Your rabbit’s diet starts with hay, not a colourful bowl mix. For rabbit owners in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, the daily job is plain but important: keep fibre available, keep greens fresh, and take appetite changes seriously. Use this guide to prepare for a rabbit-savvy vet conversation, not to diagnose your rabbit at home.
What the risk is and why now
Rabbits need unlimited good-quality grass hay as the foundation of the diet. Long fibre supports gut movement and normal tooth wear, so the hay rack is not decoration. In humid tropical homes, hay can turn damp, musty, mouldy, dusty, or visibly spoiled faster than owners expect. Do not feed hay in that condition.
Most healthy adult rabbits should have grass hay as their routine hay. Alfalfa is richer in calcium and calories, so it is usually kept for young, pregnant, lactating, underweight, or medically directed rabbits. Plain high-fibre pellets can help in controlled amounts, but they are not the main event and should not replace hay.
Fresh leafy greens can fit into a rabbit diet. Introduce them gradually, one new item at a time, so you can spot what agrees with your rabbit and what does not. Bok choy, chye sim, kai lan, romaine or cos lettuce, coriander, basil, mint, and carrot tops are commonly listed as suitable rabbit greens when fed fresh and introduced carefully. Wash leaves, skip spoiled produce, and watch appetite and droppings after each new food.
Avoid muesli-style mixes with colourful pieces, seeds, flakes, or dried fruit. They encourage selective feeding, which is exactly the habit you do not want. Fruit and starchy vegetables are not routine treats; keep them limited, and check with a rabbit-savvy vet for rabbits with health risks.
The signs to watch for
Feeding time doubles as a health check. Hay should be the food your rabbit keeps returning to. A rabbit that suddenly eats less hay is not being cute, dramatic, or “just picky”. If the drop persists, worsens, or appears with appetite or dropping changes, arrange prompt assessment with a rabbit-savvy veterinarian.
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Stops eating or eats less | Treat it as urgent, especially if hay intake has dropped too. |
| Fewer or smaller droppings | Escalate promptly; this can go with reduced gut movement. |
| Diarrhoea or bloating | Do not manage it as simple pickiness. |
| Tooth pain signs or sudden behaviour change | Book a rabbit-savvy vet check. |
For the everyday routine, check three places together: the hay pile, the food bowl, and the litter area. Good-quality grass hay should stay available at all times because long fibre supports gut movement and normal tooth wear. Pellets can be measured, but they should not crowd out hay.
When adding greens, keep it boring on purpose: one new item at a time. Wash leaves, feed fresh portions, and watch appetite and faeces after each new food. Fruit and starchy vegetables are occasional items, not routine treats, because sugar and starch can displace fibre.
When to see a vet
Call a rabbit-savvy vet promptly if your rabbit stops eating, eats less, or produces fewer or smaller droppings. Do the same for diarrhoea, bloating, signs of tooth pain, or a sudden behaviour change. These are red flags, not dinner opinions.
Reduced hay intake matters because hay is the diet foundation for rabbits. If hay eating drops, then persists, worsens, or appears with appetite or dropping changes, escalate. Do not try to balance it out with more pellets, fruit, or starchy vegetables. Pellets are controlled extras, not a hay replacement. Fruit and starchy vegetables are limited, vet-confirmed treats, especially for rabbits with health risks.
Before the appointment, write down what changed: hay intake, pellet type, greens introduced, treats given, droppings, appetite, and behaviour. If you recently added bok choy, chye sim, kai lan, romaine or cos lettuce, coriander, basil, mint, or carrot tops, say so. These greens are commonly listed as suitable when fresh and introduced gradually, but each rabbit’s tolerance is individual.
Tonight, check the hay rack and litter tray before bed. If hay intake or droppings are off, call your vet instead of waiting for “pickiness” to pass.
— Manja