Feeding bowls for rabbits: a sturdy place for pellets and greens
A feeding bowl may seem like a small part of a rabbit enclosure, but you use it every day. A good bowl stays put when your rabbit pushes against it, is easy to clean and suits the amount of pellets you give. A light or too-small bowl ends up on its side in no time, and then the food is scattered through the bedding or lands in the toilet corner.
In this category you will mainly find heavy feeding bowls made of ceramic and earthenware, in different shapes and sizes, plus a few wooden models. The feeding bowl holds the daily portion of pellets, for example Zooply Rabbit Food, our own premium brand, or a handful of fresh greens. Hay does not belong in it: you offer that without limit in a hay rack.
In short
- ✓ Choose a heavy bowl made of ceramic or earthenware, so your rabbit cannot push it over.
- ✓ Pick a size that suits your rabbit: a large rabbit needs a roomier, wider bowl than a dwarf rabbit.
- ✓ With two or more rabbits, put out several bowls a little distance apart.
- ✓ The feeding bowl is for pellets and fresh greens; give hay without limit in a hay rack.
- ✓ Rinse the bowl regularly and clean it daily if you put fresh greens in it.
What will you find in the Feeding bowls category?
Round and square ceramic feeding bowls from Flamingo
The ceramic feeding bowls from Flamingo have a capacity of 200 ml and come in a round and a square shape, each in green, blue and beige. The weight of the ceramic keeps the bowl in place. At 200 ml, there is ample room for a daily portion of pellets for one rabbit.
Earthenware bowls with an anti-spill rim
Various grey and coloured bowls made of stoneware and earthenware are available with a diameter of 10 to 13 cm. The 13 cm anti-spill stoneware bowl in light grey has, according to the product information, a non-slip base, so it is less likely to slide around. There are also 12 cm bowls with the word 'rabbit' in grey and in blue, and a white bowl with a pastel print of 11 cm. For an average rabbit, the 12 and 13 cm sizes are the most comfortable; a smaller 10 cm bowl is better suited to a dwarf rabbit or as a dish for a few pieces of vegetable.
Trixie oval feeding bowl of 600 ml
The oval ceramic feeding bowl from Trixie has a capacity of 600 ml and comes in various colours. This is the roomiest bowl in the category. It is handy if you let two rabbits eat together from one wide bowl, or if you give leafy greens as well as pellets. Thanks to the oval shape, two rabbits can reach it at the same time without climbing over each other.
Feeding bowls shaped like vegetables and fruit
For those who like a playful touch, there are ceramic bowls in the shape of a carrot, an apple or a lettuce leaf. The carrot and apple bowls from Trixie measure 12 × 11 cm. The Trixie feeding bowl with a carrot motif has a capacity of 200 ml and a diameter of 14 cm. From Happy Pet there is a lettuce leaf bowl and a carrot bowl of 13.5 × 6.5 × 3 cm. The latter is shallow and narrow; for a rabbit it is mainly suitable as a dish for a small portion or some vegetables, not for a full daily portion of pellets.
Wooden feeding bowls
The Trixie Feeding Board is a rectangular feeding trough made of bark wood measuring 27 × 5 × 13 cm. Thanks to its long shape, two rabbits can eat side by side. The wooden picnic table (40 × 45 × 26 cm) is a larger wooden feeding spot that you can place in an indoor hutch or run, and which your rabbit can also forage around and underneath. Wood absorbs moisture and dirt faster than ceramic. So use these models mainly for dry pellets and herbs, and replace them once they are chewed to pieces or dirty.
What should you look for in a feeding bowl for your rabbit?
Weight and stability
Rabbits push with their nose, dig in their bowl or grab the rim with their teeth and flip it over. A heavy bowl made of ceramic, earthenware or stoneware stays put much better than a light bowl of thin plastic. A wide, flat base also helps. If the bowl stands on soft bedding, place it on a flat tile or a piece of wood so that it does not sink in or tilt.
Size and rim height
A rabbit prefers to eat with its head down and wants to reach its food easily. A rim of a few centimetres is enough to keep the food in the bowl. If the rim is too high or the bowl too deep, a small rabbit has to lean too far over it. If the bowl is too small, your rabbit will push the pellets out with its nose. A large breed needs a roomy bowl.
How many pellets go in the feeding bowl?
The feeding bowl is not a storage container that you keep topping up. A rabbit eats hay first and foremost: unlimited, fresh and all day long. Pellets are a measured supplement. For the Zooply pellets, the label states roughly 30 to 35 grams per kilo of body weight per day. A 200 ml bowl is more than enough for that portion for one rabbit.
You can give the daily portion in one go or split it between morning and evening. If the bowl is empty within a few minutes, that is no reason to give more. Instead, hide some of the pellets in the hay, so your rabbit stays busy for longer. If pellets are left over, check whether your rabbit is getting too many snacks.
Feeding bowls for two or more rabbits
Rabbits should live in pairs at the very least. This can make mealtimes a little restless, especially if one rabbit is more dominant or eats faster. In that case, give each rabbit its own feeding bowl and place the bowls a little way apart. That way the calmer rabbit can also eat in peace, and you can see more easily whether both are getting their share. A long or oval bowl, such as the 600 ml oval bowl or the Feeding Board, is an alternative if your rabbits eat well together.
The right spot for the feeding bowl
Put the feeding bowl in a dry, fixed spot in the enclosure. Not right in the corner where your rabbit pees and not under the water bottle, so that no water drips into the pellets. The hay rack often hangs by the litter tray, because rabbits like to eat hay while sitting on the toilet. The feeding bowl is better placed a little way from there, so that the pellets stay clean.
In an outdoor hutch, put the bowl in a sheltered spot, out of the rain. Pellets that get wet soon turn soft and can go mouldy; always throw such pellets away. With a fixed spot you can see straight away every day whether your rabbit has eaten its pellets. A rabbit that leaves its food, eats less hay or produces fewer droppings should be checked straight away by a vet with rabbit experience.
Cleaning and replacing
Rinse a bowl that only holds pellets a few times a week and dry it well before refilling it. If you give greens, clean the bowl daily. A thorough wash with warm water and a brush once a week is sensible for every bowl. Avoid strongly scented cleaning products and always rinse well. Glazed ceramic and earthenware are the easiest to keep clean; wood absorbs moisture and dirt more quickly. Replace a bowl if it is cracked, has sharp edges, or if wood has been gnawed so far that it can no longer be cleaned properly.
Useful combinations
A sturdy feeding bowl is the start of a complete feeding area. These categories naturally go with it:
- Rabbit food: Zooply Rabbit Food or Zooply Rabbit Food with Digestive Support as a measured daily portion in the bowl.
- Hay racks: for the unlimited hay, so the feeding bowl is used only for pellets and greens.
- Hay: Zooply hay in various types as the foundation of every day.
- Water bottles: a bottle next to a heavy water bowl, so your rabbit can always drink.
- Dried herbs: to sprinkle through the hay or over the pellets now and then.
Frequently asked questions about feeding bowls for rabbits
My rabbit keeps tipping over its feeding bowl. What can I do?
Usually the bowl is too light or stands on a soft surface. Choose a heavy ceramic or earthenware bowl with a wide base and place it on a flat, hard spot. If it happens out of boredom or impatience, provide more to do with gnawing wood, tunnels and hay in a rack.
What size feeding bowl does a rabbit need?
For one rabbit, a bowl of roughly 12 to 14 cm in diameter or about 200 ml capacity is a good size. The daily portion of pellets fits in it easily and your rabbit can reach it without trouble. For a pair that eats well together, you can choose a larger bowl, such as the 600 ml oval bowl. Small bowls of around 10 cm are handy for a dwarf rabbit or for a portion of greens.
Can I give water in a feeding bowl?
Yes. Many rabbits like to drink from a heavy bowl, because it is a natural posture. Use a separate bowl for this, not the same one as for the pellets, and refresh the water every day. A bowl does get dirty faster with hay and bedding. That is why many rabbit owners offer both a water bowl and a water bottle.
Is a wooden feeding bowl safe for a rabbit?
A feeding bowl made of untreated wood, such as the bark wood Feeding Board or the wooden picnic table, is perfectly fine to use. Your rabbit will probably gnaw on it. So check the bowl regularly for loose bits and splinters and replace it if it becomes damaged. Wood absorbs moisture, so use it mainly for dry food.
How many feeding bowls do I need for two rabbits?
The safest option is one feeding bowl per rabbit, placed a little way apart. Then neither can take the other's food and you can clearly see whether both are eating. If your rabbits eat calmly together, one wide bowl can work too. In the beginning, keep a close eye on whether the calmer rabbit is getting enough.
Buying feeding bowls at Knaagplaza
At Knaagplaza, the webshop of 't Knaagplein, you will find sturdy feeding bowls that make feeding your rabbit every day easier. Fill the bowl with a measured portion of Zooply Rabbit Food, our own premium brand that we use every day for our own rabbits, and put unlimited hay and fresh water next to it. That way your rabbit has a calm, clean feeding spot every day.