The rabbit digestive system requires a high-fiber diet to function correctly, and dietary failures are the primary cause of the most serious rabbit health problems.
Rabbit digestive welfare is almost entirely determined by diet. The rabbit digestive system evolved for a diet of low-calorie, high-fiber grass and vegetation consumed across many hours of daily grazing. When this fundamental dietary requirement is not met - when pellets replace hay as the dietary staple - the consequences are predictable and serious: cecal dysbiosis as abnormal bacteria colonize the fiber-deprived hindgut, reduced gut motility leading to stasis, diarrhea from abnormal fermentation, and potentially fatal enterotoxemia. The simplest and most impactful rabbit welfare intervention available to any rabbit owner is also free: ensure unlimited, free access to high-quality grass hay at all times. This single change addresses the primary cause of most rabbit health problems.