Rabbits or Bunnies have open rooted teeth, meaning the teeth are growing throughout a rabbit's life. In the wild, a rabbit would spend most of its day chewing on grass and other fibrous foods. Not only does this wear down their teeth, the fiber also helps to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal system and prevents gut stasis.
Providing our domestic bunny friends with lots of indigestible fiber will ensure that they get:
Sufficient dental exercise- wear and tear of every growing teeth
Reduce in boredom and behavioural problems (overgrooming, chewing on wires and furniture)
Stimulation in gut motility
Maintenance of healthy gastrointestinal tract bacterial flora
Bunny with severely overgrown upper cheek teeth (right side of photo).
Pellets usually do not provide enough of the above benefits.
Good types of hay include timothy, oaten and orchid grass hay. Alfalfa' should only be fed to pregnant, lactating does or juvenile rabbits (<1 year old) because of the high calcium content which could lead to formation of kidney and bladders stones!
There are also various cuts of hay to choose from. First cut hay is ideal for wearing down teeth but it is usually not very palatable and many bunnies dislike the coarseness nature of the hay. Second cut hay is probably the most commonly fed hay and is generally loved by most rabbits and the hay still has enough "toughness" to provide some degree of dental exercise. Third cut hay is usually not advised because of the fact that they do not do much for their dental health.
Fresh greens should also make up as part of your rabbit's diet. Like any other species, variety is key and feeding the same type of vegetable to your pet everyday for the rest of its life is going to lead to some health problems too. Some good vegetables that you can consider in this rotation include:
Xiao bai cai
Kang kong / Kangkong
Kai lan
Spinach
Parsley
Watercress
Collard greens
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Depending on the body weight of your bunny, they can take up to 1 cup of greens per day. An important thing to note when introducing food to your bunny, is that all new greens should be given in small amounts first and your bunny's poo should be monitored closely. If you notice mucus (jelly coating), irregular sizing or soft stools, it is advised that you should immediately contact your vet.
Normal bunny droppings: Cecal pellets/cecotrophs/night poos which are rich in vitamins and should be ingested by your bun. Fecal matter which are firm and solid and should be big and round.
You may also like to check out these useful websites on diets for your bunny:
http://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetables-and-fruits-for-a-rabbit-diet/
http://rabbit.org/what-to-feed-your-rabbit/
myhouserabbit.com/rabbit-care/what-to-feed-your-pet-rabbit/
http://www.melbournerabbitclinic.com/wordpress/?page_id=314
http://www.bunnywonderlandsg.com/tips/
