Hides and houses
Shelves and ledges
Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
Spooky mischief
Sweetie stash
Game mode
Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
Why rabbits need so much hay
Hay is the main food for a rabbit, not an extra. The RSPCA puts hay and grass at 85% of the diet, with about 10% leafy greens and 5% pellets. Our rabbit diet guide sets out the whole daily plan.
Hay does two jobs that nothing else does as well. A rabbit's teeth grow all its life, and grinding long hay is what keeps them worn down; the RSPCA links a poor diet to serious dental disease. And the long fibre keeps a rabbit's gut moving. House Rabbit Society calls hay the most important thing for a rabbit to eat, because it keeps the gut working and helps prevent blockages.
Timothy, meadow or orchard: which is best?
All three are good, and the best one is the one your rabbit eats plenty of. House Rabbit Society lists timothy, orchard, oat and other grass hays as good for adult rabbits, and Woodgreen suggests offering a mix.
| Hay | What it is like | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy | One grass, long coarse stems, feathery seed heads, low calcium | Every adult; the classic everyday hay | Some rabbits leave the thickest stalks |
| Meadow hay | Mixed field grasses with leafy plants such as dandelion; softer | Every adult; the common UK choice | Quality varies a lot between bales and bags |
| Orchard grass | Soft, leafy, sweet-smelling grass hay | Every adult; fussy eaters | Looks like timothy, so read the label |
| Oat hay | Crunchy, cut before the seed ripens, with husks | Mixed in for variety and flavour | Not as the only hay |
| Dried grass | Fresh grass dried fast, very green and fragrant | Tempting a rabbit to eat more; Woodgreen suggests small amounts alongside hay | Rich; add slowly |
| Herb blends | Grass hay mixed with dried herbs or flowers | Rabbits that are bored of plain hay | Check the base is grass hay |
| Alfalfa (lucerne) | A legume, not a grass; higher in protein, calcium and energy | Rabbits under about 7 months, nursing does, some thin seniors on vet advice | Too rich for healthy adults every day |
Alfalfa hay: when rabbits should have it
Alfalfa is a legume, richer in protein, calcium and energy than grass hay. House Rabbit Society says alfalfa hay should only go to nursing mothers and young rabbits. Its own plan gives unlimited alfalfa from 3 weeks to 7 months, then grass hay from 7 months on, with alfalfa only added back for an underweight senior.
UK advice is a little more cautious. Woodgreen keeps grass hay as the base even for very young rabbits, with alfalfa fed in small amounts alongside it for youngsters and pregnant or nursing does. Our reading: always have grass hay available from the start, add alfalfa for a youngster under about 7 months, and change over slowly across a few weeks. If your rabbit has any history of bladder sludge or stones, ask your vet before giving alfalfa at all.
Cuts: first, second and third
US hay is often sold by cut. First cut is the coarsest, with the most stalk, seed heads and fibre. Second cut has more leaf and softer stems and is the usual everyday choice. Third cut is the softest and leafiest, with less fibre, and suits older rabbits or ones with mouth trouble. UK bags rarely give a cut; "long stem" usually means a stalkier hay and "dried grass" a soft, green one.
For a healthy adult rabbit, first or second cut is ideal as the main hay. Rabbits that turn their noses up at first cut will usually eat second cut, and a handful of soft third cut mixed in can tempt a fussy one.
How much hay does a rabbit need?
PDSA's vets say an unlimited amount, or at the very least a bundle as big as the rabbit every day. The RSPCA gives the same "rabbit-sized" bundle. Two rabbits need two bundles, and it should never all be gone by the evening.
- Fill the hay rack or pile every morning and top it up in the evening.
- Put a big pile next to or above the litter tray: the RSPCA says many rabbits eat more hay there.
- Use a rack, hanging basket or grazing tray to keep some hay clean, and scatter some loose to forage.
- Take out hay that is wet, trodden or soiled every day.
- Keep pellets to the small daily amount so the rabbit still has room for hay.
Our guide to rabbit hay feeders compares racks, baskets, hay balls and litter-tray feeders by how easy they are to reach and clean.
How to choose good hay
The RSPCA asks for good-quality, high-fibre hay that is sweet-smelling and dust-free. In practice:
- Look at the colour. Green to pale gold is good. Brown, bleached or very yellow hay has lost much of its goodness.
- Smell it. It should smell sweet and grassy. Musty, sour or damp smells mean it was stored badly.
- Shake a handful. A little dust is normal. A cloud of it can irritate a rabbit's airways; look for bags labelled "dust extracted".
- Feel it. Dry and springy is right. Heavy, damp or clumped hay may be spoiling inside.
- Buy feeding hay. PDSA explains that feeding hay is fresher and more nutritious than bedding hay, which is drier and better for lying on.
Keep hay cool, dry and out of direct sunlight, somewhere air can move around it, and buy amounts you will use within a few weeks. Throw out anything that smells musty or shows damp growth.
Hay for rabbit bedding and litter trays
Many owners use hay as bedding and in the litter tray, and it works well because rabbits like to graze while they sit in the tray. Use the same good feeding hay on top of the tray, since they will eat it. For the layer underneath, and for which beddings are safe, see our guide to rabbit bedding.
When a rabbit stops eating hay
A rabbit that suddenly eats much less hay, or none, needs a vet. The RSPCA says refusing hay can be a sign of gut stasis or dental disease, and both get worse quickly. If it is simply being fussy, try a fresher bag, a softer cut or a different grass, and cut back any extra treats that are filling it up.
The best hay for rabbits to look at
We don't make pieces for rabbits yet, so these are from other shops we'd look at.
Burgess Excel Feeding Hay, Dried Fresh Grass Timothy
Barn-dried timothy grass, dust extracted, in a 1 kg (2.2 lb) pack, with 29% fibre and 8% protein listed. The pack itself tells you to give each rabbit at least its body size in hay every day. Check: smell it when you open it, as with any hay.
Burgess Excel Long Stem Timothy Feeding Hay
100% timothy with long stalks, dust extracted, listed at 33% fibre and 8% protein. A stalkier hay for a healthy adult that wears teeth well. Check: if your rabbit leaves the thick stems, mix in something softer.
Small Pet Select 2nd Cutting Timothy Hay
Leafy with a soft stem and a medium amount of seed heads, in bags from 2 lb to 40 lb (about 0.9 to 18 kg). The maker describes it as the gold standard for healthy adult small animals. A good US everyday hay. Check: store big bags cool and dry.
Oxbow Oat Hay
A crunchy, aromatic hay cut before the oat develops into a seed, sold for rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas. Good mixed into the main hay to make it more interesting. Check: use it alongside timothy or meadow hay, not instead of it.
Oxbow Botanical Hay
Timothy grass hay blended with chamomile, lavender, lemon balm and clover, sold to encourage rabbits and guinea pigs to eat more hay. Oxbow suggests mixing it with other grass hays. Check: one for rabbits that have gone off plain hay.
Friendly Green Oat Readigrass
Fast-dried fresh grass mixed with young oat grass, very green and aromatic, from fields in Yorkshire. The kind of dried grass Woodgreen suggests feeding in small amounts alongside hay. Check: it is rich, so add it slowly.
Friendly Alfalfa Readigrass
100% alfalfa grown in Yorkshire, which the seller says is rich in protein and calcium and should be a sparing treat for healthy adults. Right for young rabbits and nursing does. Check: ask your vet first for a rabbit with any bladder trouble.
Guinea pigs eat the same kinds of hay, and their page goes into the cuts in more depth: see our guide to the best hay for guinea pigs. For the rest of the care routine, start with our rabbit care guide, and check fresh foods in what rabbits can eat.
Rabbit hay questions
What is the best hay for rabbits?
A fresh, sweet-smelling grass hay such as timothy, meadow hay or orchard grass. All three are good everyday hays for adult rabbits, and mixing two of them keeps a rabbit interested. Choose by quality first: green, long-stranded and low in dust beats any particular grass.
Is timothy or meadow hay better for rabbits?
Both are good. Timothy is a single grass with coarse stems that wear teeth down well. Meadow hay is a softer mix of field grasses and leafy plants that many rabbits find tastier. Burgess's vet suggests mixing them to get the best of both.
How much hay should a rabbit eat a day?
Unlimited. PDSA and the RSPCA say a rabbit needs at least a bundle of hay as big as itself every day, and hay and grass should make up about 85% of the diet. Top it up through the day so there is always some.
When can rabbits stop eating alfalfa hay?
House Rabbit Society moves rabbits from alfalfa to grass hay from about 7 months old, gradually over a few weeks. UK charities such as Woodgreen keep grass hay as the base even for youngsters, with alfalfa added in small amounts. Adults should only have alfalfa as a treat.
Can rabbits eat bedding hay?
A nibble is fine, but it should not be their food. PDSA explains that feeding hay is fresher, greener and more nutritious, while bedding hay is drier. Buy hay sold for feeding, and use it for their food and the litter tray.
Can rabbits eat grass clippings?
No. The RSPCA warns that lawnmower clippings can make rabbits ill, because they spoil fast once cut. Fresh growing grass they can graze, or grass dried and sold for rabbits, is fine.
What does it mean if my rabbit stops eating hay?
Treat it as urgent. The RSPCA advises a vet visit for a rabbit that refuses hay, to rule out problems such as gut stasis or dental disease. A rabbit that has eaten nothing for several hours, or has stopped passing droppings, needs a vet straight away.
