Diet advice for elderly Dwarf rabbits aged 11

Eleven years old for a Dwarf mix is genuinely remarkable — you've clearly been doing something right. At that age it's very natural to wonder whether the standard dietary rules still apply, but the answer is yes: hay absolutely remains the foundation. It should still make up around 80% of what your rabbit eats every day. The fibre keeps the gut moving and the chewing action keeps teeth worn down correctly — both of those matter even more in an elderly rabbit, not less. Pellets should stay as a small supplement only. What are you currently feeding, and has your vet flagged any health issues — weight loss, dental problems, or digestive changes?

That weight loss is worth paying attention to, and the pellet-heavy balance is almost certainly a factor — pellets are calorie-dense but they don't provide the long-strand fibre that keeps the gut working properly in older rabbits. I'd actually flip the ratio: cut pellets back to a small handful once a day and make high-quality hay freely available at all times. The other thing worth knowing is that for elderly rabbits, Timothy hay is generally better than meadow hay as the main staple — it's slightly lower in protein and calcium, which is easier on ageing kidneys, while still providing the fibre they need. Is she eating the hay readily when it's offered, or does she seem to pick at it and go back to the pellets?

It's a really understandable instinct, but with rabbits it tends to make things worse — more pellets means less motivation to eat hay, which means the gut slows down, which often leads to further weight loss and discomfort. The better approach is to make the hay as appealing as possible. The product I'd recommend here is Burgess Excel Timothy Hay. It's very high quality, consistently fresh-smelling and soft-stranded, and a lot of pellet-preferring rabbits actually do take to it much better than cheaper meadow hay blends. You can also try offering it warm from a bag left somewhere slightly warm, or positioning it right next to where she likes to sit — elderly rabbits often eat more when they don't have to move far. Given the weight loss, I would also mention it to your vet at the next visit just to rule out anything underlying.

Senior-specific pellets can be worthwhile — they tend to be lower in protein and better calibrated for older digestive systems. Burgess Excel Mature Rabbit is a good option and pairs naturally with their Timothy hay. On supplements, unless your vet has identified a specific deficiency, I'd be cautious — rabbits on a hay-based diet generally get what they need, and over-supplementing calcium in particular can cause problems with older kidneys. Fresh leafy greens daily — romaine, curly kale, a little fresh herb like parsley — add variety and hydration without upsetting the balance. The most important single change is still getting that hay intake up. Once that improves, you'll often see weight and energy stabilise.

That's a really solid plan for a rabbit her age. Give it two to three weeks for the gut to settle into the new balance, and watch for whether she's producing good, rounded droppings — that's your clearest sign the fibre intake is working. If the weight loss continues despite the dietary change, do get her back to the vet sooner rather than later. Eleven is a wonderful age and she deserves every bit of the care you're clearly giving her.