Rabbits should have free access to good quality hay. They should also receive an eggcup of nuggets each day and occasional fresh greens.

To keep rabbits healthy we should try to provide a natural diet. The bulk of a wild rabbit’s diet is grass and for pet rabbits hay, which is dried grass, is the practical alternative.

Grass (or hay) is important because it contains digestible and indigestible fibre. Indigestible fibre passes through the gut to keep things moving. It is also important as it helps wear down your rabbit’s teeth which grow continuously throughout life.

Digestible fibre ferments in the caecum (a giant ‘appendix’) and is passed out as soft, sticky droppings (caecotrophs) which your bunny then re-eats. Rabbits get most of the goodness out of their food the second time round.

Pet rabbits can’t browse for food like wild rabbits so to ensure their diets are balanced you should give an eggcup of Burgess Excel Nuggets each day in addition to hay.

Muesli-type foods are not suitable as rabbits can be fussy eaters and may just select the unhealthy elements. If this happens their diets are no longer balanced for vitamin D and calcium which leads to soft bones. Soft bones leads to eye infections and dental disease. Also, if these diets are cereal based your rabbit may become overweight. Overweight rabbits are unable to clean their bottoms and are much more at risk of fly strike.

Although the bulk of a domestic rabbit’s diet should be hay (supplemented with nuggets) you should occasionally provide fresh greens such as kale, spinach and savoy cabbage. This will add variety and interest to your pet’s diet.