What Do Rabbits Eat In The Wild?

Before starting to write this article, I asked several people whether they knew anything about the food habit of a wild rabbit.

You will be surprised to know the answers I have.

When I asked someone, the common answer I received is the carrot. Do you think the same! I am curious to know. Please leave your answer in the comment section.

Well, let’s get to today’s article topic. So, What Do Rabbits Eat in the Wild? Rabbits are “herbivores mammal” (explanations are below). They eat the materials which came from plants.

Rabbits don’t eat carrots only to live. Truth be told, they don’t like the carrots that much because of too much sugar in it. Wild rabbits prefer varieties of vegetables, shrubs, and grasses. They don’t have access to diverse vegetables and fruits. They feed on, what have near their nest or home.

Therefore, today we will discuss the wild rabbits’ food habits and lots of similar to this one consequently. Let’s hop in asap.

Do you know? More than half of the world’s rabbit you will find are in North America.

What Do Rabbits Eat in the Wild?

Since the rabbits are herbivores (An animal that gets its nutrition through eating plants and materials come from the plants and don’t feed on other animals), mammals (Mammals are vertebrate animals. The babies are feed by milk from mammary glands).

Rabbits eat only the materials that come from plants and similar to grasses, seeds, fruits, and vegetables.

During the warmer seasons, wild rabbits feed on weed, forage/ grass, clover, flowers from the wildflower, vegetables, and small plants.

What do Rabbits eat in the winter? When the winter season comes, rabbits change their diet a little to adapt to the weather condition. This time they chew on twigs, sprouts, barks, bushes, and any green plants that are available around their home turf.

If you saw a wild rabbit, you will see they are happily chewing on grasses around their home all day long. Since the grasses don’t have enough nutrition for them, they have to eat a lot of that.

Depending on their safety, wild rabbits will feed on grasses all day long. Rabbits have to be aware of lots of predators while having foods. Dogs, foxes, cats, and lots of others as well. So, if they feel safe, they will spend more time eating.

Pet rabbits receive lots of various foods and pallets which replete their required nutrition for. But a wild rabbit doesn’t have access to those. So, they have to eat a lot of available foods to fulfill their required amount of nutrition.

Wild rabbits love green clover and anything fresh from plants. Their diets include a high amount of fiber. Because of the rabbit’s sensitive digest system, sometimes it’s hard for them to digest all the foods they eat. They have another way to receive nutrition. Rabbits excrete quickly and eat their droppings! Sort of like cow chewing cud.

What vegetables do wild Rabbits Eat?

There is a long list of vegetables that wild rabbits eat. It depends on the availability the rabbits have around their home. Every rabbit has its taste. So, it differs from one to another. Some vegetables may eat more than others. We are giving some common vegetable names, which a wild rabbit eats. Common vegetables are-

Romaine, Red or Green leaf (no iceberg or light-colored leaf)

There are more vegetables a wild rabbit can eat, based on availability. Look into “what veggies can rabbits eat.”

There are fruits which rabbits eat. This also depends on their availability to a wild rabbit. There are some fruits which are very common in a rabbit’s diet:

Cherries (Any variety)
Pears
Plum
Kiwi
Apple (Any type)
Peach
Mangoes
Berries (Any type and uncooked)
Banana
Melons
Pineapple
Currants
Nectarine
Star Fruit
Papaya
Apricot

There are lots of foods you may found in a rabbit’s food habit. But, the major factor is the availability and safety of eating that food.

What do baby rabbits eat in the wild? And, what to feed wild baby rabbits?

Rabbits are a kind of animal. Which born as altricial (Born in an undeveloped or helpless state and require parental care). They born without hair and blind. A newborn rabbit needs extra care.

Mother rabbit feeds the baby twice in a day- at morning and evening. Then the mother rabbit left the babies in the nest to feed herself. So, during the day time, you can find baby rabbits at their home alone. It doesn’t mean they are without a parent.

When do baby rabbits leave the nest? Since rabbits born as altricial, they need some time to get on their feet. Normally, it took around three weeks for a baby rabbit to leave the nest. At that time, they look like a Chipmunk. And they should have their eyes are open, ears are erect, also the ability to hop.

What do you feed a wild baby rabbit?

Feeding a wild baby rabbit is not a good idea. You should contact the nearest animal center to report the situation and the location because you may cause more harm by feeding the baby rabbit than helping them.

Yet if there is an emergency like – you have found an orphaned baby or injured one. Try to follow the below guidelines on feeding them.

Closed eyes baby bunnies should feed Two times a day, as they have with their mother.

Kitten KMR or KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) and regular Goat milk, you can feed a wild bunny by these. The amount of feeding and their diet should change gradually.

For a Newborn to 1 Week Old Rabbit:

2 – 2 and a half Cubic Centimeter(cc)/ Millimeter(mm) [Two times a day]

From One to Two weeks Old:

Five to Seven cc or mm. (Two times a day)

Two to Three Weeks Old:

Seven to Thirteen cc or mm. (Two times a day). At this time, they should start to open their eyes. Then, you can introduce them to some vegetables and hay.

Three to Six weeks old:

Thirteen to Fifteen cc or mm or little less (Two times a day)

Closed eyes bunnies need to urinate and defecate after each feeding. Otherwise, it may cause bloating or pain for the baby rabbit.

Where do wild rabbits live?

A rabbit community is known as a colony or nest; also, warren is a renowned name too.

Rabbits are ground dwellers. They live in environments from desert to tropical forest and wetlands. Rabbits occupy their home in available enormous grassland and where the grounds allow them to create a well-drained tunnel/ burrow. Rabbits may dig their nest right in the middle of an open yard.

Rabbits also make their home where a fence or boundary formed by growing brushes and shrubs tightly.

Do wild rabbits drink water?

A common question that appears our mind after learning, “what do rabbits eat in the wild” is “Do they drink water?”

Rabbits gain the required moisture they need from what vegetation or food they consume.

A wild rabbit doesn’t drink from a watercourse, kennel/puddle, or from a bowl of water (until anyone teaches them to; if you do so, they are not wilds anymore). Wild rabbits get their ‘moisture’ or ‘drinks’ from the food they eat. Their food contains enough moisture they need.

Vets suggest just leave them like as they are. Nature doesn’t need an extra bowl of water to survive.

Do wild Rabbits eat carrots?

Now, this is the common concept people have about rabbits, whether it is a wild or domestic one. Rabbits mainly subsist on carrots. Well, for your information, that is so not true! Wild or domestic rabbits may eat carrots, if available. But they don’t eat as their main food source.

To learn more about this topic- “Do Wild Rabbits eat carrots,” have a look into this article.

F. A. Q (Frequently Asked Questions)

01. What to feed wild rabbits?

The best approach is that you shouldn’t feed to a wild rabbit. Vets also don’t recommend feeding the wild ones. It may cause more harm than benefit.

Buying organic foods is always preferable. If not possible, feed them from the side, which is free from pesticides. You should wash or scrub the foods before giving them to the rabbits, regardless of the food source.

You can offer any sort of hay (except Alfalfa, it is not suited for all ages). Hay is the best thing to offer to a wild rabbit. Also, you can choose any vegetables and fruits we named earlier above. Don’t give too much in a single time. Let them adapt gradually.

02. What foods can kill a rabbit?

There are some foods which may cause serious problems. Sometimes they may become deadly. So, be careful about these foods while giving them. If you feed them, don’t overdo it.

Yogurt Drops
Bread, Pasta, Cookies, and Crackers
Avocado
Cereal
Iceberg Lettuce
Silverbeet
Hamster Food
Walnuts
Oatmeal
Chocolate
Peanut Butter
Potatoes
Rhubarb
Meat
Cauliflower

03. Where do wild rabbits sleep at night?

Wild Rabbits sleep mostly in tunnels, burrows, tall grass, and other areas they can hide. This indicates, they sleep in a place where it is hard for predators to find them while sleeping. You may find some of the rabbits are keeping their eyes open while sleeping.

Closure

Now, you should know what do rabbits eat in the wild. Food habits could differ from one rabbit to another, just like we humans do. An unplanned food diet can cause pain in their tummy and bloat. Wild ones are careful about their diet. So, they don’t mess it up.

But, the domestic rabbit depends on its owner. So, handle them carefully.

Well, that should be all for today. See you next time with lots more information and facts about your beloved pets. Until then, stay healthy and keep your pets healthy too.

Remainder: Guys, don’t forget to tell us your thinking about rabbit food habits before reading this topic online.