Hay for Bunnies - Which Kind is the Best?
This is a fairly common question because there are so many different types of hay available for purchase. Typically, for baby bunnies up to 4 or 5 months of age, Alfalfa hay is a good choice. However, once bunnies reach adulthood (at approximately 6 months), Timothy Hay is a much better choice. Alfalfa has too much calcium for adult rabbits. Timothy hay provides the roughage that your bunny needs. Another good option is Orchard Grass. It is a delicious hay that can provide the fiber and roughage rabbits need to help keep their GI tract healthy and moving.
It’s important to note that pellets, while they provide some vitamins that bunnies need, should NOT be their main source of food. Lots of hay is essential for rabbits for many reasons. One, it keeps their gut healthy. Two, it helps keep their teeth from getting too long. And three, it is closest to their natural food source that they would consume in the wild, which can keep them healthy and happy. When you do feed pellets, try to feed them a timothy hay pellet that is formulated for adult rabbits (if your bunny is an adult). This way, again, they’re not getting more calcium than they need.
When purchasing hay, try to buy directly from a dealer such as Oxbow. The hay they sell is the freshest, and some of the highest quality. Pet stores often sell hay, but it usually has been sitting around for a while, and can have the potential for containing mold, which can give you bunny Mycotoxin poisoning, a potentially fatal illness.
Hay is the most important element of your bunny’s diet. Be sure to buy fresh timothy or orchard hay to keep your bunny healthy and happy.