Pellets or hay-only for your rabbit: which diet should you choose?
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
Pellets or hay-only for a rabbit? Neither in its extreme version: the reference diet remains unlimited hay (80 % of the food intake), completed with daily fresh greens and a small portion of pellets — about 2 % of the rabbit’s weight per day, i.e. 30 g for a 1.5 kg rabbit. A “hay plus greens” diet without pellets is possible for a healthy adult, but it demands abundant, varied greens to cover vitamins and minerals.
Contents · 5 sections
What are pellets really for?
A good pellet (extruded, at least 20 % fibre, no visible cereals) is nutritional insurance: it supplies calcium, phosphorus and vitamins in controlled proportions. It is invaluable for growing baby rabbits, pregnant does, older rabbits losing weight and convalescents. Expect 6 to 15 € per kilo for a quality brand, i.e. 1 to 3 € a month at the correct dose — the cheapest item in the whole diet.
Is a hay-only diet enough?
For a neutered, sedentary adult, a well-designed hay-plus-greens diet works, provided you serve:
- Impeccable hay, green, leafy, unlimited (see our comparison of budget or premium hay);
- 200 to 300 g of varied greens per day for a 1.5 kg rabbit, across at least three different plants;
- Weekly weight checks: any loss over 5 % means reintroducing pellets and consulting a rabbit-savvy exotics vet.
Pellets or hay-only: what does it mean for the budget?
Paradoxically, hay-only costs more: the extra greens (8 to 15 € per week) far exceed the 2 € saved on pellets. The real gain lies elsewhere: better-worn teeth, a more regular gut, less excess weight. All our nutrition guides are in the rabbit food section.
What mistakes should you avoid with pellets?
Unlimited pellets is the classic error: the rabbit neglects its hay, its teeth wear badly and it gains weight. Also ban colourful seed mixes, whose dangers we explain in why to avoid seed mixes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stop pellets overnight?
No: reduce the dose over three to four weeks while increasing the greens, and weigh your rabbit every week during the transition.
How many pellets for a baby rabbit?
Before six months, junior pellets can be served unlimited alongside hay; rationing starts gradually from puberty.
My rabbit snubs its hay, what should I do?
First remove the excess pellets, offer a leafier hay and serve it in a clean rack: the appetite for fibre returns within days.
See it in the Planète Pets shop: Wooden hay rack with tray for rabbit, guinea pig and chinchilla (€21.90) · the whole shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Rabbits universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.
