Hay & forage

The best quality rabbit hay you will find

Your rabbit’s natural diet is grass and they need a lot of it! If your rabbit doesn’t have access to growing grass every day, grass hay is the perfect substitute. Your pet requires a bundle of hay roughly the same size as they are every day. You will find superior quality hay in the Times for Paws range which will provide the correct nutrition for your bunny. We have selected premium hays from Burns Pet Nutrition, Oxbow timothy hay, Friendship Estates plus many other highly regarded producers for you to choose from.

Why timothy hay for rabbits?

Legume hays such as alfalfa and clover are too high in calcium and protein for most adult rabbits. Feeding these types of hey over the longer term may result in urinary tract and kidney issues or weight gain. Timothy hay for rabbits, orchard hay or meadow rabbit hay would be excellent choices and you could choose several types of hay to give your pet both a variety of flavours and balanced nutrition.

What To Look For When Choosing Hay

There is a huge range of rabbit hay on the market today, but there are only a few that are better than others. Young rabbits love to choose alfalfa hay as it's higher in protein and helps them to grow (while tasting delicious), but the adults among the rabbit community need to have lower protein levels and more fibre in their diets. It is Timothy hay that does the trick here, and we'll come to it later why Timothy hay is so popular! Some of the most important things to look for in rabbit-friendly hay include:

It Must Be Natural

You are feeding your rabbit commercial pellet food in their bowl already. Sure, you are offering Bok Choy and fresh leaves when you can, but mostly their diet is nutritionally balanced pellets. You do not need to add anything else to the hay to balance their diet, so make sure that the hay that you buy is as fresh as possible and all-natural.

Avoid The First Cut

The first cut of hay is often coarser than the rest of it. It is easier for your rabbit to digest the second or third cut, so look for the right hay with this labelled on it.

Protein & Fibre Balance

As we have mentioned already, younger rabbits love high-protein options like alfalfa. So, Timothy hay is the best option for adults!

No Additives

Rabbits should only ever be fed fresh hay. Any artificial preservatives or additives listed on packaging should be avoided.

Why Choose Timothy Hay?

Timothy grass (or hay) is known as foraging grass. It grows exceptionally well in colder areas, and the best crops are cut just before full bloom. When it comes to adult maintenance, adult rabbits need to have an outstanding balance of stem and leaves in their grass or hay, and Timothy grass is excellent for their health. Timothy grass is exceptionally high in fibre, too, and while adults can tolerate a first cut - which is lower in fat and protein - it is the second cut that will give your rabbit everything he needs. It has more protein, excellent fibre and is high in carotene levels.

Timothy hay is the grass of choice for rabbits, as it balances everything that they need without added preservatives, and it allows them the chance to gnaw down and help their teeth, too! Choosing Timothy hay for your rabbit shows that you care about their health and development, so why not shop today?

Read more about the best hay for rabbits

Here is a brilliant article about choosing the best hay for rabbits