Note: Pet Educate is reader supported. If you make a purchase through a link on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission - at no extra cost to you. This includes links to Amazon.

Can Rabbits Eat Dog Food? [Is It Safe and A Good Idea?]

If you have a pet rabbit, you may be wondering if you can feed them products that were designed for other animals. What about dog food? Where does this fit in? Is it possible, safe, and beneficial to feed dog food to your rabbit? I decided to conduct some thorough research on the topic. I would like to share this information with you here today.

So, can rabbits eat dog food? Rabbits should never eat dog food. Not even in limited quantities. Rabbits are strict herbivores with their own digestive systems. They require a lot of fiber that should come from specially formulated pellets, hay, and vegetables. Most dog food contains meat, grains, and fillers that rabbits cannot digest.

Let us now take a look more closely at why dog food is not suitable for rabbits and what you should be feeding them instead for optimal health and wellness.

Is It Okay For Rabbits To Eat Dog Food?

Just as not every person is the same, not all pets are either.

Animals all have different living requirements. What works for your rabbit won’t necessarily work with your dogs or cats and vice versa.

Rabbits shouldn’t ever be given any dog food.

Dog food primarily contains meat, grains, and other components that rabbits cannot really digest nor will they obtain what they actually need to thrive.

Rabbits are pure herbivores.

This means that there is no leeway when it comes to their diet, and they require an abundance of vegetables (and fruits in limited quantities).

A rabbits’ digestive process is completely different from dogs.

There is a reason why you have pet foods for different animals. As such, their different diet and requirements do make things a little complicated as an owner when it comes to buying food, sharing snacks, etc.

What Happens When Rabbits Eat Meat?

The main difference between being a carnivore and an herbivore lies within their specialized digestive system.

Although many animals, including humans and dogs, can fall between the lines, rabbits can not. They are pure herbivores.

This means that their bodies are especially used to eating plants and only plants.

The thing about digesting plant material is that it is actually much harder on the body.

This is due to all of the chemical properties of the plant.

As a result, animals that can break down plant materials often have specially adapted systems in place.

They evolve special enzymes at the very least (and some animals, like cows, even have multiple stomachs to help with the process).

These enzymes are specially designed to break these particles down.

Their nutritional requirements are often a reflection of what they are capable of digesting.

This means that they need certain proportions and types of nutrition dependent directly on this evolution.

Enzymes required to break down meat are different, and rabbits do not have these naturally nor do they have the ability to develop them with regular or routine feeding.

Rabbits especially need a lot of fiber in their diets. This is something that most meaty foods don’t have.

In combination with higher fats and proteins, this can lead to some serious tummy troubles in your pet.

Even if the meat was highly nutritional or of exceptional quality – it wouldn’t be good for the rabbit.

Can Dog Food Kill A Rabbit?

This really depends on how much is eaten. Too much can certainly kill your rabbit. This is a combination of the lack of nutritional value to them as well as the devastation digesting meat can do to a herbivore’s insides.

That being said, you shouldn’t start to panic if your rabbit store a few pieces of kibbles from the dog bowl.

Just a little bit will likely lead to no visible signs of distress.

Although it is quite possible for them to experience a little stomach ache or bowel issues, there is no immediate cause of concern.

For the most part, it can be comforting to know that rabbits are a little smarter than we give them credit for.

If they start tasting meat, they will often spit it out. It is actually pretty likely they won’t try to nab one of your chicken nuggets or a forkful of steak.

Although this may be true, you should never rely off of this to happen.

Especially with processed dog foods (which often contain a lot of grains and fillers), the taste or smell may be disguised in a way that the rabbit just might go for it.

There can also be an individual difference between rabbits when it comes to gluttony.

There are some steps you need to take in order to keep your rabbit safe and meat out of reach.

First, never offer it to them and let others know. A helpful child may just be trying to share their lunch or snack, not realizing the damage they can do.

If you let your rabbit walk around your home freely (which is totally encouraged), make sure that they stay supervised.

It can be a wise idea to move any dog or cat food bowls out of reach from any curious creatures.

You may even just want to keep them out of the area, especially if they get stressed out in the presence of a cat or dog.

If they seem really desperate to beg and eat table food, you may want to take a look at their current diet and make sure they are getting the right meals.

How To Properly Feed A Rabbit

Rabbits should instead be given proper rabbit pellets. These pellets contain a lot of the nutrients that they require. In addition to this, they should also receive fresh hay on a regular basis (for eating and bedding).

No products found.

Giving them a few fruits and veggies every once in a while can also be a great idea. Note that, unlike guinea pigs, their bodies can produce their own Vitamin C so you don’t need to worry about them getting this as an additional supplement.

Still, some treats every once in a while are nice and it keeps them from getting bored with their everyday diet.

If you don’t have time to cut them up some fresh fruits and veggies, you can also consider getting dried rabbit treats.

Timothy treats are great and full of fiber (so they’re super healthy). It adds a little different flavor and texture to your rabbit’s daily dose of hay.

Rabbits also love carrots. There is a reason why rabbits are closely associated with this vegetable.

If you can’t get around to picking up some fresh produce, carrot treats are a tasty alternative.

These fruit treats offer a very different flavor that your rabbit may look forward too.

Try these in small doses as just a little treat.

Make sure they always have access to pellet food unless otherwise instructed by a vet because of a surgery, illness, or weight problem.

Keeping them on a regular schedule can often eliminate the chances of them getting upset or concerned when their food bowls get empty.

Is It Okay For Rabbits To Eat Other Pet Food?

In general, there is a little leeway when it comes to the food of other herbivores. They should never be given these foods instead of specially formulated rabbit formula.

Guinea pig pellets, for example, are fortified with vitamin C in order to compensate for their natural deficiency. Some vitamin C is nice, but too much will make your rabbit sick.

There are also some misconceptions about some other small pets as well.

Chinchillas, hamsters, gerbils are not herbivores.

This means there are some meat proteins in their pellet foods and they should never be given to rabbits.

Taking proper care of your rabbit can help ensure that it can live a long, happy life.

The diet of any animal is something that is important and should always be regulated.

Can Dogs Eat Rabbit Food?

Dogs are naturally curious animals and, as any pet owner will tell you, they tend to eat whatever is in front of them. For the most part, a dog’s (normally) larger frame and biology make them much more capable of handling an odd snack here or there so long as it’s not deadly.

While there are many things that can really hurt a dog lying around your fridge (chocolate, onions, …), rabbit food is devoid of anything that can really kill a dog.

Dogs are omnivores by nature- meaning they eat both plants and animal materials.

While rabbit food is safe for them, they should never be expected to survive off of it alone.

Rabbits have different nutritional requirements and they do not meet those of a dog.

A dog would quickly become malnourished.

Finally

Rabbits should not eat dog food. It’s as simple as that; not even in limited quantities.

It can cause a lot of issues so it is something that you should try or even experiment with.

Rabbits are pure herbivores and have a high need for fiber in their diet.

Feeding them specially formulated pellets, hay, vegetables and treats is the best way to ensure your rabbit leads a happy and healthy life.

Interestingly, it’s different the other way around, dogs can eat rabbit food more freely without consequence.

However, it wouldn’t be optimal nor is it really giving them any real benefit.

Wondering what else your rabbits can cannot eat? My following guide will be of help: