Small Pet Education Blog > What Do Rabbits Eat During The Winter?
What Do Rabbits Eat During The Winter?
Written by The Rabbit Hole Hay Team
Your rabbit is curled up warm and cozy in his hutch or maybe they're next to you on the couch in front of the fire while you read a good book. A large pile of Timothy Hay sits in his favorite eating location, maybe a little in his litter box. There is clearly no lack of food in your little bun’s life, but that’s normal. You might have been sitting gently stroking your rabbit looking out the window to the winter weather distantly storming all around you and wondered, what do rabbits eat during the winter?
Wild Rabbits
Rabbits in the wild are very good at finding food despite the apparent lack of the things that they normally eat. When there is not a ready supply of their favorite grasses, hay and clover, they survive on two main sources of nutrients. They eat lower nutrient bark, tree and bush buds, and twigs. The second thing they eat is their cecotropes which is partially digested food. This will allow their digestive system another chance to glean even more energy from the food they’ve already eaten.
What do wild bunnies eat in the winter? Better yet, do you know what to feed wild rabbits in winter? Get more information from the video to your left!
Pet Rabbits
There are a few things you should know about your pet rabbit.
Rabbits don’t hibernate for the winter
Rabbit’ fur will thicken in the cooler months
Rabbits are prey animals, so they will instinctually try to find shelter
Why are these things important to remember in the winter time? Now that you know that rabbits don’t hibernate, if your rabbit starts to look lethargic, take them to the vet immediately. Your little bun will have a thicker fur coat during the cooler months but you still need to provide warm shelter for him. Appropriate shelter for the winter months will also ensure that your rabbit feels safe from the prey animals that are outside.
Do you know what foods that keep your rabbits warm? Your pet rabbit will keep the same diet that they will have earlier in the year but the quantity will change. Rabbits will naturally eat more Timothy Hay to gain more fat to help keep them warm. Always make sure that your pet rabbit has unlimited access to fresh Timothy Hay.
During the winter time, it is important to make sure that your rabbit’s water hasn’t frozen and become too cold for him to drink. Keep the amount of quality pellets, vegetables and fruits the same as non-winter months. It is crucial for your little bun to have limited amounts of sugar and carbohydrates that are commonly found in most vegetables and fruits.
Rabbits both wild and domesticated are beautiful. Do you have rabbits that you think are too cute not to show the world? Share your little buns on our Facebook or Instagram! We love all rabbits, not just the ones snuggled next to us.
Now that you know the answer to what do rabbits eat during the winter, do you need to buy more Timothy Hay for the upcoming cooler months? Check out our online store, where you purchase hay, bedding, and chew toys for your rabbit to stay happy and healthy!
