Feeding a Dwarf Rabbit: hay, greens and measured pellets
Dwarf Rabbit : The dwarf rabbit has a sensitive digestive system and a small stomach: unlimited hay, roughly 25 to 30 g of pellets per day and fresh greens introduced gradually. Avoid seed mixes, which are too rich for a small breed prone to weight gain.
An accessory from our shop for this use: Wooden hay rack with tray for rabbit, guinea pig and chinchilla (€21.90) · the whole shop
Our products don’t ship to you yet, but the PDF practical guide is instant: The Pet Rabbit Handbook (€17)
In short: Around 1 to 1.5 kg as an adult, easy-care short coat, lively and playful but sometimes timid temperament. A lively, curious little rabbit, playful day to day but sometimes timid around sudden movements. Its roughly 1 to 1.5 kg frame is no excuse for a small cage: it needs a pen of at least 2 square metres and lightweight accessories sized for its body.
Hay first, pellets second
A strict herbivore, the Dwarf Rabbit lives on unlimited hay — 80% of its ration — topped up with daily greens and a controlled 20 to 40 g of fibrous pellets at 1 to 1.5 kg. Pellets are measured; hay never is.
What is specific to the Dwarf Rabbit at mealtimes
In a 1 to 1.5 kg dwarf, every extra counts double: two grams of sugary treat for it equals a slice of cake for you. Fruit in micro-amounts, never colourful seed mixes. A rabbit that snubs its hay is a rabbit to watch: it is the first signal of a dental or digestive problem.
Gut health: watch-point number one
GI stasis is the classic rabbit emergency: a Dwarf Rabbit that stops eating and producing droppings for 12 hours needs an exotics vet, not waiting. Prevention comes down to three words: fibre, water, movement. The rest of the profile is on the full Dwarf Rabbit profile.
Frequently asked questions
How many pellets for a Dwarf Rabbit?
20 to 40 g a day for an adult of 1 to 1.5 kg — alongside unlimited hay, which remains the bulk of the diet.
Which greens can a Dwarf Rabbit eat?
Endive, carrot tops, coriander, basil, celery leaves… introduced one at a time. Avoid iceberg lettuce, potato and anything that ferments. When in doubt about a plant, skip it.
The guides that apply to you
- Seed mixes for rabbits: why you should avoid them
Are seed mixes bad for rabbits? Selective feeding, obesity, badly worn teeth: why to ban colourful mueslis and what to replace them with.
- Healthy treats for rabbits: which to choose, which to ban
Which healthy treats can you give a rabbit? Dried flowers, herbs, tiny fruit portions: our criteria, the pet-shop traps to avoid and typical prices.
- Rabbit kit growth curve: what weight to expect based on adult size
A kit gaining weight slowly or quickly isn’t always a red flag — it all depends on the adult size being aimed for. Here’s how to track a growth curve that actually makes sense.
- Fibre and hay: what the research really says about rabbit digestive health
Not all fibre is equal for a rabbit’s gut transit. What a landmark scientific review shows about dietary fibre and how to build a suitable ration.