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I just need to be sure...

LauryStevens

Mama Doe
I posted a thread a while back about feeding my rabbit Orchard grass instead of hay because he just will not eat hay. I got posts back and to my knowledge everyone agreed Orchard grass will make a good subsitute for hay.

Now I was emailing an RSPCA centre about adoption (as my boy is lonely) and they kindly told me off for feeding Orchards grass and stating that they need hay. My thoughts related back to this forum, "is it okay?" and then I thought about wild rabbits. Most wild rabbits eat grass, not hay...so whats really right or wrong?

Currently what I'm doing to try tempt him is put a mixture of Excel Forage and Excel Dandilion and Marigold hay down on the top level of his hutch with his favourite Burgess Orchard Grass mixed in to it, just to see if he'll eat a bit of hay.

Am I really doing wrong by him for basing his main feed around Orchard grass because he wont eat much else? Since feeding orchard grass his poos have gone a lovely golden colour and there isn't much stickingness to the outside of it now. It visually seems better for him, he actually eats throughout the day when he has Orchard grass! But wont eat if it is just hay.

Thanks
 
Oxbow Orchard grass has the same fibre content (32% I think) as timothy grass hay. Grass IS hay, whatever the variety. As long as your bun eats SOME variety of grass hay be it timothy, orchard, brome, meadow etc then you really do not have to worry and this particular RSPCA branch don't know what they are talking about! :roll::wave:
 
agreed with the above.
his poops sound great, and they're quite a good indicator in rabbits.

Rescues don't always know best - my local rspca wouldn't home a rabbit to me because they said groups can't possibly work. :roll:
 
I feed Oscar a lot of Orchard Grass too, although he will eat any hay, it's the only thing that I have seen him sit and just eat piles of for hours at a time, and if I give him more than one sort, he will always eat the Orchard Grass first. I don't really see the problem with it...
 
I have to say though, although slightly misguided, it's good that they are encouraging hay-eating

xxx

Well it would be if they understood that ALL grass is hay. To tell an owner not to feed the one fibre source (that is hay) that their bun will eat because it should be hay, is not just misguided, but a little bit negligent too to be honest.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, they should have their facts straight at the outset. But I do understand what you are saying. :)
 
I'm glad everyone seems to feel the same as I do. I also thought that, hay is just next stage from "grass" in the sense that it's had a little longer to thicken up. Ideally I want him to try eat some hay purely because Orchard grass is expensive, though I do play to buy the BIG bag (22KG) next time :) If he eats it and is happy, I'm happy. Atleast I know he's eating properly and is healthy :) It's all I could ask for really, and if he's happy and healthy, I'm happy to pay more for something decent that he will like. Thank you for the reassurance!
 
Well it would be if they understood that ALL grass is hay. To tell an owner not to feed the one fibre source (that is hay) that their bun will eat because it should be hay, is not just misguided, but a little bit negligent too to be honest.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, they should have their facts straight at the outset. But I do understand what you are saying. :)

I cannot argue with that! :lol:

Xxx
 
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