Image of rabbits with bread and a croissant. The caption reads "Can rabbits eat bread."

No, rabbits cannot eat bread or any other wheat-based products like crackers. Any type of bread is harmful to a rabbit’s digestive and oral health. Rabbits need a diet high in fiber derived from hay, quality timothy-based pellets and vegetables. If you want to treat your rabbit give him or her fruit, not bread.

Continue reading for more information about rabbits and bread.

Can rabbits eat bread

As stated above, rabbits cannot eat wheat bread or another wheat-based product. Simply put it is not good for them in anyway and could cause them harm. If you are wanting to treat your rabbit, there are many other great options that your rabbit will love.

Why rabbits cannot eat bread

The title should be more like, “rabbits should not eat bread.”  My point is that if you rabbit happens to eat a small amount of bread or another wheat-based product, he or she will probably be fine. If your rabbit has eaten a large quantity of bread or regularly over an extended amount of time then you may have a problem.

Rabbits digestive system

A rabbit’s GI tract or digestive system is nothing like a human. It is sensitive and needs a diet packed with fiber and lower in protein. If a rabbit is not consuming enough fiber or the wrong food types like bread and wheat, they can get something called GI stasis. GI Stasis is when a rabbit’s digestive tract slows down or completely stops. This causes painful bloating and can cause death very rapidly. If your rabbit has stopped pooping you need to see a vet that specializes in rabbits ASAP.

Rabbit nutrition

Rabbits need to be eating timothy hay, a quality timothy based pellet and approved leafy vegetables. No wheat based or starchy foods should be fed to a rabbit. Even if they can tolerate bread products it can cause them to become addicted to them and they will stop eating foods that are healthy.

Small amounts of fruit make excellent treats for your rabbit. If you haven’t heard bananas are a safe treat for rabbits and they will literally go “bananas” for them!

Bread alternatives that your rabbit will love

If you have been treating your rabbit with bread it is time to find a replacement treat that they will love just as much. Remember that any fruit you give to a rabbit should be limited to about 1-2 teaspoons per two pounds of body weight.

  • Bananas – This is probably a rabbits favorite treat and should only be fed once a week.
  • Strawberries
  • Raw Berries
  • Pineapple (No skin)
  • Peaches
  • Cherries (pitted)
  • Carrots

Our favorite treat for Mr. Bunny (our pet house rabbit) is Oxbow Veggie Treats. He goes nuts for these treats and they are not terrible for him like bread would be. Stay away from and food or treats that have wheat, corn or seeds in them as they are really bad for rabbits.

Addiction to bread and wheat

If a rabbit is fed bread or wheat products for a long enough period of time, they will become very addicted to them. If your rabbit is hounding you for bread all the time you have a problem on your hands.

Another symptom of addiction is that your rabbit has stopped or is not eating as much haw as he did in the past. If your rabbit is having an addiction problem, you need to stop feeding him bread and replace it with a healthier treat. You and your rabbit will be happier in the long run.

Yes, rabbits eat their own poop

Rabbits have two types of poop, regular poop and special poop called cecotropes that the rabbit will eat. The simple answer as to why rabbits eat their own poop is for there health. Ever hear of a cow chewing its cud? Instead of regurgitating their food rabbits eat their cecotropes to gain more nutritional value from their food.

The cecotropes ferment inside their digestive tract until ready and often come out in the evening or at night. If you ever see you your rabbit with his or her head between their legs they are most likely eating their poop LOL.

If you feed your rabbit bread it can cause problems with this process and hurt your rabbits health in the long run.

About the Author

My name is Vanessa and I love my buns. My current house rabbit is Mr. Bunny, he is a black and white Dutch that just turned 9 years old.

I believe that rabbits are a magnificent animal that make great pets for SOME people. My mission is to share what I have learned about rabbits over the past 20 years to improve the relationship between our pets and us. Please contact me or comment if you have any questions or comments.