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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum DIET & CARE Do bunnies need hay?

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    • Nature Nerd
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        So the price of hay where I live is super expansive….I was wondering if I could decrease their hay? My two buns get about three big handfuls daily and it seems fine but the bags go by super fast (1 week!) If I decrease their hay is there an alternative so they still get enough nutrients?

        (PS again I’m pretty sure there’s another post similar to this but I couldn’t find it  sorry…)


      • Azerane
        Moderator
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          Rabbits absolutely need hay. Not only for the high fiber content, but also for the fact that it’s the best thing for wearing down their teeth. Rabbits that don’t have enough hay often get molar spurs. It’s ideal for them to have hay available too them at all times.

          Perhaps if you give a rough location of where you are (small country, or state of a big country) there may be someone in a similar area who can provide some insight towards cheaper hay.


        • Bam
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            They need hay for their digestive system and for their teeth (which are part of the digestive system of course, food needs to be chewed.). Could you find someone who keeps horses? Could you contact other bunny-owners and suggest that you order hay in bulk together with (often cheaper than buying the small bags)?

            It’s really great that your bunnies seem to like their hay so much. Lots of hay in the diet can prevent many visits to the vet.


          • cait
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              Do you live near a rural area? I started buying my hay in bale form and saving it in old hay bags from a local farmer. A bale cost me about seven dollars CAD and lasts for much longer.


            • Nature Nerd
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                I live on the southern side of the eastern shore of Maryland. I used to ride horses not very far from where I live, but would she have alfalfa/timothy hay?  Or more to the point would the hay she uses for her horses be suitable for my buns…. Also I read in a book (The Rabbit Handbook by Karen Gendron) that some people feed their bunnies a no-hay diet, just use pellets high in fiber more often than normally. I guess this isn’t a good idea? It says in the book “In my opinion, this is not the most ideal diet, but the places that do this feel that their rabbits remain quite healthy and do not have undue consequences…” If I did consider this diet, I wouldn’t get rid of hay completely of course, just reduce the amount. Thanks for all your help guys! (by the way, cait, I love your profile picture!!)


              • Love4Bunny
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                  I think breeders would give you different information to house rabbit owners. At least, that has been my experience. I don’t have experience with horses, but if your bunnies are older, I think it’d just be about finding the right cut of timothy hay for your rabbits (1st or 2nd is best), or whatever other hay your rabbits like.

                  I was thinking about this just last night, that if I had to really cut down on expenses, I’d give up coffee so that my buns could have unlimited hay.


                • cait
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                    Definitely ask! I was lucky that the first farmer I talked to had oat hay, so we slowly switched Newt over from timothy to oat hay and he seemed to take to it. I would advise you keep hay in your rabbits diet because of dental reasons etc which other people have stated above. Also thank you! Newt loves the camera.


                  • Azerane
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                      Rabbit hay is considered horse quality hay because it’s hay that is suitable for horses, so most places that have horses, will have hay suitable for rabbits too. While some horses are fed lucerne/alfalfa, not all are so it’s worth asking what they feed and if you can get timothy, meadow, oaten or similar hay from them.


                    • Nature Nerd
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                        Thanks guys

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                    Forum DIET & CARE Do bunnies need hay?