A fluffy feast: top 5 treats for a happy rabbit

As a devoted owner, you want to pamper your four-legged friend. But rabbit treats aren’t just a way to tempt their tastebuds, they can also help strengthen the bond that you share. Or maybe you would like to spend some time training your pal – from litter training to recall, what better way to say ‘well done’ than a tasty rabbit treat.

So where do you start? Rabbits have a sensitive digestive system and the last thing you want to do is make your pal unwell. To help you navigate the many options available, here’s our list of the top 5 rabbit treats to help keep your pal not just happy, but healthy too.

1.    A handful of leafy greens

Leafy greens should always feature on the top 5 rabbit treats leaderboard. They add variety to a rabbit diet as well as that all-important fibre and are delicious too. From basil and mint to chamomile and thyme, herbs are a sure-fire winner. Or how about a lettuce leaf or two? Stick to the dark-leaved varieties like romaine as these have the highest nutritional value and remember to give the leaves a good wash to remove any harmful residues like pesticides.

2.   Fresh vegetables

Carrots are a popular rabbit treat with our bunny friends, but you can have too much of a good thing. They have a high sugar content which can upset the delicate balance of ‘good bacteria’ in your rabbit’s digestive system and can also be detrimental to dental health. Not only that, but if fed regularly, sweet treats like carrots may put your bun at risk of becoming overweight.

Does that mean carrots are off the treat menu completely? The occasional small morsel is unlikely to cause issues. However, in the wild, rabbits would be unlikely to eat root vegetables and it’s usually better to stick to high fibre rabbit treats that have no added sugar, mirroring this wild rabbit diet.

3.   Tasty Timothy hay-based rabbit treats

Timothy hay is a fantastic source of fibre. As well as offering unlimited quantities of fresh hay, you can increase your bun’s fibre intake by offering rabbit treats that are rich in this tasty goodness.

Selective Naturals Forest Sticks have Timothy hay as the number one ingredient, an impressive 25 percent fibre and blackberry and chamomile for delicious natural flavour. Or how about Tiny Friends Farm Stickles with Timothy hay and herbs for a tempting rabbit treat, just bursting with delicious natural ingredients.

You can even hide the treats in a bundle of hay to keep your bun busy and encourage some natural foraging behaviour.

4.   Fresh fruit

Rabbits have a sweet tooth and when it comes to rabbit treats, they are sure to say yes to a slice of apple, a piece of banana, or a juicy strawberry. Other fruits that are rabbit-safe include melon, pear, plum and kiwi. But remember that just like root vegetables, fruit has a high sugar content so should only be offered occasionally.

5.   Baked rabbit treats with delicious natural flavour

Satisfy your pal’s liking for fruit (or veg) with some treats that are rich in natural ingredients, high in fibre and with just the right amount of fruit or veg to add flavour as part of a carefully balanced recipe.

Carrot and mint tickle those tastebuds? Your pal will thank you for putting Tiny Friends Farm Russel Rabbit Loopies on the shopping list. Or how about Russel Rabbit Twiggies with apple and blackberry? You could even set up a bunny taste test to see which your pal prefers.

Whether you are offering your rabbit some treats to encourage bonding, or hiding one or two around their enclosure to encourage natural foraging, remember:

• Offer treats in moderation
• Adjust the rabbit food portion accordingly to help avoid weight gain
• Introduce new rabbit treats slowly to avoid digestive upset
• Avoid processed human foods
• Check out our toxic plants blog for greenery to avoid.

To learn more about the best rabbit diets read Top 3 food choices and diets for your rabbit next.