rabbit foods in the world.

American Diner: Good old American made rabbit food available in both pellets as well as mixed forms.

Kaytee: Kaytee is another great choice of homemade foods for small animals. Their range has a variety of options for rabbits, guinea pigs and tortoises.

If this is the first time you are venturing to shop for nibbles for your rabbit, then here’s some help for you. Here’s a list of the top rabbit foods in the market. To make it easier for you to pick, I have categorized these according to the age of the pet.

My Picks of The Best Rabbit Foods For Adult Rabbits

#1 – Oxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics Essentials

One of the most popular brands of rabbit foods, Oxbow’s essential range boasts of the most complete nutritional profile among dried foods. It contains a blend of natural and synthetic ingredients that encompasses of vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats and calcium that an adult rabbit needs every day.

The main ingredients in the formula are timothy hay for fiber, soy for protein and fats and wheat for carbohydrates.

The vitamin blend is comprehensive and includes Vitamins A, D, E and a bunch of B vitamins which are vital for the rabbit’s fur, skin, nails and eyes.

Many vets recommend switching over to the Oxbow essential range of rabbit foods, especially if rabbits are facing problems like poor fur quality or gastric stasis.

The pellets are soft and easily chewable for rabbits of all ages.

What I like about it

Time tested and proven formula

Loved by bunnies of all ages

Complete nutritional profile

Premium ingredients for protein, healthy fats and carbs

Blend of vitamins

Easy to chew pellets

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#2 – Small Pet Select Rabbit Food Pellets

Despite being a new and niche brand that caters to a specific target audience (read fresh bunny food lovers), the small pet select rabbit food has become quite popular in a very small time. One of the reasons is because their rabbit food isn’t mass produced.

Instead, small batches of the food are produced (less than 500 packets a month) and sold exclusively on Amazon. This assures you about batch freshness and also about the attention to quality which may be lacking in mass produced foods.

The pellets itself are quite soft and rabbits take an instant liking to it. The primary ingredient is timothy hay which makes it an excellent source of indigestible fiber. Other than this, it also contains soy ingredients for fat and a health blend of vitamins.

Some of the notable ones are Vitamin A, D, E, B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus and proteins.

The product is made in the USA by a small family based business with 4 employees and comes with a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the quality.

What I like about it

Small batch produced food with fresher ingredients

Timothy hay based

Tasty pellets that bunnies love

100% money back guarantee

Made in the USA

Healthy vitamin, mineral blend

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#3 – Kaytee Supreme food for Rabbit

Go to any pet store and ask for a good quality rabbit food and the first one that you’d come across will be Kaytee Supreme food for rabbits. This is hands down, among the most widely used rabbit foods in the world.

And for good reason too. The pellets are soft, fresh and most rabbits would instant devour it without any hesitation. If you have been using other store brands, you will notice a marked difference in the color of your bunny’s ‘poo’. That’s an indicator of the fresher ingredients that Kaytee uses.

The food is sourced from a blend of grains and seeds according to Kaytee’s official website. However, the supreme food formula does contain oat hay as the primary ingredient along with traces of alfalfa.

So, if alfalfa is restricted for your pet, then you may have to look at some of the other options in this list. It has a healthy vitamin blend along with Rosemary, Vitamins A, E, B12, Niacin, Folic acid among others.

What I like about it

Most popular adult rabbit food brand

Oat based pellets with traces of alfalfa

Fresher and healthier

Excellent blend of vitamins

No artificial flavors or coloring

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#4 – Sherwood Adult Rabbit Food – Timothy blend

A lot of rabbit parents don’t want to feed their pets foods derived from soy or grain sources. If you are one of them, then you’ll love my next pick in this list of best rabbit foods. This is the Sherwood Adult rabbit food that is sourced from Western Timothy Hay and is completely free of Soy and food grains.

For rabbits that are allergic to soy or grains, this is easier on their digestive systems and contains a healthy blend of nutrients that keep their coat shiny.

The pellets have a fresh timothy hay aroma to it and it is not from artificial coloring or flavors because the food contains none. It is testimony to the quality that Sherwood Forest takes pride in.

If your bunny takes a liking to this, you can also buy this in bulk from the manufacturer to save some Benjamin.

Also, there are two varieties of the food available from Sherwood. One is the professional pellets which are ideal if your rabbit’s diet comprises of more than 50% timothy hay and the other is the complete pellet which is ideal for pets who consume less than 50%.

What I like about it

Fresh, green and delicious pellets

Free of soy and grain

Timothy hay based

Helps improve digestive problems and fur problems in rabbits

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#5 – Manna Pro Small World Rabbit Feed

The no-corn formula from Manna Pro is perfect for adult rabbits that have digestive enteritis caused due to high energy grains in their food. The endosperm in corn is one of the leading causes of a carb overload in the hindgut of some bunnies.

The Small world range from Manna Pro is a nutritional pellet that contains high fiber content along with a healthy mix of vitamins and minerals.

The primary ingredients are wheat mill run, alfalfa meal, soybean hulls, rice bran, soybean meal and dried grains.

The pellets are firm and easily chewable by bunnies of all ages. I have spoken to countless rabbit parents who use Manna Pro Small World as the primary dried food for their bunnies. Others also keep it as a secondary option in case they run out of supply of their chosen dry food brand.

What I like about it

Unbeatable pricing

No-corn formula that contains wheat mill run, alfalfa meal, soybean hulls and rice bran

Blend of vitamins, minerals

Ideal for rabbits of all ages

Buy from AMAZON.COM

My Picks of The Best Rabbit Foods For Young Rabbits

If you have a growing bunny below the age of 7 months to a year, you can take a pick of one of these two rabbit foods. Both of these are good quality formulas that have a healthy nutritional profile.

#1 – Oxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics Young Rabbit Formula

My #1 pick for growing bunnies is this Young Rabbit Formula from Oxbow. This is the perfect age for you to give your bunnies unlimited access to pellets and this formula from Oxbow with its Alfalfa content ticks all the right boxes.

It gives them enough protein and enough calories to help sustain the nutritional requirements of their bodies.

In addition to the alfalfa, it also contains a healthy blend of fats, carbohydrates, amino acids, minerals and vitamins.

The formula is gentle enough to be easily digested by young bunnies. This also allows you to use this for geriatric rabbits that have lost a lot of weight lately as well as pregnant bunnies.

The pellets are soft, have a fresh aroma and are much loved by bunnies who are usually finicky towards certain brands.

What I like about it

Soft and delicious pellets that are liked by rabbits of all ages

Alfalfa based formula that is rich in proteins and calories

Contains fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins

Easily digestible

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#2 – Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Food for Juvenile Rabbits

Kaytee’s forti-diet pro formula is specially designed for growing bunnies and contains a bunch of beneficial ingredients that provide the necessary support to their developing bodies.

Along with alfalfa, which caters to the high calorie and protein requirements, the food also contains ground oats, ground wheat, oat hulls and flax seed which provide much needed dietary fiber and make this formula rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.

This helps the bunnies in developing a rich and lustrous coat.

I have donated a lot of bags of this food to a foster home that houses abandoned and orphaned rabbits and it has really helped a lot of the bunnies survive without nursing from their mothers. That alone stands testimony to the quality of the pellets.

The best part is that it is a budget priced option and it also helps to establish your bunnies’ taste buds towards timothy hay based pellets.

What I like about it

Alfalfa based formula for juvenile bunnies

Rich in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for a shiny coat

Rich in dietary fiber

Vital blend of vitamins, minerals and amino acids

Buy from AMAZON.COM

The Best Rabbit Food – Hay For Your Rabbits

A list of the best rabbit foods would be incomplete without recommending some of the best brands of hay for your pet. Once again, to keep it diverse, I have included a variety of types of hay. You can pick the one that best works for your pet.

#1 – Small Pet Select 2nd Cutting Timothy Hay

A lot of pet parents don’t think twice before ordering timothy hay without realizing that there’s a marked difference in quality in many brands of hay available online. This one from Small Pet Select is of the freshest ones in the market. It is the second cutting, which is softer than the first cutting but not extremely soft.

It contains long and delicious strands of hay with very little powdery or dusty residue which is an indicator of an old or stale batch.

Also, it does not contain any bugs or mites which are commonly found in cheaper timothy hay brands. No seed heads either which makes it easier for the bunny to chew and digest.

If your bunny has been refusing to eat Timothy hay that you batch purchased off the supermarket shelf, then you’d want to try switching to this one. Excellent quality and great pricing too!

What I like about it

Fresh, minimally processed timothy hay

Second cutting

Long and delicious strands

No dusty residue or seed heads

No mites, bugs

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#2 – Kaytee All Natural Timothy Wafer-Cut Hay

Kaytee’s Timothy Hay has a slight edge in terms of pricing. If you compare it per ounce, this is cheaper than any other variety of hay. Also, it comes in wafer cut stacks which make it easier to feed to your bunnies and there’s less chance of wastage.

The quality of the hay is pretty good at the price point. It is not as good as the one from Small Select but once again, it all boils down to what you are willing to spend.

You will find a bit of dust and some brown hay strands in this. But I wouldn’t consider it to be a deal breaker at this price.

This is a perfect low protein, high fiber hay for bunnies, guinea pigs and other small animals.

What I like about it

Wafer cut stacks of hay for easy feeding

Decent quality timothy hay

Great pricing

Bestseller on Amazon

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#3 – Standlee Premium Western Forage Timothy Grass

If you want nothing but the best for your bunny, then check out the Standless Premium Western Forage Timothy Hay.

This is grown in the sun kissed volcanic plains of Southern Idaho which boasts of some of the most nutrient dense soil in the world. The lower humidity in the air clubbed with the friendly irrigation practices make this one of the best forages for your bunnies.

The hay is the second cutting and is long, nutritious and easy to chew. There is zero wastage, brown dust or residue in the box. You get fresh and aromatic timothy hay in every batch.

The only caveat is that if your bunnies get used to the taste of the Standlee Premium Western Forage Timothy, they will refuse to touch any other product of questionable quality.

What I like about it

Top quality timothy hay

Grown in the United States in the nutrient dense soil in Southern Idaho

Second cutting

Long and delicious hay strands

Zero wastage, brown dust or residue

Buy from AMAZON.COM

An optimum diet that is the right mix of fresh ingredients and the best rabbit food (dry) will enable your bunny to lead a healthy, happy and disease free life. If you need any further assistance or wish to add anything to this, then feel free to reach out to us via the contact us form or via the comments section.

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Choosing The Best Rabbit Food in 2017

Someone wise once said that, ‘A rabbit is only as good as the food they eat’

Ok. That someone was me.

And that stemmed from the fact that choosing the best rabbit food for your bunnies is made out to be this immensely challenging, scientific load of bull that it is not.

Rabbit nutrition is simple. It is true that they eat a lot. But that is what precisely spreads out their daily nutritional requirement over a variety of food items that is tailored for them.

In this blog post today, I will be addressing everything related to food for your bunnies. Consider it like the Rabbit nutrition 101 guide that you always wanted. We will discuss everything from hay, natural grazing, vegetables and the occasional treats that will keep your bunny healthy, happy and fit.

By the end of this, you will be armed with enough information to pick the best rabbit food for your bunnies irrespective of the breed or the size. So sit back and resist your urge to chew on the furniture while you read this.

Quick Comparison: Top Rabbit Foods in 2017

Rabbit FoodQualityOur RatingBest Rabbit Food For Adult RabbitsOxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics EssentialsA+Small Pet Select Rabbit Food PelletsA+Kaytee Supreme food for RabbitASherwood Adult Rabbit Food - Timothy blendA-Manna Pro Small World Rabbit FeedA-Best Rabbit Food For Young RabbitsOxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics Young Rabbit FormulaA+Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Food for Juvenile RabbitsA-Best Hay For Your RabbitSmall Pet Select 2nd Cutting Timothy HayAKaytee All Natural Timothy Wafer-Cut HayA-Standlee Premium Western Forage Timothy GrassA-

* click on the product name to be taken to Amazon where you can check the current price and read customer reviews.

Below you’ll find in-depth reviews of each of the above products.

Understanding Your Rabbit’s Diet

Before we get going, let me clear one thing right off the bat.

Rabbits were originally wild animals that were later domesticated for keeping them as pets in homes. Hence, many experts refer to pet bunnies as ‘house rabbits’. If you are wondering why I mentioned this in the first place is that from a digestive and nutritive point of view, there is very little difference between a wild rabbit and a house pet.

They have identical digestive systems but there’s a huge difference in the type of food they eat which has been brought about by man’s addiction to dry packaged foods.

Don’t get me wrong here. Your rabbit will still need their pebbles. But many rabbit parents are guilty of overfeeding them with pebbles.

Like wild rabbits, which graze for hours on naturally available fresh grass, herbs, tree barks, dry grass, leaves, fruits, shrubs, herbs and sprouts, your first attempt must be to supplement your rabbit’s diet with a supply of natural grass.

The Natural Ingredients in Your Rabbit’s Diet

In ideal circumstances, your pet rabbit will have a healthy mix of grass, hay, herbs, vegetables, fruits and dry food which not only fill in their daily nutritive requirement but also cater to their taste buds by giving them a plethora of textures and flavors which wont keep them bored.

There are other advantages too which we will talk about in a bit.

But firstly, here’s a percentage graph of what your rabbit’s diet should look like.

Grass/Hay – 75- 80%

Fresh Veggies – 10-15%

Healthy Treats – 5%

Dry food/ Pellets – 5%

Now let’s go through each one of those in detail.

Grass or Hay

It is given that if you live in a city, getting access to meadows of fresh grass is next to impossible. The next best option that you have is to feed your rabbit with grass hay. Grass hay or just hay is nothing but dried grass that retains a lot of its nutritional content making it an excellent choice for rabbits that do not have access to fresh grass. It contains Vitamins A, D, Calcium, trace amounts of protein and a bunch of other nutrients.

Most rabbit parents don’t think twice before feeding their pets with a particular type of hay, which may be the most easily available option. However, different varieties of hay have different nutritional content. Some of this, when consumed in excess, can even be fatal for your pet.

Hence, it is always healthier to mix different types of hay depending on the age and weight of your pet.

Adult rabbits need less of calories and protein as compared to babies. So, babies should be fed more of alfalfa grass which is high in both the ingredients. For adults, a mix of orchard, timothy (both of which are fiber rich), oat, dried grass, meadow and Bermuda grass will be a good choice.

A small percentile breakdown of the nutrient profile of each type of hay:

Orchard grass: 32% Fiber, 10 % Protein, 0.33% Calcium

Timothy: 34% Fiber, 11% Protein, 0.5% Calcium

Alfalfa: 34% Fiber, 19% Protein, 1.5% Calcium

You can also pick one or two of the above and mix them for your pet.

As healthy as hay can be, loss of some of the nutrients, including vitamins and minerals is unavoidable due to the drying process. This is where fresh herbs and vegetables come into the picture.

Veggies and herbs

Fresh foods, vegetables and herbs in particular, can give the rabbit the moisture that is lacking in dry hay. Not only will it cater to your bunny’s taste buds, it will also improve their kidney and bladder function.

Now, there’s a lot of debate as to what the fresh part of your rabbit’s diet must contain. Having lived with bunnies for over a decade, I have learnt from experience that at least 75% of the fresh food that you give your bunnies must come from leafy green veggies.

That might sound blasphemous to a lot of people who will start to cringe about oxalic acid and the potential damage that it can do to your rabbit’s kidney function over a prolonged time frame.

For those who are unaware, Oxalic acid which is also called ‘Oxalate’ is naturally occurring ingredient in many foods, which has become a buzzword in health circles for humans as well as their furry counterparts. But the fact is that it is far from the bête noir that it is made out to be.

In limited quantities, it is harmless for bunnies. When it comes to rabbits, there are ample choices of leafy greens that do not contain oxalates.

To that end, I have a small table to share with you.

Here’s a bunch of low oxalate leafy greens and other veggies that you can feed your bunny.

Asparagus, Broccoli, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, swiss greens, turnips, basil, radish tops, beet greens, mint, chicory, cucumber leaves, carrot tops, watercress, bok choy, dill leaves, dandelion, frisee lettuce, wheatgrass, endive, cilantro and kale.

Here are a few leafy greens which have higher oxalate content. But there’s no reason for you to skip these completely from your rabbit’s diet. Instead, you can balance them out by feeding these in limited quantities because of the other nutrients that your rabbit can get from it.

Spinach, Mustard greens, Parsely, Carrots

The idea should always be to mix up the source of fresh greens and veggies giving your rabbits access to varied taste, textures and flavors while ensuring that the nutritional requirements are not left out. You can mix at least 2 -3 types of leafy greens and spread them out over the day. I regularly include spinach in my pets’ diet but ensure that I don’t overdo it for the risk of the side effects of oxalates.

Oxalates when fed in excess can cause a tingling sensation around the skin and the mouth of your pet. In extreme cases, it can cause severe kidney damage.

The only thing that I would keep an eye on while feeding the rabbit fresh veggies is to reduce the quantity of starchy and sugary veggies like broccoli because of possible gastrointestinal disturbances.

Fruits

The USDA recommends that you eat at least 5-7 servings of fruit every day. But that’s not intended for your bunnies. There’s a misconception that fruits which are touted to be loaded with antioxidants will do your bunnies a lot of good. The fact is that most fruits are loaded with natural sugars and starches which make for excellent treats but should not be a regular part of your rabbits diet.

Given a chance, your rabbit will gorge on all the fruit that they can get their hands on. That’s their natural instincts kicking in because in the wild, fruits are seasonal and in limited supply. Given the competition for food in nature, rabbits are inclined to eat as many fruits as they can at a time because it remains unsure if and when they will get their next meal.

However, excessive amounts of fruit will lead to an obese pet that most likely has gastrointestinal problems. Not the best of scenarios for a house rabbit.

It is recommended that you limit the fruit serving to less than half a tablespoon per lb of your pet’s bodyweight. Like other ingredients, this should be spread out over the day.

I usually introduce fruits to my rabbit’s diet after they have been fed hay for at least four weeks. This gives their digestive systems enough time to get used to the new foods and reduces the risk of any possible complications. You can introduce fruit in small limited doses and monitor the stool to see how your pet is faring. Soft stools may indicate that the rabbit’s digestive system is not agreeing with a particular food. You may want to strike that one off the shopping list.

 If you are giving fruits as special treats, your rabbits will look forward to it and it is also a great way to motivate them to get some much needed exercise. There’s nothing worse than a bunny that refuses to budge after sprawling out in a cage.

Dry food

Finally, we come to, what comprises of a large part of most house rabbits diets, dry food. Dry food was originally designed for caged rabbits that were bred for meat. For this reason, it is a very concentrated form of nutrition that packs in more nutrients than what your rabbit would need on a daily basis.

But that’s not necessarily everything that your rabbit needs. Most dry food lacks an adequate quantity of fiber that your pet needs for properly regulated bowel movement. If you try to increase the quantity of food to make do for the lack of fiber, it will lead to an overdose of most of the nutrients that your pet needs which will lead to severe health complications.

Now that we know about the disadvantages, let’s also talk about the perks of mixing this into a rabbit’s diet.

You may or may not have access to a mix of grass hays and all the veggies and herbs listed here for various reasons. If that is the case, then even a small dose of the best rabbit food can supplement for the nutritional deficiencies. Also, any rabbit’s diet that only consists of fresh foods clearly lacks many trace nutrients, vitamins and minerals that can be supplemented by using a good quality commercial dry food.

There are two main types of dry rabbit foods available in the market.

Mixed foods: These are a blend of different dried and processed ingredients that may include dried vegetables. It looks similar to breakfast cereals or muesli which makes them appear to be healthier than pellets, which are the other type of dried rabbit food. However, rabbit food mixes with their bright colors may not be the best of choices for your pet because your rabbits may selectively pick their choicest morsels leaving out nutritional ingredients. Also, I’d rather give my pets as less added flavoring and coloring as I can. That’s just me though. Nothing has been proven scientifically about the coloring and flavors in rabbit food.

Pellets: Pellets or nuggets are mostly made from dried grass and are uniform sized chunks that your rabbits cannot pick from. For this reason, you will find that a rabbit usually eats all the pellets left in their food bowl rather than cereals. There are many different brands of pellets to choose from in the market and there’s a lot of misleading advertising being used by manufacturers. A red colored pellet for example with the label screaming ‘all-natural ingredients’ may be misleading you into believing that it possibly contains carrot. A green one possibly indicating that it is sourced from leafy greens. But that is rarely the case. The most important thing that you should keep an eye on is the nutritional value on the product information label. This becomes all the more necessary if your pet does not have access to grass hay or other fresh herbs and veggies. For adult rabbits, look for a bare minimum of 19-20% dietary fiber to make the food easier for your bunny to digest. For young rabbits that are below six months of age, the food must contain at least 19% of protein to help them develop their bodies.

The next most important question that rabbit parents have is how much to feed their bunnies at different stages of their body growth. And it is a very critical part of the rabbit’s diet and well being.

How much is adequate? How much is too much or too little?

How Much Food Does my Rabbit Need?

Rabbits are natural foragers and in an enclosed environment like an urban home, it is very easy to overfeed them. So, I always divide the food that a rabbit needs everyday into different groups to make it easier for rabbit parents to understand the dietary needs of their pets.

Water: 24/7 – Your pet needs a never ending supply of fresh drinking water at all times. However, merely filling a water bottle or a bowl doesn’t cut it anymore. Water in bowls can get frozen in winters and bottles can get clogged especially if algae start to grow in it. You need to keep a check on these things.

Hay: An adult rabbit needs one bundle of hay that is the same size as they are. I will speak about the type of hay that a rabbit needs at different stages of their growth in a minute.

Leafy greens: There should at least be a handful of leafy greens fed to your rabbits spread out over the day. This should have at least three types of leafy green vegetables. Rotate the different leafy greens over the week to avoid repetitiveness and to introduce new nutrients to your pet’s diet.

Fruits: An occasional treat of apples or carrots will keep your rabbit happy and healthy. Limit this to one treat a day.

Pellets: A rabbit needs approximately 25 grams of pellets per kg of their bodyweight. For an adult rabbit that averages 4 kgs of weight, that translates into 2 cups or 50 grams of pellets per day.

How much food do baby rabbits and teenage rabbits need?

The first 12 weeks are the most important phase of a baby rabbit’s life where you need to establish the fundamentals of healthy eating and ensure that the nutritional requirements of their rapidly developing bodies are fulfilled. Here’s what you should feed your pets for the first 12 weeks of their life.

From birth until they reach 3 weeks of age – Only mother’s milk

3 to 4 weeks – In addition to mother’s milk, this is a great time to introduce alfalfa in tiny quantities

4 to 7 weeks – In addition to mother’s milk and alfalfa, you can give them access to the best rabbit food pellets.

7 weeks to 7 months – Time to weed them off the mother’s milk and alfalfa and give them unlimited access to their dry food (in controlled doses) and their blend of hay.

12 weeks – Time to introduce leafy greens one at a time

How much food does a young adult rabbit need?

Once a rabbit’s core dietary habits are established in the first few months, their digestive flora is primed and more readily accepts newer and more complex food sources. This is a great time to reduce their dependency on dry food and introduce newer fresh food sources. If you haven’t introduced a blend of hay yet, then it’s time to bring in timothy hay, oat hay and some of the others that I have mentioned earlier. It is also time to reduce the alfalfa content in their food, if you are still feeding them.

Pellets can be reduced to as less as 10-12 grams per 6 lbs of body weight.  You can experiment with different veggies to see what your pet can tolerate without it causing digestive problems.

This is also a great time to introduce the occasional fruit treat. Just a reminder, your best choices are apples and carrots.

How much food does a mature adult rabbit need?

The diet for a mature adult rabbit and a young adult is mostly identical. The only notable difference is that now you can experiment more with fresh veggies and give them unlimited access to their hay. There should always be a bundle of hay in their crate or cage. Veggies can be increased to as much as 2 cups a day and pellets can be increased or decreased depending on the other parts of the diet.

What is the ideal diet for senior rabbits?

The diet for a mature adult rabbit depends completely on their weight and overall health. If the rabbit is healthy and does not have any health problems, then a diet similar to that of the adult rabbit can be continued. However, if the rabbit has geriatric problems, like excessive calcium in the blood or is underweight, then they may need more pellets or alfalfa.

What Are The Best Rabbit Food Brands?

There are tons of rabbit food brands to pick from and the term ‘best rabbit foods brand’ may well be subjective. For example, if I have an adult rabbit, I’d look for the brand that offers the best pellets that are derived from timothy hay and do not have an excessive amount of sugar or starch.

But if I have a senior rabbit that is above the age of 6, I’d want to consider one which contains a little of alfalfa.

However, if you are new to rabbit foods and want to know about some of the popular brands, then here are some of them.

Oxbow: One of the most popular brands of rabbit foods that has a range of products for different age groups of bunnies.

Mazuri: Offers a wide range of exotic pet foods and is considered to be among one of the most trusted brands of rabbit foods in the world.

American Diner: Good old American made rabbit food available in both pellets as well as mixed forms.

Kaytee: Kaytee is another great choice of homemade foods for small animals. Their range has a variety of options for rabbits, guinea pigs and tortoises.

If this is the first time you are venturing to shop for nibbles for your rabbit, then here’s some help for you. Here’s a list of the top rabbit foods in the market. To make it easier for you to pick, I have categorized these according to the age of the pet.

My Picks of The Best Rabbit Foods For Adult Rabbits

#1 – Oxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics Essentials

One of the most popular brands of rabbit foods, Oxbow’s essential range boasts of the most complete nutritional profile among dried foods. It contains a blend of natural and synthetic ingredients that encompasses of vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats and calcium that an adult rabbit needs every day.

The main ingredients in the formula are timothy hay for fiber, soy for protein and fats and wheat for carbohydrates.

The vitamin blend is comprehensive and includes Vitamins A, D, E and a bunch of B vitamins which are vital for the rabbit’s fur, skin, nails and eyes.

Many vets recommend switching over to the Oxbow essential range of rabbit foods, especially if rabbits are facing problems like poor fur quality or gastric stasis.

The pellets are soft and easily chewable for rabbits of all ages.

What I like about it

Time tested and proven formula

Loved by bunnies of all ages

Complete nutritional profile

Premium ingredients for protein, healthy fats and carbs

Blend of vitamins

Easy to chew pellets

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#2 – Small Pet Select Rabbit Food Pellets

Despite being a new and niche brand that caters to a specific target audience (read fresh bunny food lovers), the small pet select rabbit food has become quite popular in a very small time. One of the reasons is because their rabbit food isn’t mass produced.

Instead, small batches of the food are produced (less than 500 packets a month) and sold exclusively on Amazon. This assures you about batch freshness and also about the attention to quality which may be lacking in mass produced foods.

The pellets itself are quite soft and rabbits take an instant liking to it. The primary ingredient is timothy hay which makes it an excellent source of indigestible fiber. Other than this, it also contains soy ingredients for fat and a health blend of vitamins.

Some of the notable ones are Vitamin A, D, E, B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus and proteins.

The product is made in the USA by a small family based business with 4 employees and comes with a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the quality.

What I like about it

Small batch produced food with fresher ingredients

Timothy hay based

Tasty pellets that bunnies love

100% money back guarantee

Made in the USA

Healthy vitamin, mineral blend

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#3 – Kaytee Supreme food for Rabbit

Go to any pet store and ask for a good quality rabbit food and the first one that you’d come across will be Kaytee Supreme food for rabbits. This is hands down, among the most widely used rabbit foods in the world.

And for good reason too. The pellets are soft, fresh and most rabbits would instant devour it without any hesitation. If you have been using other store brands, you will notice a marked difference in the color of your bunny’s ‘poo’. That’s an indicator of the fresher ingredients that Kaytee uses.

The food is sourced from a blend of grains and seeds according to Kaytee’s official website. However, the supreme food formula does contain oat hay as the primary ingredient along with traces of alfalfa.

So, if alfalfa is restricted for your pet, then you may have to look at some of the other options in this list. It has a healthy vitamin blend along with Rosemary, Vitamins A, E, B12, Niacin, Folic acid among others.

What I like about it

Most popular adult rabbit food brand

Oat based pellets with traces of alfalfa

Fresher and healthier

Excellent blend of vitamins

No artificial flavors or coloring

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#4 – Sherwood Adult Rabbit Food – Timothy blend

A lot of rabbit parents don’t want to feed their pets foods derived from soy or grain sources. If you are one of them, then you’ll love my next pick in this list of best rabbit foods. This is the Sherwood Adult rabbit food that is sourced from Western Timothy Hay and is completely free of Soy and food grains.

For rabbits that are allergic to soy or grains, this is easier on their digestive systems and contains a healthy blend of nutrients that keep their coat shiny.

The pellets have a fresh timothy hay aroma to it and it is not from artificial coloring or flavors because the food contains none. It is testimony to the quality that Sherwood Forest takes pride in.

If your bunny takes a liking to this, you can also buy this in bulk from the manufacturer to save some Benjamin.

Also, there are two varieties of the food available from Sherwood. One is the professional pellets which are ideal if your rabbit’s diet comprises of more than 50% timothy hay and the other is the complete pellet which is ideal for pets who consume less than 50%.

What I like about it

Fresh, green and delicious pellets

Free of soy and grain

Timothy hay based

Helps improve digestive problems and fur problems in rabbits

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#5 – Manna Pro Small World Rabbit Feed

The no-corn formula from Manna Pro is perfect for adult rabbits that have digestive enteritis caused due to high energy grains in their food. The endosperm in corn is one of the leading causes of a carb overload in the hindgut of some bunnies.

The Small world range from Manna Pro is a nutritional pellet that contains high fiber content along with a healthy mix of vitamins and minerals.

The primary ingredients are wheat mill run, alfalfa meal, soybean hulls, rice bran, soybean meal and dried grains.

The pellets are firm and easily chewable by bunnies of all ages. I have spoken to countless rabbit parents who use Manna Pro Small World as the primary dried food for their bunnies. Others also keep it as a secondary option in case they run out of supply of their chosen dry food brand.

What I like about it

Unbeatable pricing

No-corn formula that contains wheat mill run, alfalfa meal, soybean hulls and rice bran

Blend of vitamins, minerals

Ideal for rabbits of all ages

Buy from AMAZON.COM

My Picks of The Best Rabbit Foods For Young Rabbits

If you have a growing bunny below the age of 7 months to a year, you can take a pick of one of these two rabbit foods. Both of these are good quality formulas that have a healthy nutritional profile.

#1 – Oxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics Young Rabbit Formula

My #1 pick for growing bunnies is this Young Rabbit Formula from Oxbow. This is the perfect age for you to give your bunnies unlimited access to pellets and this formula from Oxbow with its Alfalfa content ticks all the right boxes.

It gives them enough protein and enough calories to help sustain the nutritional requirements of their bodies.

In addition to the alfalfa, it also contains a healthy blend of fats, carbohydrates, amino acids, minerals and vitamins.

The formula is gentle enough to be easily digested by young bunnies. This also allows you to use this for geriatric rabbits that have lost a lot of weight lately as well as pregnant bunnies.

The pellets are soft, have a fresh aroma and are much loved by bunnies who are usually finicky towards certain brands.

What I like about it

Soft and delicious pellets that are liked by rabbits of all ages

Alfalfa based formula that is rich in proteins and calories

Contains fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins

Easily digestible

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#2 – Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Food for Juvenile Rabbits

Kaytee’s forti-diet pro formula is specially designed for growing bunnies and contains a bunch of beneficial ingredients that provide the necessary support to their developing bodies.

Along with alfalfa, which caters to the high calorie and protein requirements, the food also contains ground oats, ground wheat, oat hulls and flax seed which provide much needed dietary fiber and make this formula rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.

This helps the bunnies in developing a rich and lustrous coat.

I have donated a lot of bags of this food to a foster home that houses abandoned and orphaned rabbits and it has really helped a lot of the bunnies survive without nursing from their mothers. That alone stands testimony to the quality of the pellets.

The best part is that it is a budget priced option and it also helps to establish your bunnies’ taste buds towards timothy hay based pellets.

What I like about it

Alfalfa based formula for juvenile bunnies

Rich in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for a shiny coat

Rich in dietary fiber

Vital blend of vitamins, minerals and amino acids

Buy from AMAZON.COM

The Best Rabbit Food – Hay For Your Rabbits

A list of the best rabbit foods would be incomplete without recommending some of the best brands of hay for your pet. Once again, to keep it diverse, I have included a variety of types of hay. You can pick the one that best works for your pet.

#1 – Small Pet Select 2nd Cutting Timothy Hay

A lot of pet parents don’t think twice before ordering timothy hay without realizing that there’s a marked difference in quality in many brands of hay available online. This one from Small Pet Select is of the freshest ones in the market. It is the second cutting, which is softer than the first cutting but not extremely soft.

It contains long and delicious strands of hay with very little powdery or dusty residue which is an indicator of an old or stale batch.

Also, it does not contain any bugs or mites which are commonly found in cheaper timothy hay brands. No seed heads either which makes it easier for the bunny to chew and digest.

If your bunny has been refusing to eat Timothy hay that you batch purchased off the supermarket shelf, then you’d want to try switching to this one. Excellent quality and great pricing too!

What I like about it

Fresh, minimally processed timothy hay

Second cutting

Long and delicious strands

No dusty residue or seed heads

No mites, bugs

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#2 – Kaytee All Natural Timothy Wafer-Cut Hay

Kaytee’s Timothy Hay has a slight edge in terms of pricing. If you compare it per ounce, this is cheaper than any other variety of hay. Also, it comes in wafer cut stacks which make it easier to feed to your bunnies and there’s less chance of wastage.

The quality of the hay is pretty good at the price point. It is not as good as the one from Small Select but once again, it all boils down to what you are willing to spend.

You will find a bit of dust and some brown hay strands in this. But I wouldn’t consider it to be a deal breaker at this price.

This is a perfect low protein, high fiber hay for bunnies, guinea pigs and other small animals.

What I like about it

Wafer cut stacks of hay for easy feeding

Decent quality timothy hay

Great pricing

Bestseller on Amazon

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#3 – Standlee Premium Western Forage Timothy Grass

If you want nothing but the best for your bunny, then check out the Standless Premium Western Forage Timothy Hay.

This is grown in the sun kissed volcanic plains of Southern Idaho which boasts of some of the most nutrient dense soil in the world. The lower humidity in the air clubbed with the friendly irrigation practices make this one of the best forages for your bunnies.

The hay is the second cutting and is long, nutritious and easy to chew. There is zero wastage, brown dust or residue in the box. You get fresh and aromatic timothy hay in every batch.

The only caveat is that if your bunnies get used to the taste of the Standlee Premium Western Forage Timothy, they will refuse to touch any other product of questionable quality.

What I like about it

Top quality timothy hay

Grown in the United States in the nutrient dense soil in Southern Idaho

Second cutting

Long and delicious hay strands

Zero wastage, brown dust or residue

Buy from AMAZON.COM

An optimum diet that is the right mix of fresh ingredients and the best rabbit food (dry) will enable your bunny to lead a healthy, happy and disease free life. If you need any further assistance or wish to add anything to this, then feel free to reach out to us via the contact us form or via the comments section.

 The post Choosing The Best Rabbit Food in 2017 appeared first on Rabbit Expert.

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Green Curled Ruffec Endive Seeds

Add a unique and flavorful addition to your garden with our Green Curled Ruffec Endive Seeds. These non-GMO seeds will produce plants that yield an abundant harvest of curly, green endive leaves that are perfect for adding to salads, sandwiches, and other dishes. They have a slightly bitter taste, making them a popular choice for adding a bit of complexity and depth to your meals. To germinate the seeds, start by filling seed trays or pots with seed compost and watering it thoroughly. Next, make small indentations in the compost, about 1/4 inch deep, and place one seed in each indentation. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of compost or vermiculite, and water gently. Place the tray or pots in a propagator or cover with a plastic bag and place it in a warm spot such as a windowsill or warm room. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Once the seedlings are big enough to handle, transplant them into 3 inch pots and grow on in cooler conditions until large enough to plant outside. They will need full sun and well-drained soil. Space them about 14-18 inch apart in rows 14-18 inch apart, they can also be grown in a container or small pots. These Green Curled Ruffec Endive plants require regular watering and fertilization. They are a type of Curly Frisee escarole chicory, known for its unique curly leaves and slightly bitter taste. Keep an eye out for pests and diseases, with proper care, these plants will begin to bear leaves in about 45-60 days after transplanting, and will continue to produce leaves throughout the growing season. Order now and get these Green Curled Ruffec Endive Seeds that are perfect for adding to salads, sandwiches, and other dishes with fast shipping. Add a unique and flavorful addition to your garden with our Green Curled Ruffec Endive Seeds. Read the full article

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[rabbitexpert]

Choosing The Best Rabbit Food in 2017

Someone wise once said that, ‘A rabbit is only as good as the food they eat’

Ok. That someone was me.

And that stemmed from the fact that choosing the best rabbit food for your bunnies is made out to be this immensely challenging, scientific load of bull that it is not.

Rabbit nutrition is simple. It is true that they eat a lot. But that is what precisely spreads out their daily nutritional requirement over a variety of food items that is tailored for them.

In this blog post today, I will be addressing everything related to food for your bunnies. Consider it like the Rabbit nutrition 101 guide that you always wanted. We will discuss everything from hay, natural grazing, vegetables and the occasional treats that will keep your bunny healthy, happy and fit.

By the end of this, you will be armed with enough information to pick the best rabbit food for your bunnies irrespective of the breed or the size. So sit back and resist your urge to chew on the furniture while you read this.

Quick Comparison: Top Rabbit Foods in 2017

Rabbit FoodQualityOur Rating Best Rabbit Food For Adult Rabbits Oxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics EssentialsA+ Small Pet Select Rabbit Food PelletsA+ Kaytee Supreme food for RabbitA Sherwood Adult Rabbit Food - Timothy blendA- Manna Pro Small World Rabbit FeedA- Best Rabbit Food For Young Rabbits Oxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics Young Rabbit FormulaA+ Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Food for Juvenile RabbitsA- Best Hay For Your Rabbit Small Pet Select 2nd Cutting Timothy HayA Kaytee All Natural Timothy Wafer-Cut HayA- Standlee Premium Western Forage Timothy GrassA-

* click on the product name to be taken to Amazon where you can check the current price and read customer reviews.

Below you’ll find in-depth reviews of each of the above products.

Understanding Your Rabbit’s Diet

Before we get going, let me clear one thing right off the bat.

Rabbits were originally wild animals that were later domesticated for keeping them as pets in homes. Hence, many experts refer to pet bunnies as ‘house rabbits’. If you are wondering why I mentioned this in the first place is that from a digestive and nutritive point of view, there is very little difference between a wild rabbit and a house pet.

They have identical digestive systems but there’s a huge difference in the type of food they eat which has been brought about by man’s addiction to dry packaged foods.

Don’t get me wrong here. Your rabbit will still need their pebbles. But many rabbit parents are guilty of overfeeding them with pebbles.

Like wild rabbits, which graze for hours on naturally available fresh grass, herbs, tree barks, dry grass, leaves, fruits, shrubs, herbs and sprouts, your first attempt must be to supplement your rabbit’s diet with a supply of natural grass.

The Natural Ingredients in Your Rabbit’s Diet

In ideal circumstances, your pet rabbit will have a healthy mix of grass, hay, herbs, vegetables, fruits and dry food which not only fill in their daily nutritive requirement but also cater to their taste buds by giving them a plethora of textures and flavors which wont keep them bored.

There are other advantages too which we will talk about in a bit.

But firstly, here’s a percentage graph of what your rabbit’s diet should look like.

Grass/Hay – 75- 80%

Fresh Veggies – 10-15%

Healthy Treats – 5%

Dry food/ Pellets – 5%

Now let’s go through each one of those in detail.

Grass or Hay

It is given that if you live in a city, getting access to meadows of fresh grass is next to impossible. The next best option that you have is to feed your rabbit with grass hay. Grass hay or just hay is nothing but dried grass that retains a lot of its nutritional content making it an excellent choice for rabbits that do not have access to fresh grass. It contains Vitamins A, D, Calcium, trace amounts of protein and a bunch of other nutrients.

Most rabbit parents don’t think twice before feeding their pets with a particular type of hay, which may be the most easily available option. However, different varieties of hay have different nutritional content. Some of this, when consumed in excess, can even be fatal for your pet.

Hence, it is always healthier to mix different types of hay depending on the age and weight of your pet.

Adult rabbits need less of calories and protein as compared to babies. So, babies should be fed more of alfalfa grass which is high in both the ingredients. For adults, a mix of orchard, timothy (both of which are fiber rich), oat, dried grass, meadow and Bermuda grass will be a good choice.

A small percentile breakdown of the nutrient profile of each type of hay:

Orchard grass: 32% Fiber, 10 % Protein, 0.33% Calcium

Timothy: 34% Fiber, 11% Protein, 0.5% Calcium

Alfalfa: 34% Fiber, 19% Protein, 1.5% Calcium

You can also pick one or two of the above and mix them for your pet.

As healthy as hay can be, loss of some of the nutrients, including vitamins and minerals is unavoidable due to the drying process. This is where fresh herbs and vegetables come into the picture.

Veggies and herbs

Fresh foods, vegetables and herbs in particular, can give the rabbit the moisture that is lacking in dry hay. Not only will it cater to your bunny’s taste buds, it will also improve their kidney and bladder function.

Now, there’s a lot of debate as to what the fresh part of your rabbit’s diet must contain. Having lived with bunnies for over a decade, I have learnt from experience that at least 75% of the fresh food that you give your bunnies must come from leafy green veggies.

That might sound blasphemous to a lot of people who will start to cringe about oxalic acid and the potential damage that it can do to your rabbit’s kidney function over a prolonged time frame.

For those who are unaware, Oxalic acid which is also called ‘Oxalate’ is naturally occurring ingredient in many foods, which has become a buzzword in health circles for humans as well as their furry counterparts. But the fact is that it is far from the bête noir that it is made out to be.

In limited quantities, it is harmless for bunnies. When it comes to rabbits, there are ample choices of leafy greens that do not contain oxalates.

To that end, I have a small table to share with you.

Here’s a bunch of low oxalate leafy greens and other veggies that you can feed your bunny.

Asparagus, Broccoli, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, swiss greens, turnips, basil, radish tops, beet greens, mint, chicory, cucumber leaves, carrot tops, watercress, bok choy, dill leaves, dandelion, frisee lettuce, wheatgrass, endive, cilantro and kale.

Here are a few leafy greens which have higher oxalate content. But there’s no reason for you to skip these completely from your rabbit’s diet. Instead, you can balance them out by feeding these in limited quantities because of the other nutrients that your rabbit can get from it.

Spinach, Mustard greens, Parsely, Carrots

The idea should always be to mix up the source of fresh greens and veggies giving your rabbits access to varied taste, textures and flavors while ensuring that the nutritional requirements are not left out. You can mix at least 2 -3 types of leafy greens and spread them out over the day. I regularly include spinach in my pets’ diet but ensure that I don’t overdo it for the risk of the side effects of oxalates.

Oxalates when fed in excess can cause a tingling sensation around the skin and the mouth of your pet. In extreme cases, it can cause severe kidney damage.

The only thing that I would keep an eye on while feeding the rabbit fresh veggies is to reduce the quantity of starchy and sugary veggies like broccoli because of possible gastrointestinal disturbances.

Fruits

The USDA recommends that you eat at least 5-7 servings of fruit every day. But that’s not intended for your bunnies. There’s a misconception that fruits which are touted to be loaded with antioxidants will do your bunnies a lot of good. The fact is that most fruits are loaded with natural sugars and starches which make for excellent treats but should not be a regular part of your rabbits diet.

Given a chance, your rabbit will gorge on all the fruit that they can get their hands on. That’s their natural instincts kicking in because in the wild, fruits are seasonal and in limited supply. Given the competition for food in nature, rabbits are inclined to eat as many fruits as they can at a time because it remains unsure if and when they will get their next meal.

However, excessive amounts of fruit will lead to an obese pet that most likely has gastrointestinal problems. Not the best of scenarios for a house rabbit.

It is recommended that you limit the fruit serving to less than half a tablespoon per lb of your pet’s bodyweight. Like other ingredients, this should be spread out over the day.

I usually introduce fruits to my rabbit’s diet after they have been fed hay for at least four weeks. This gives their digestive systems enough time to get used to the new foods and reduces the risk of any possible complications. You can introduce fruit in small limited doses and monitor the stool to see how your pet is faring. Soft stools may indicate that the rabbit’s digestive system is not agreeing with a particular food. You may want to strike that one off the shopping list.

 If you are giving fruits as special treats, your rabbits will look forward to it and it is also a great way to motivate them to get some much needed exercise. There’s nothing worse than a bunny that refuses to budge after sprawling out in a cage.

Dry food

Finally, we come to, what comprises of a large part of most house rabbits diets, dry food. Dry food was originally designed for caged rabbits that were bred for meat. For this reason, it is a very concentrated form of nutrition that packs in more nutrients than what your rabbit would need on a daily basis.

But that’s not necessarily everything that your rabbit needs. Most dry food lacks an adequate quantity of fiber that your pet needs for properly regulated bowel movement. If you try to increase the quantity of food to make do for the lack of fiber, it will lead to an overdose of most of the nutrients that your pet needs which will lead to severe health complications.

Now that we know about the disadvantages, let’s also talk about the perks of mixing this into a rabbit’s diet.

You may or may not have access to a mix of grass hays and all the veggies and herbs listed here for various reasons. If that is the case, then even a small dose of the best rabbit food can supplement for the nutritional deficiencies. Also, any rabbit’s diet that only consists of fresh foods clearly lacks many trace nutrients, vitamins and minerals that can be supplemented by using a good quality commercial dry food.

There are two main types of dry rabbit foods available in the market.

Mixed foods: These are a blend of different dried and processed ingredients that may include dried vegetables. It looks similar to breakfast cereals or muesli which makes them appear to be healthier than pellets, which are the other type of dried rabbit food. However, rabbit food mixes with their bright colors may not be the best of choices for your pet because your rabbits may selectively pick their choicest morsels leaving out nutritional ingredients. Also, I’d rather give my pets as less added flavoring and coloring as I can. That’s just me though. Nothing has been proven scientifically about the coloring and flavors in rabbit food.

Pellets: Pellets or nuggets are mostly made from dried grass and are uniform sized chunks that your rabbits cannot pick from. For this reason, you will find that a rabbit usually eats all the pellets left in their food bowl rather than cereals. There are many different brands of pellets to choose from in the market and there’s a lot of misleading advertising being used by manufacturers. A red colored pellet for example with the label screaming ‘all-natural ingredients’ may be misleading you into believing that it possibly contains carrot. A green one possibly indicating that it is sourced from leafy greens. But that is rarely the case. The most important thing that you should keep an eye on is the nutritional value on the product information label. This becomes all the more necessary if your pet does not have access to grass hay or other fresh herbs and veggies. For adult rabbits, look for a bare minimum of 19-20% dietary fiber to make the food easier for your bunny to digest. For young rabbits that are below six months of age, the food must contain at least 19% of protein to help them develop their bodies.

The next most important question that rabbit parents have is how much to feed their bunnies at different stages of their body growth. And it is a very critical part of the rabbit’s diet and well being.

How much is adequate? How much is too much or too little?

How Much Food Does my Rabbit Need?

Rabbits are natural foragers and in an enclosed environment like an urban home, it is very easy to overfeed them. So, I always divide the food that a rabbit needs everyday into different groups to make it easier for rabbit parents to understand the dietary needs of their pets.

Water: 24/7 – Your pet needs a never ending supply of fresh drinking water at all times. However, merely filling a water bottle or a bowl doesn’t cut it anymore. Water in bowls can get frozen in winters and bottles can get clogged especially if algae start to grow in it. You need to keep a check on these things.

Hay: An adult rabbit needs one bundle of hay that is the same size as they are. I will speak about the type of hay that a rabbit needs at different stages of their growth in a minute.

Leafy greens: There should at least be a handful of leafy greens fed to your rabbits spread out over the day. This should have at least three types of leafy green vegetables. Rotate the different leafy greens over the week to avoid repetitiveness and to introduce new nutrients to your pet’s diet.

Fruits: An occasional treat of apples or carrots will keep your rabbit happy and healthy. Limit this to one treat a day.

Pellets: A rabbit needs approximately 25 grams of pellets per kg of their bodyweight. For an adult rabbit that averages 4 kgs of weight, that translates into 2 cups or 50 grams of pellets per day.

How much food do baby rabbits and teenage rabbits need?

The first 12 weeks are the most important phase of a baby rabbit’s life where you need to establish the fundamentals of healthy eating and ensure that the nutritional requirements of their rapidly developing bodies are fulfilled. Here’s what you should feed your pets for the first 12 weeks of their life.

From birth until they reach 3 weeks of age – Only mother’s milk

3 to 4 weeks – In addition to mother’s milk, this is a great time to introduce alfalfa in tiny quantities

4 to 7 weeks – In addition to mother’s milk and alfalfa, you can give them access to the best rabbit food pellets.

7 weeks to 7 months – Time to weed them off the mother’s milk and alfalfa and give them unlimited access to their dry food (in controlled doses) and their blend of hay.

12 weeks – Time to introduce leafy greens one at a time

How much food does a young adult rabbit need?

Once a rabbit’s core dietary habits are established in the first few months, their digestive flora is primed and more readily accepts newer and more complex food sources. This is a great time to reduce their dependency on dry food and introduce newer fresh food sources. If you haven’t introduced a blend of hay yet, then it’s time to bring in timothy hay, oat hay and some of the others that I have mentioned earlier. It is also time to reduce the alfalfa content in their food, if you are still feeding them.

Pellets can be reduced to as less as 10-12 grams per 6 lbs of body weight.  You can experiment with different veggies to see what your pet can tolerate without it causing digestive problems.

This is also a great time to introduce the occasional fruit treat. Just a reminder, your best choices are apples and carrots.

How much food does a mature adult rabbit need?

The diet for a mature adult rabbit and a young adult is mostly identical. The only notable difference is that now you can experiment more with fresh veggies and give them unlimited access to their hay. There should always be a bundle of hay in their crate or cage. Veggies can be increased to as much as 2 cups a day and pellets can be increased or decreased depending on the other parts of the diet.

What is the ideal diet for senior rabbits?

The diet for a mature adult rabbit depends completely on their weight and overall health. If the rabbit is healthy and does not have any health problems, then a diet similar to that of the adult rabbit can be continued. However, if the rabbit has geriatric problems, like excessive calcium in the blood or is underweight, then they may need more pellets or alfalfa.

What Are The Best Rabbit Food Brands?

There are tons of rabbit food brands to pick from and the term ‘best rabbit foods brand’ may well be subjective. For example, if I have an adult rabbit, I’d look for the brand that offers the best pellets that are derived from timothy hay and do not have an excessive amount of sugar or starch.

But if I have a senior rabbit that is above the age of 6, I’d want to consider one which contains a little of alfalfa.

However, if you are new to rabbit foods and want to know about some of the popular brands, then here are some of them.

Oxbow: One of the most popular brands of rabbit foods that has a range of products for different age groups of bunnies.

Mazuri: Offers a wide range of exotic pet foods and is considered to be among one of the most trusted brands of rabbit foods in the world.

American Diner: Good old American made rabbit food available in both pellets as well as mixed forms.

Kaytee: Kaytee is another great choice of homemade foods for small animals. Their range has a variety of options for rabbits, guinea pigs and tortoises.

If this is the first time you are venturing to shop for nibbles for your rabbit, then here’s some help for you. Here’s a list of the top rabbit foods in the market. To make it easier for you to pick, I have categorized these according to the age of the pet.

My Picks of The Best Rabbit Foods For Adult Rabbits

#1 – Oxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics Essentials

One of the most popular brands of rabbit foods, Oxbow’s essential range boasts of the most complete nutritional profile among dried foods. It contains a blend of natural and synthetic ingredients that encompasses of vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats and calcium that an adult rabbit needs every day.

The main ingredients in the formula are timothy hay for fiber, soy for protein and fats and wheat for carbohydrates.

The vitamin blend is comprehensive and includes Vitamins A, D, E and a bunch of B vitamins which are vital for the rabbit’s fur, skin, nails and eyes.

Many vets recommend switching over to the Oxbow essential range of rabbit foods, especially if rabbits are facing problems like poor fur quality or gastric stasis.

The pellets are soft and easily chewable for rabbits of all ages.

What I like about it

Time tested and proven formula

Loved by bunnies of all ages

Complete nutritional profile

Premium ingredients for protein, healthy fats and carbs

Blend of vitamins

Easy to chew pellets

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#2 – Small Pet Select Rabbit Food Pellets

Despite being a new and niche brand that caters to a specific target audience (read fresh bunny food lovers), the small pet select rabbit food has become quite popular in a very small time. One of the reasons is because their rabbit food isn’t mass produced.

Instead, small batches of the food are produced (less than 500 packets a month) and sold exclusively on Amazon. This assures you about batch freshness and also about the attention to quality which may be lacking in mass produced foods.

The pellets itself are quite soft and rabbits take an instant liking to it. The primary ingredient is timothy hay which makes it an excellent source of indigestible fiber. Other than this, it also contains soy ingredients for fat and a health blend of vitamins.

Some of the notable ones are Vitamin A, D, E, B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus and proteins.

The product is made in the USA by a small family based business with 4 employees and comes with a 100% money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the quality.

What I like about it

Small batch produced food with fresher ingredients

Timothy hay based

Tasty pellets that bunnies love

100% money back guarantee

Made in the USA

Healthy vitamin, mineral blend

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#3 – Kaytee Supreme food for Rabbit

Go to any pet store and ask for a good quality rabbit food and the first one that you’d come across will be Kaytee Supreme food for rabbits. This is hands down, among the most widely used rabbit foods in the world.

And for good reason too. The pellets are soft, fresh and most rabbits would instant devour it without any hesitation. If you have been using other store brands, you will notice a marked difference in the color of your bunny’s ‘poo’. That’s an indicator of the fresher ingredients that Kaytee uses.

The food is sourced from a blend of grains and seeds according to Kaytee’s official website. However, the supreme food formula does contain oat hay as the primary ingredient along with traces of alfalfa.

So, if alfalfa is restricted for your pet, then you may have to look at some of the other options in this list. It has a healthy vitamin blend along with Rosemary, Vitamins A, E, B12, Niacin, Folic acid among others.

What I like about it

Most popular adult rabbit food brand

Oat based pellets with traces of alfalfa

Fresher and healthier

Excellent blend of vitamins

No artificial flavors or coloring

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#4 – Sherwood Adult Rabbit Food – Timothy blend

A lot of rabbit parents don’t want to feed their pets foods derived from soy or grain sources. If you are one of them, then you’ll love my next pick in this list of best rabbit foods. This is the Sherwood Adult rabbit food that is sourced from Western Timothy Hay and is completely free of Soy and food grains.

For rabbits that are allergic to soy or grains, this is easier on their digestive systems and contains a healthy blend of nutrients that keep their coat shiny.

The pellets have a fresh timothy hay aroma to it and it is not from artificial coloring or flavors because the food contains none. It is testimony to the quality that Sherwood Forest takes pride in.

If your bunny takes a liking to this, you can also buy this in bulk from the manufacturer to save some Benjamin.

Also, there are two varieties of the food available from Sherwood. One is the professional pellets which are ideal if your rabbit’s diet comprises of more than 50% timothy hay and the other is the complete pellet which is ideal for pets who consume less than 50%.

What I like about it

Fresh, green and delicious pellets

Free of soy and grain

Timothy hay based

Helps improve digestive problems and fur problems in rabbits

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#5 – Manna Pro Small World Rabbit Feed

The no-corn formula from Manna Pro is perfect for adult rabbits that have digestive enteritis caused due to high energy grains in their food. The endosperm in corn is one of the leading causes of a carb overload in the hindgut of some bunnies.

The Small world range from Manna Pro is a nutritional pellet that contains high fiber content along with a healthy mix of vitamins and minerals.

The primary ingredients are wheat mill run, alfalfa meal, soybean hulls, rice bran, soybean meal and dried grains.

The pellets are firm and easily chewable by bunnies of all ages. I have spoken to countless rabbit parents who use Manna Pro Small World as the primary dried food for their bunnies. Others also keep it as a secondary option in case they run out of supply of their chosen dry food brand.

What I like about it

Unbeatable pricing

No-corn formula that contains wheat mill run, alfalfa meal, soybean hulls and rice bran

Blend of vitamins, minerals

Ideal for rabbits of all ages

Buy from AMAZON.COM

My Picks of The Best Rabbit Foods For Young Rabbits

If you have a growing bunny below the age of 7 months to a year, you can take a pick of one of these two rabbit foods. Both of these are good quality formulas that have a healthy nutritional profile.

#1 – Oxbow Animal Health Bunny Basics Young Rabbit Formula

My #1 pick for growing bunnies is this Young Rabbit Formula from Oxbow. This is the perfect age for you to give your bunnies unlimited access to pellets and this formula from Oxbow with its Alfalfa content ticks all the right boxes.

It gives them enough protein and enough calories to help sustain the nutritional requirements of their bodies.

In addition to the alfalfa, it also contains a healthy blend of fats, carbohydrates, amino acids, minerals and vitamins.

The formula is gentle enough to be easily digested by young bunnies. This also allows you to use this for geriatric rabbits that have lost a lot of weight lately as well as pregnant bunnies.

The pellets are soft, have a fresh aroma and are much loved by bunnies who are usually finicky towards certain brands.

What I like about it

Soft and delicious pellets that are liked by rabbits of all ages

Alfalfa based formula that is rich in proteins and calories

Contains fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins

Easily digestible

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#2 – Kaytee Forti-Diet Pro Health Food for Juvenile Rabbits

Kaytee’s forti-diet pro formula is specially designed for growing bunnies and contains a bunch of beneficial ingredients that provide the necessary support to their developing bodies.

Along with alfalfa, which caters to the high calorie and protein requirements, the food also contains ground oats, ground wheat, oat hulls and flax seed which provide much needed dietary fiber and make this formula rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.

This helps the bunnies in developing a rich and lustrous coat.

I have donated a lot of bags of this food to a foster home that houses abandoned and orphaned rabbits and it has really helped a lot of the bunnies survive without nursing from their mothers. That alone stands testimony to the quality of the pellets.

The best part is that it is a budget priced option and it also helps to establish your bunnies’ taste buds towards timothy hay based pellets.

What I like about it

Alfalfa based formula for juvenile bunnies

Rich in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for a shiny coat

Rich in dietary fiber

Vital blend of vitamins, minerals and amino acids

Buy from AMAZON.COM

The Best Rabbit Food – Hay For Your Rabbits

A list of the best rabbit foods would be incomplete without recommending some of the best brands of hay for your pet. Once again, to keep it diverse, I have included a variety of types of hay. You can pick the one that best works for your pet.

#1 – Small Pet Select 2nd Cutting Timothy Hay

A lot of pet parents don’t think twice before ordering timothy hay without realizing that there’s a marked difference in quality in many brands of hay available online. This one from Small Pet Select is of the freshest ones in the market. It is the second cutting, which is softer than the first cutting but not extremely soft.

It contains long and delicious strands of hay with very little powdery or dusty residue which is an indicator of an old or stale batch.

Also, it does not contain any bugs or mites which are commonly found in cheaper timothy hay brands. No seed heads either which makes it easier for the bunny to chew and digest.

If your bunny has been refusing to eat Timothy hay that you batch purchased off the supermarket shelf, then you’d want to try switching to this one. Excellent quality and great pricing too!

What I like about it

Fresh, minimally processed timothy hay

Second cutting

Long and delicious strands

No dusty residue or seed heads

No mites, bugs

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#2 – Kaytee All Natural Timothy Wafer-Cut Hay

Kaytee’s Timothy Hay has a slight edge in terms of pricing. If you compare it per ounce, this is cheaper than any other variety of hay. Also, it comes in wafer cut stacks which make it easier to feed to your bunnies and there’s less chance of wastage.

The quality of the hay is pretty good at the price point. It is not as good as the one from Small Select but once again, it all boils down to what you are willing to spend.

You will find a bit of dust and some brown hay strands in this. But I wouldn’t consider it to be a deal breaker at this price.

This is a perfect low protein, high fiber hay for bunnies, guinea pigs and other small animals.

What I like about it

Wafer cut stacks of hay for easy feeding

Decent quality timothy hay

Great pricing

Bestseller on Amazon

Buy from AMAZON.COM

#3 – Standlee Premium Western Forage Timothy Grass

If you want nothing but the best for your bunny, then check out the Standless Premium Western Forage Timothy Hay.

This is grown in the sun kissed volcanic plains of Southern Idaho which boasts of some of the most nutrient dense soil in the world. The lower humidity in the air clubbed with the friendly irrigation practices make this one of the best forages for your bunnies.

The hay is the second cutting and is long, nutritious and easy to chew. There is zero wastage, brown dust or residue in the box. You get fresh and aromatic timothy hay in every batch.

The only caveat is that if your bunnies get used to the taste of the Standlee Premium Western Forage Timothy, they will refuse to touch any other product of questionable quality.

What I like about it

Top quality timothy hay

Grown in the United States in the nutrient dense soil in Southern Idaho

Second cutting

Long and delicious hay strands

Zero wastage, brown dust or residue

Buy from AMAZON.COM

An optimum diet that is the right mix of fresh ingredients and the best rabbit food (dry) will enable your bunny to lead a healthy, happy and disease free life. If you need any further assistance or wish to add anything to this, then feel free to reach out to us via the contact us form or via the comments section.

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