Their exact food intake has not been studied to the extent that European rabbits have, but I think it’s fair to assume that the diet of these related species will at least be in the same ballpark. In the Americas, the rabbits we see in the wild are cottontails, a different species altogether.
So we can assume these numbers are more or less accurate for wild European rabbits (the invasive species in Australia and the species of domestic rabbits) They found that wild rabbits eat 65.7-68.3 grams per kilogram of body weight. Recently, a study in Australia studied the diet of wild rabbits and found very similar numbers. In the 1970s and ’80s, there were several studies that studied domestic rabbits and determined they will naturally eat approximately 65-80 grams per kilogram of body weight. This is always a time of year that is most difficult for rabbits and results in the death of many rabbits who cannot get enough to eat during the winter. The rabbits need to compete for limited resources such as bark, twigs, and evergreen and pine needles from trees and shrubbery that live through the winter. In the winter, when plant life is scarce, wild rabbits need to be a lot more creative in order to survive. Flowers, leafy plants, and grass make up the vast majority of what wild rabbits eat on a daily basis. However, these are a much smaller part of their natural diet than most people think. When they are available, wild rabbits will also eat fruits and vegetables from gardens or bushes. Herbs: Cilantro, parsley, basil, mints, oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, dill, etc.Flowers: Roses, daisies, sunflowers, marigold, lavender, chamomile, violets, pansies, etc.Bark and twigs: Willow bark and twigs, apple tree sticks, raspberry and blackberry bush twigs, birch, poplar, rose bushes and twigs, maple, cottonwood, etc.Weeds: dandelion, clover, crabgrass, ragweed, nettle, chickweed, etc.Typical lawn grass is edible for wild rabbits but is less nutritious than wild grasslands. Grasses: wheatgrass, meadow grass, fescue, bluegrass, ryegrass, Bermuda, orchard, timothy, etc.This means that wild rabbits can eat a wide variety of plants from their surrounding environment to eat more nutrients and stay healthy.Įxamples of a natural wild rabbit diet include: While there are certainly plants and flowers that are poisonous to rabbits, for the most part they have a digestive system that is able to handle plant material better than other, carnivorous animals. Throughout most of the year, this will consist of grass combined with yummy leafy plants they can find naturally, such as clover and wildflowers. They will eat just about any kind of plant material they can find. Related Reading: What to do if you find a baby rabbit nest on your lawn.
Other species, such as the New England Cottontail, are also being subject to conservation efforts to help increase the wild rabbit numbers.
They have recently been categorized as Near Threatened. For example, European Rabbits have been the subject of a couple of different very contagious diseases over the past decades, causing their numbers to dwindle. Those of you who live in areas where the wild species of rabbits are endangered or threatened may be especially concerned about the wild rabbits in your neighborhood. You can also grow plants year-round to give wild rabbits more nutritious options. This will make more resources available while also working with a wild rabbit’s natural foraging instincts. You can help wild rabbits have food resources by planting shrubs and greenery that will live through the winter. Still, it’s usually best not to feed wild rabbits directly, because it will make them wholly dependent on humans for food. I always get a little sad thinking about wild rabbits in the winter since I know the scarcity of resources available means many won’t make it through to spring. While some people see wild rabbits as pests that they need to keep out of their garden, many of us actually love seeing rabbits in the yard and worry about their well-being.