Now that you know what to feed your lop rabbit you may be wondering when and how much to feed him. To make sure that your rabbit gets the nutrients he needs, you need to adjust his diet based on his age. For example, baby rabbits that have just been weaned can benefit from higher protein content in their diet while adult rabbits need more fiber than protein. Below you will find an overview of the ideal composition of a lop rabbit’s diet as determined by his or her age:
Baby Rabbits (Birth to 7 months)
- From birth to 3 weeks – mother’s milk only
- From 3 to 4 weeks – mother’s milk, small portions of pellets and alfalfa hay
- From 4 to 7 weeks – mother’s milk, free access to pellets and alfalfa hay
- From 7 weeks to 12 weeks – unlimited access to pellets and alfalfa hay
- From 12 weeks to 7 months – introduce veggies one at a time, unlimited access to pellets and alfalfa hay
Young Adult Rabbits (7 months to 12 months)
- Introduce timothy hay, grass hay, oat hay, and other hays while decreasing alfalfa hay
- Decrease pellet consumption to ½ cup per 6 pounds of bodyweight
- Increase daily consumption of vegetables to 1 cup per 6 pounds of bodyweight
- Introduce fruit in small quantities – no more than 1 to 2 ounces per 6 pounds bodyweight
Mature Adult Rabbits (1 year to 5 years)
- Unlimited daily access to timothy hay, oat hay, and other grass hays
- Decrease to ¼ to ½ cup pellets per 6 pounds bodyweight
- At least 2 cups fresh veggies per 6 pounds bodyweight daily
- Fruit ration no more than 2 ounces (about 2 tbsp.) per 6 pounds bodyweight daily
Senior Rabbits (6 years and older)
- Continue adult diet as long as healthy weight is maintained
- Offer unlimited access to pellets if needed to keep weight up
- Offer alfalfa hay to underweight rabbits as long as calcium levels are within the normal range
Author and long-time animal lover. Sharing knowledge on pet care through experience and the written word. 