Rabbit Care Calculator

Pet Small Pets, Birds and Fish

A pet rabbit needs unlimited grass hay plus, per 6 lb (2.7 kg) of body weight, at least 2 cups of chopped leafy greens, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pellets and at most 2 tablespoons of fruit a day. A 3 kg rabbit therefore gets about 2.2 cups of greens and drinks roughly 150–450 mL of water.

About this tool

New rabbit owners usually get the food mix right and the amounts wrong: too many pellets, too much fruit, not enough leaves. This calculator takes your rabbit's weight in kilograms or pounds and its life stage, then scales the House Rabbit Society daily guide to that body size. It returns the greens target in cups, a pellet range, a ceiling for fruit and treats, a typical water range and the hay rule, with the arithmetic laid out underneath. Rabbits under seven months are handled differently, because growing kits eat pellets freely and meet vegetables gradually. The figures are a starting ration for a healthy pet at a sensible weight; a rabbit that is overweight, losing condition or has dental or gut problems needs a plan from a rabbit-savvy vet.

How to use it

Weigh the rabbit
Use a kitchen or baby scale and type the weight; pick kg or lb in the box beside it.
Choose the life stage
Under 7 months switches pellets to free choice; senior adds a note about watching weight.
Read the daily rations
Greens are the headline figure; pellets, fruit, water and hay are listed below with the working.

Examples

6 lb adult rabbit

Rabbit's body weight: 6
Weight unit: lb
Life stage: Adult (1–5 years)

Result Fresh leafy greens per day (cups): 2.0
Pellets per day: 0.25–0.5 cup
Fruit or treat limit (tbsp per day): 2
Typical water intake per day: 136–408 mL
Grass hay: Unlimited, about a pile the size of the rabbit
Weight in kg: 2.72

Weight = 6 lb (2.72 kg); 6-lb units = 6 ÷ 6 = 1
Greens = 2 cups × 1 = 2 cups
Pellets = 0.25–0.5 cup × 1 = 0.25–0.5 cup
Fruit limit = 2 tbsp × 1 = 2 tbsp
Water = 50–150 mL × 2.72 kg = 136–408 mL

A mid-sized adult such as a Mini Lop crossbreed sits right on the 6 lb reference weight, so the rations are the House Rabbit Society figures unchanged.

3 kg Dutch-sized adult

Rabbit's body weight: 3
Weight unit: kg
Life stage: Adult (1–5 years)

Result Fresh leafy greens per day (cups): 2.2
Pellets per day: 0.28–0.55 cup
Fruit or treat limit (tbsp per day): 2.2
Typical water intake per day: 150–450 mL
Grass hay: Unlimited, about a pile the size of the rabbit
Weight in kg: 3

Weight = 6.61 lb (3 kg); 6-lb units = 6.61 ÷ 6 = 1.102
Greens = 2 cups × 1.102 = 2.2 cups
Pellets = 0.25–0.5 cup × 1.102 = 0.28–0.55 cup
Fruit limit = 2 tbsp × 1.102 = 2.2 tbsp
Water = 50–150 mL × 3 kg = 150–450 mL

3 kg is about 6.6 lb, so each ration is about 10% above the 6 lb reference, and water lands between 150 and 450 mL a day.

12 lb young Flemish Giant

Rabbit's body weight: 12
Weight unit: lb
Life stage: Under 7 months

Result Fresh leafy greens per day (cups): 4.0
Pellets per day: Free choice (alfalfa-based)
Fruit or treat limit (tbsp per day): 4
Typical water intake per day: 272–816 mL
Grass hay: Unlimited, about a pile the size of the rabbit
Weight in kg: 5.44

Weight = 12 lb (5.44 kg); 6-lb units = 12 ÷ 6 = 2
Greens = 2 cups × 2 = 4 cups
Pellets: free choice under 7 months
Fruit limit = 2 tbsp × 2 = 4 tbsp
Water = 50–150 mL × 5.44 kg = 272–816 mL

Growing rabbits eat pellets freely, so only the greens target and the fruit cap scale with weight here.

How it is calculated

units = weight (lb) ÷ 6; greens = 2 × units cups; pellets = 0.25–0.5 × units cup; fruit = 2 × units tbsp; water = 50–150 mL × weight (kg)

units: body weight expressed in 6 lb blocks, the reference size in the House Rabbit Society guide
weight (kg): body weight in kilograms; 1 kg = 2.20462 lb

The House Rabbit Society states its adult ration per 6 lb of rabbit, so every food amount here scales linearly with weight. Hay is not scaled because it should always be available. Water uses the 50–150 mL per kg per day range commonly quoted for rabbits; actual intake rises when the diet is dry and falls when greens are plentiful.

When not to use it

Do not use it to slim down an overweight rabbit; feeding to current weight keeps the extra weight.
It does not cover rabbits with dental disease, gut stasis or kidney problems.
It is not a guide for wild or meat rabbits fed commercial rations.

Common mistakes

Measuring greens loosely tossed instead of chopped and lightly packed into the cup.
Treating the pellet figure as a minimum and topping up the bowl all day.
Counting carrots as greens; they are sugary and belong in the treat allowance.

Frequently asked questions

How much hay does a rabbit need each day?

Hay should be available all the time and make up most of what the rabbit eats. A rough check is a pile about the size of the rabbit's own body each day. Timothy, orchard grass or meadow hay suit adults; alfalfa is richer and is kept for growing rabbits.

Why do young rabbits get unlimited pellets?

Kits under about seven months are still building bone and muscle, so they get free-choice alfalfa pellets and alfalfa hay. From around seven months the pellets are cut back toward the adult range and grass hay replaces alfalfa.

Which greens count toward the daily cups?

Leafy greens such as romaine, green or red leaf lettuce, coriander, parsley, basil, dill, dandelion greens and carrot tops. Aim for three or more kinds a day and introduce each new one slowly to watch for soft droppings.

Are carrots and apples part of the greens?

No. Carrots, apples, bananas and berries are high in sugar and fall under the fruit and treat limit, which is about 2 tablespoons per 6 lb of rabbit per day in total.

How can I tell if my rabbit drinks enough water?

A healthy adult usually drinks 50–150 mL per kilogram each day, more when the diet is mostly hay. A bowl is usually drunk from more readily than a bottle. A sudden drop in drinking or in droppings is a reason to call a vet the same day.

Should a senior rabbit eat differently?

Many older rabbits do well on the adult ration. Ones that lose weight are often given more pellets or alfalfa, while those with calcium sludge may need less. Weekly weighing shows which way your rabbit is heading.