Rabbit Food Calculator

Pet Small Pets, Birds and Fish

An adult rabbit needs unlimited grass hay plus about 1 packed cup of leafy greens per 2 lb of body weight, 1/8 to 1/4 cup of pellets per 5 lb, and no more than 2 tablespoons of fruit per 5 lb each day. A 5 lb rabbit gets 2.5 cups of greens and up to 1/4 cup of pellets.

About this tool

Rabbits get into trouble on diets that are heavy in pellets and treats and light on fibre: overgrown teeth, obesity and gut stasis all trace back to it. This calculator turns your rabbit's weight and life stage into a daily plan built on House Rabbit Society portions. It gives the packed cups of leafy greens, a pellet range for adults, a ceiling for fruit and sugary treats, and the weight in pounds it worked from, with the arithmetic shown. Rabbits under seven months get free-choice alfalfa pellets and hay instead of a measured ration. The figures are starting points for a healthy rabbit at a stable weight; a rabbit that is ill, pregnant, nursing, or losing or gaining weight needs a plan from a rabbit-savvy vet.

How to use it

Enter the weight
Type your rabbit's current weight and pick lb or kg in the unit box inside the field.
Choose the life stage
Pick under 7 months, adult, or senior. Young rabbits get free-choice pellets rather than a measured amount.
Read the daily portions
The headline is packed cups of greens; below it are pellets, the fruit ceiling and the hay advice, followed by the working.

Examples

5 lb adult Holland Lop

Rabbit's weight: 5
Weight unit: lb
Life stage: Adult (7 mo–6 yr)

Result Leafy greens per day (packed cups): 2.5
Pellets per day: 0.13–0.25 cup
Fruit and treats, at most (tbsp/day): 2
Hay: Unlimited grass hay (timothy, orchard, oat)
Weight used (lb): 5

Pellets = 5 lb ÷ 5 × 1/8 to 1/4 cup = 0.13–0.25 cup
Leafy greens = 5 lb ÷ 2 × 1 packed cup = 2.5 cups
Fruit and treats ≤ 5 lb ÷ 5 × 2 tbsp = 2 tbsp

A typical small adult: two and a half packed cups of mixed leafy greens, a level eighth to quarter cup of timothy pellets, and no more than two tablespoons of fruit.

10 lb senior Flemish mix

Rabbit's weight: 10
Weight unit: lb
Life stage: Senior (6 yr+)

Result Leafy greens per day (packed cups): 5
Pellets per day: 0.25–0.5 cup
Fruit and treats, at most (tbsp/day): 4
Hay: Unlimited grass hay (timothy, orchard, oat)
Weight used (lb): 10

Pellets = 10 lb ÷ 5 × 1/8 to 1/4 cup = 0.25–0.5 cup
Leafy greens = 10 lb ÷ 2 × 1 packed cup = 5 cups
Fruit and treats ≤ 10 lb ÷ 5 × 2 tbsp = 4 tbsp

Portions scale with weight, so a 10 lb rabbit gets twice the 5 lb amounts. The senior note flags that weight loss may call for more pellets.

2 kg rabbit, 5 months old

Rabbit's weight: 2
Weight unit: kg
Life stage: Under 7 months

Result Leafy greens per day (packed cups): 2.2
Pellets per day: Free choice (alfalfa pellets)
Fruit and treats, at most (tbsp/day): 1.8
Hay: Unlimited hay; alfalfa is fine at this age
Weight used (lb): 4.41

Weight = 2 kg × 2.2046 = 4.41 lb
Under 7 months: pellets and alfalfa hay are offered freely, not measured.
Leafy greens = 4.41 lb ÷ 2 × 1 packed cup = 2.2 cups
Fruit and treats ≤ 4.41 lb ÷ 5 × 2 tbsp = 1.8 tbsp

A growing rabbit eats pellets and alfalfa hay freely; the greens figure is the target once vegetables have been introduced slowly.

How it is calculated

Greens (cups) = W ÷ 2; Pellets (cups) = W ÷ 5 × 1/8 to 1/4; Fruit max (tbsp) = W ÷ 5 × 2

W: Rabbit's body weight in pounds (kg × 2.2046)

Portions follow the House Rabbit Society rule of thumb: at least one packed cup of leafy greens for every 2 lb of body weight, a level 1/8 to 1/4 cup of plain timothy pellets for every 5 lb in adults, and fruit limited to about 2 tablespoons per 5 lb. Hay is not measured because it should be available all day and make up most of the diet. Rabbits under seven months eat alfalfa pellets and hay freely while they grow.

When not to use it

Not for a rabbit recovering from gut stasis or surgery, which needs a vet's feeding plan.
Not for pregnant or nursing does, whose needs are well above these amounts.
Not for guinea pigs, which also need a vitamin C source.

Common mistakes

Measuring greens loosely instead of as a packed cup, which halves the real amount.
Treating pellets as the main food and hay as a side.
Counting carrots as a vegetable rather than a sugary treat.
Switching a young rabbit to many new greens at once.

Frequently asked questions

How much hay should a rabbit eat a day?

As much as it wants. Grass hay such as timothy, orchard or oat should be in front of the rabbit at all times and make up roughly 80% of what it eats. A common visual guide is a pile about the size of the rabbit each day. Chewing the long fibre wears down teeth that never stop growing and keeps the gut moving.

Why do pellets get a range rather than one number?

The House Rabbit Society gives 1/8 to 1/4 cup per 5 lb for adults. Rabbits that eat plenty of hay and greens and hold their weight do well at the low end; very active or slightly thin rabbits may need the top of the range. Weigh your rabbit every couple of weeks and move within the range.

Which greens count toward the daily cups?

Leafy greens such as romaine, green or red leaf lettuce, cilantro, parsley, basil, dill, dandelion greens, carrot tops and bok choy. Aim for at least three kinds a day, and limit high-oxalate ones like parsley and spinach to one serving among the mix. Iceberg lettuce adds little and is best skipped.

Is carrot a vegetable or a treat for rabbits?

Treat it as a treat. Carrot root is high in sugar, so it belongs inside the fruit-and-treat allowance of about 2 tablespoons per 5 lb, alongside apple, banana or berries. The leafy carrot tops are a different matter and count as greens.

When can a young rabbit start eating greens?

Around 12 weeks, one new green at a time in small amounts, watching for soft droppings for a day or two before adding the next. Until about seven months, alfalfa hay and pellets are offered freely to support growth, then the rabbit moves to grass hay and measured timothy pellets.

What changes for a senior rabbit?

Many older rabbits keep eating the adult amounts. If a senior starts losing weight, a vet may suggest more pellets or a return to some alfalfa; if it is gaining weight, pellets come down first. Dental problems are common with age, so a drop in hay eating is worth checking.