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Most 'Moreish' Hay for Bunnies?

B

Beapig

Mama Doe
Maple and Lily don't seem to be big hay eaters. They're rather overweight but only seem to like pellets - they aren't that keen on a lot of greens either. I've seen them picking at my usual hay (Ings from Hay & Straw) which IMO is one of the best quality hays I've ever used and my other two love it. Any suggestions of an 'addictive' hay that I can get them on, given that it should be 80% of their diet?

My guess is that they were fed a diet of mainly pellets in their previous home (they are very chubby bunnies) so might take them a while to get an appetite for hay?
 
Beapig said:
Maple and Lily don't seem to be big hay eaters. They're rather overweight but only seem to like pellets - they aren't that keen on a lot of greens either. I've seen them picking at my usual hay (Ings from Hay & Straw) which IMO is one of the best quality hays I've ever used and my other two love it. Any suggestions of an 'addictive' hay that I can get them on, given that it should be 80% of their diet?

My guess is that they were fed a diet of mainly pellets in their previous home (they are very chubby bunnies) so might take them a while to get an appetite for hay?
Click to expand...

I agree that they probably just had pellets or worse still a muesli mix. It may be that their teeth will need some attention before they can become good hay eaters. I have found that all my Rabbits like this

https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/...S3LpiZo6uRXy_dQ-OhhoCKVwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

They may also prefer a softer hay if their teeth are very sharp/long. The Natures Own website is down atm but their sweet green hay is soft. This is their FB page

https://www.facebook.com/NaturesOwnPets/
 
Zoobec said:
Haybox Timothy here :wave:
Click to expand...

I also use HayBox Timothy hay. I admit it’s the only one I’ve tried other than the standard pet shop type, but it looks and smells amazing! It’s definitely a world away from the others I’d tried. It’s very green with lots of long pieces. It’s crunchy rather than soft, though.
 
They'll probably need a few weeks to acclimatise! I was lucky with Lopsy, he'd not been on TOO many pellets and was a very good hay eater :) My already-fab hay eaters really go for a hay cookie though, it's the most moreish thing I can give them that's hay-based. Even over grass.
 
Mine currently have soft & stalky from timothyhay.co.uk which I think is their preferred 'brand'. TBH I normally just get stalky and as I mix both hays I haven't worked out which is most popular. Ordered recently from haybox (timothy) which smells gorgeous & looks fab but goes down slightly less well. The packaging is brill.

I've done several orders over time for natures own & ings (plus the others they do from there) - there is an initial excitement about something new with these but it isnt sustained.

My next purchase will be Friendship Estates Green Oat Readigrass - in the past my trio loved it & I can't remember why I stopped buying it
 
It might be that it isn't that they are not that keen on the Ing's hay, but that they just don't like/aren't used to eating hay. Did you see what pellets or muesli they were eating where they were previously?

Whilst there may be some merit in experimenting with different types of hay, I think that reducing their pellets will over time have the greater impact. I doubt also that this will be something that you will be able to change overnight. I suspect it will take time. Fortunately as they are overweight, you can be confident that they won't harm by a gradual reduction in their pellets.

I would try to mix something tasty amongst the hay, possibly some strong-smelling like herbs. Hay cookies and hay bricks would also be something to try. I would give them lots of hay, spread around their accommodation in different places, so it becomes a very normal part of their environment.

I would also encourage lots of exercise. It will help with the weight loss and also might give them an appetite.
 
Timothyhay.co.uk goes down well here.

Then I occasionally buy a sample box from Small Pet Select to mix things up.

It has 4 hays in so really good for determining what to buy.

Rodney likes all 4 and enjoys variety and Blossom seems to be especially enjoying the Orchard Hay.

Sent from my SM-A705FN using Tapatalk
 
Omi said:
It might be that it isn't that they are not that keen on the Ing's hay, but that they just don't like/aren't used to eating hay. Did you see what pellets or muesli they were eating where they were previously?

Whilst there may be some merit in experimenting with different types of hay, I think that reducing their pellets will over time have the greater impact. I doubt also that this will be something that you will be able to change overnight. I suspect it will take time. Fortunately as they are overweight, you can be confident that they won't harm by a gradual reduction in their pellets.

I would try to mix something tasty amongst the hay, possibly some strong-smelling like herbs. Hay cookies and hay bricks would also be something to try. I would give them lots of hay, spread around their accommodation in different places, so it becomes a very normal part of their environment.

I would also encourage lots of exercise. It will help with the weight loss and also might give them an appetite.
Click to expand...

I agree with Omi. Also give them grass if you have some and this will help with their teeth. It will take time though.
 
Wow everyone, thank you for all of the suggestions. I'm probably going to buy a bag of each of these :D They were meant to go to the vets for vaccinations/a checkup today but the vaccs were out of stock so it will be next week, then I can get their teeth looked at too just incase :)
 
Oh and in response to what they were on before, they are pellets from Pets at Home, not muesli thankfully, but we were also given a box of brightly coloured treats that look like froot loops and I have no idea how many of those they got given every day (we chucked them out!)
 
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