When the temperature drops, many rabbit owners worry about how their pets will cope, and what they should be feeding them. Wild rabbits survive harsh winters on their own, but pet and outdoor rabbits need a little help to stay healthy and warm. This guide explains exactly what rabbits eat in winter, how they survive the cold, and everything you need to do to keep your rabbit safe through the coldest months.
What do rabbits eat in winter?
In winter, a rabbit’s diet stays largely the same as the rest of the year, with hay as the foundation. Good quality grass hay should always be available, and it becomes even more important in cold weather because digesting hay helps generate body heat that keeps the rabbit warm. Alongside unlimited hay, rabbits still need their usual fresh vegetables and a measured portion of pellets.
Because rabbits burn more energy staying warm in winter, many will eat more than usual, so do not be surprised if your rabbit gets through more hay and food during cold spells. Providing plenty of extra hay is the simplest and most effective way to support them.
What do wild rabbits eat in winter?
Wild rabbits do not have the luxury of a hay rack, so in winter they switch to whatever they can find. When grass and leafy plants die back, wild rabbits survive by eating twigs, bark, buds, evergreen leaves, and the woody parts of shrubs and young trees. This is why gardeners often find bark stripped from trees in winter. Their digestive systems are built to extract nutrition from this tough, fibrous food when softer greens are not available.
How do rabbits stay warm in winter?
Rabbits are surprisingly well equipped for cold weather. They grow a thicker coat as the days shorten, and they can tolerate cold far better than heat. Wild rabbits shelter in burrows, which stay at a stable temperature underground, and they huddle together for warmth. A healthy rabbit with a dry, draft free shelter and plenty of food can handle cold temperatures well.
What rabbits cannot handle is damp, wind, and sudden temperature swings. Wet and windy conditions are far more dangerous to a rabbit than dry cold.
How to care for outdoor rabbits in winter
Keep them dry and out of the wind
The most important thing is a dry, draft free hutch or shelter. Move the hutch to a sheltered spot against a wall or into a shed or garage, and make sure rain and wind cannot get in. Damp is the real enemy in winter, not cold.
Add extra bedding
Provide a thick layer of straw for insulation, as straw traps warmth better than hay for bedding. Rabbits will burrow into it to stay cosy. Top it up regularly and remove any that gets damp.
Stop water from freezing
A rabbit must always have access to unfrozen water. In freezing weather, check water bottles and bowls several times a day, as bottles freeze quickly. Bowls are often better than bottles in winter because they are easier to break ice from and refill.
Provide more food
Because rabbits burn energy keeping warm, increase their hay and food in winter so they have the fuel to maintain body heat.
How cold is too cold for rabbits?
Rabbits are comfortable in cold weather and can tolerate temperatures around and even below freezing if they are healthy, dry, and sheltered. However, very young, old, or sick rabbits are more vulnerable and may need to be brought somewhere warmer. If temperatures drop severely, or if conditions are wet and windy, it is safest to move outdoor rabbits into a shed, garage, or other protected space.
How to help wild rabbits in winter
If you want to help the wild rabbits in your garden through winter, the kindest thing is to leave a little wild space rather than feeding them directly. Leaving some brush piles, long grass, and natural cover gives them shelter and food. Avoid feeding wild rabbits human food or large amounts of vegetables, which can upset their digestion. A patch of untouched garden does more good than a pile of food.
Frequently asked questions
What do rabbits eat in the winter?
Pet rabbits eat the same hay based diet year round, with unlimited hay, fresh vegetables and pellets. Wild rabbits switch to twigs, bark, buds and evergreen plants when grass dies back.
How do rabbits survive winter?
Rabbits grow thicker coats, shelter from wind and damp, huddle for warmth, and eat more to fuel their body heat. Wild rabbits use burrows, which stay warmer underground.
How cold is too cold for a rabbit?
Healthy, dry, sheltered rabbits tolerate freezing temperatures well. Young, old, or sick rabbits, and any rabbit exposed to wet and wind, are at risk and should be moved somewhere warmer.
Do rabbits need heat in winter?
Healthy adult rabbits usually do not need added heat if they are dry and sheltered. The priority is keeping them out of damp and wind rather than heating them.
What do wild rabbits eat when there is snow?
When snow covers the ground, wild rabbits eat bark, twigs, buds and the woody parts of shrubs and young trees, which is why they often strip bark in winter.
Final thoughts
Rabbits are far better suited to winter than most people think. Keep feeding a hay based diet with a little extra to fuel their warmth, make sure their shelter is dry and out of the wind, keep their water from freezing, and give vulnerable rabbits extra protection. Get these basics right and your rabbit will come through even a hard winter healthy and comfortable.
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