Body size in hay

So, I always read that rabbits should eat at least their body size in hay each day, and I was wondering if most rabbits actually do this? Do your rabbits do this? Because I give Sophie and Casper lots of hay every day so they can both eat their body size in hay, and I see them eating hay quite often during the day, but the next day most of it is still left. This isn't something recent, either; they've never eaten that amount of hay. I've tried so many different hays over the years, and tried out tips that are online about encouraging them to eat more hay, and no matter what, they never eat their body size in hay in a day, even when they only get a small amount of pellets and greens.

I think Fern eats around about her body size in hay each day, she is an excellent hay eater though

Sometimes it feels like Joey & Boo eat their weight in hay & I'm guessing Graicees rabbits must actually :lol:do this given the amount of hay she orders . Mouse does not eat her body size in hay over a week, she used to do much better though.

a reader of books said:

So, I always read that rabbits should eat at least their body size in hay each day, and I was wondering if most rabbits actually do this? Do your rabbits do this? Because I give Sophie and Casper lots of hay every day so they can both eat their body size in hay, and I see them eating hay quite often during the day, but the next day most of it is still left. This isn't something recent, either; they've never eaten that amount of hay. I've tried so many different hays over the years, and tried out tips that are online about encouraging them to eat more hay, and no matter what, they never eat their body size in hay in a day, even when they only get a small amount of pellets and greens.

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I think it depends really, I'd say my 4 are all really good hay eaters tbh, but they eat different amounts, my smallest bun (he's 3kg) eats the most every single day though, he eats a hay mountain much much larger than him everyday, absolutely demolishes it [emoji38] they all eat a lot of hay though. As long as output is good and they're eating hay I think it's fine, I know some buns are really not good hay eaters, I think I'm lucky in some ways that the two different breeds of buns I have are known to be extra greedy, they just consume everything [emoji38][emoji38]

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joey&boo said:

Sometimes it feels like Joey & Boo eat their weight in hay & I'm guessing Graicees rabbits must actually [emoji38]do this given the amount of hay she orders . Mouse does not eat her body size in hay over a week, she used to do much better though.

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Yeaaaaa, honestly mine eat so so much hay it's mad [emoji38][emoji38][emoji38]

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Thank you, all. It sounds like your bunnies are very hungry bunnies, Graciee. :lol: And it sounds like Joey and Boo and Fern are great hay eaters as well! Mouse sounds more like Casper and Sophie.

It's good to hear, Graciee, that you think that as long as their output is good and they eat hay it's fine. Sophie and Casper do have good output, so hopefully that means they do eat enough hay.

A pile the size of my guys would be an enormous amount of hay, Freja eats a lot, Odin eats a bit less (he has a sweet tooth, I think he was maybe spoiled a bit in his previous life whereas she tends to go for greens and hays and leaves first) but they also eat a fair bit of fresh grass each day.
Is it the size of their body fluffed up, compressed, or by weight though? I've always wondered!!

dollyanna said:

A pile the size of my guys would be an enormous amount of hay, Freja eats a lot, Odin eats a bit less (he has a sweet tooth, I think he was maybe spoiled a bit in his previous life whereas she tends to go for greens and hays and leaves first) but they also eat a fair bit of fresh grass each day.
Is it the size of their body fluffed up, compressed, or by weight though? I've always wondered!!

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Yeah, Odin and Freya are so big, they would have to eat a lot of hay! When they eat fresh grass, too, I guess that would count as well... I've always assumed that it's hay the size of their body fluffed up, since compressed hay the size of their body would be a whole lot, just like their body weight in hay would be a whole lot?

dollyanna said:

A pile the size of my guys would be an enormous amount of hay, Freja eats a lot, Odin eats a bit less (he has a sweet tooth, I think he was maybe spoiled a bit in his previous life whereas she tends to go for greens and hays and leaves first) but they also eat a fair bit of fresh grass each day.
Is it the size of their body fluffed up, compressed, or by weight though? I've always wondered!!

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Yes, it's not a very scientific measure is it :lol: Even with fluffing up, it can vary. My bunnies always eat less hay in the summer, as they get lots of fresh forage then. It is a fact though that if you watch wild rabbits, they tend to nibble far more grass than other plants.

Athie probably eats double his size in hay but Zeus probably only eats the size of his left foot a day [emoji14]
It does vary though and have noticed they get more interested and tend to eat a piece if I go mess with the hay or hand Zeus his favourite piece.
I've just figured that they've got unlimited access and I'm not increasing their veg and I see them eating now and then and the poops are good it's all ok.
Zeus would happily live on banana and raisins though [emoji39]

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Omi said:

Yes, it's not a very scientific measure is it :lol: Even with fluffing up, it can vary. My bunnies always eat less hay in the summer, as they get lots of fresh forage then. It is a fact though that if you watch wild rabbits, they tend to nibble far more grass than other plants.

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One presumes the ones that eat too much everything else get gut issues and die/are predated :thumb:

I have no idea how much mine eat. It's a lot, though! There's a load of very hay-coloured poos on the lawn right now XD The 'pile as big as themselves' guide is useful but, like the 15g of pellets, is open to negotiation

cheriseru said:

Athie probably eats double his size in hay but Zeus probably only eats the size of his left foot a day [emoji14]
It does vary though and have noticed they get more interested and tend to eat a piece if I go mess with the hay or hand Zeus his favourite piece.
I've just figured that they've got unlimited access and I'm not increasing their veg and I see them eating now and then and the poops are good it's all ok.
Zeus would happily live on banana and raisins though [emoji39]

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Sounds like Athie and Zeus balance each other out nicely, haha. Zeus is a funny one, though, wanting to be handfed his hay and live on banana and raisins. :lol: What you say makes sense, though, how you figure it's all okay since they have unlimited hay and not too many veggies and you see them eating now and then and their poops are good. Maybe I worry too much about how much hay they eat...

keletkezes said:

One presumes the ones that eat too much everything else get gut issues and die/are predated :thumb:

I have no idea how much mine eat. It's a lot, though! There's a load of very hay-coloured poos on the lawn right now XD The 'pile as big as themselves' guide is useful but, like the 15g of pellets, is open to negotiation

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That's great that they eat a lot of hay! Seeing it as something that's open to negotiation rather than a strict rule is probably best...

a reader of books said:

Sounds like Athie and Zeus balance each other out nicely, haha. Zeus is a funny one, though, wanting to be handfed his hay and live on banana and raisins. [emoji38] What you say makes sense, though, how you figure it's all okay since they have unlimited hay and not too many veggies and you see them eating now and then and their poops are good. Maybe I worry too much about how much hay they eat...



That's great that they eat a lot of hay! Seeing it as something that's open to negotiation rather than a strict rule is probably best...

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Hahaha you should know by now Zeus is a funny one [emoji39]

Even now he's sitting there grudgingly eating his spring greens because he's established that I'm only sitting here drinking gin. He's thrown some of the brussel sprouts out the bowl even though those were his favourite last month [emoji1787]

But surprisingly today he's eaten a lot of hay, even climbed in the hayfeeder itself [emoji1787] Athie on the otherhand today decided my toes taste better than hay and had to keep nudging him away when he came for a nibble [emoji1787]

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Your stories about Zeus (and Athie) do really amuse me. :lol: I guess sprouts aren't his favourite anymore! That's great that Zeus was really into his hay (literally) yesterday, though! But I'm not sure Athie's new love for toes is a good thing. :lol:

a reader of books said:

Your stories about Zeus (and Athie) do really amuse me. [emoji38] I guess sprouts aren't his favourite anymore! That's great that Zeus was really into his hay (literally) yesterday, though! But I'm not sure Athie's new love for toes is a good thing. [emoji38]

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Hahaha happy to entertain [emoji1787] have considered putting up a webcam with a live stream so people can watch these 2 [emoji1787]
Yup sprouts are out and so is spring greens now as well... but hay is in [emoji3060]
Yea not to keen on Athie's new favourite [emoji15] he was after my toes again today but managed to annoy him with dropping to the floor and kissing his forehead [emoji16] earned myself a flick off but toe safety for a bit [emoji1787]

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Nobody would get anything done if they could watch Zeus and Athie all day. Well, except when they're napping, maybe...

Athie doesn't want your kisses, he wants your toes! What a weird bunny. :lol:

The size of the rabbit was a way to help rabbit owners know they're offering enough hay as the 80% rule can be hard for people to judge.

As previously said, so long as teeth, output and general health are good then the amount of hay they eat isn't too much of a concern.

The girls vary depending on quality of hay and time of year. They'll increase eating over winter, one because there is less options & two because it helps keep them warm.

Summer they get more forage but they still eat a reasonable amount of hay. I tend to over 20kgs every 1 &1/2 months for my two and maybe discard 40% of it.

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a reader of books said:

Nobody would get anything done if they could watch Zeus and Athie all day. Well, except when they're napping, maybe...

Athie doesn't want your kisses, he wants your toes! What a weird bunny. [emoji38]

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Hahaha good point! But think even when they're napping people would still stare, haven't you seen Athie's paw sucking snoozes? [emoji39]

Yea, Athie is weird [emoji1787][emoji1787] still can't really pet him, he's happy to clamber over me for snacks and getting headrubs when Zeus is next to him, but on his own he prefers to flick me off [emoji1787]

So I take back that Zeus has eaten more hay [emoji15] this evening I've actually discovered he does climb in the hayfeeder... but he snoozes in there!!! Not sure the picture is clear enough but he's actually flopped in there [emoji2356]

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daphnephoebe said:

The size of the rabbit was a way to help rabbit owners know they're offering enough hay as the 80% rule can be hard for people to judge.

As previously said, so long as teeth, output and general health are good then the amount of hay they eat isn't too much of a concern.

The girls vary depending on quality of hay and time of year. They'll increase eating over winter, one because there is less options & two because it helps keep them warm.

Summer they get more forage but they still eat a reasonable amount of hay. I tend to over 20kgs every 1 &1/2 months for my two and maybe discard 40% of it.

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Oh, I see. It is a more helpful guideline than the 80% rule, I think, yes, as I've always found that a hard one to judge, too, and never know whether it's about volume or weight.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, too. It's reassuring to hear that you think, too, that as long as teeth, output, and general health are good the amount of hay isn't too much of a concern. Casper's teeth aren't great, but it's been quite a while now since his last dental, so they're not as bad as they used to be, either, or maybe they're just growing more slowly because of his age now.

That makes sense that how much hay Daphne and Phoebe eat depends on some things. 20kgs every 1.5 month is more than I use, I think, and I'm pretty sure I discard more than 40%, so it sounds like Daphne and Phoebe are definitely better hay eaters than Casper and Sophie. =)

cheriseru said:

Hahaha good point! But think even when they're napping people would still stare, haven't you seen Athie's paw sucking snoozes? [emoji39]

Yea, Athie is weird [emoji1787][emoji1787] still can't really pet him, he's happy to clamber over me for snacks and getting headrubs when Zeus is next to him, but on his own he prefers to flick me off [emoji1787]

So I take back that Zeus has eaten more hay [emoji15] this evening I've actually discovered he does climb in the hayfeeder... but he snoozes in there!!! Not sure the picture is clear enough but he's actually flopped in there [emoji2356]

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That's a good point; Athie's paw-sucking snoozes are very cute, haha.

Aw, Athie's fine with head rubs when Zeus is with him, but without Zeus he just flicks you off? He has quite the personality. :lol:

I don't blame Zeus for sleeping in the hay instead of eating it. I think that's what I'd do, too, if I were a rabbit... That's a cute picture of him in his hay feeder, haha.

My bunny Ronnie is a massive hay eater and laps it up daily, whereas Reggie has to be tempted with forage to eat his quota a day!! I rescued both rabbits though & both were only fed pellets before I had them, so I had to transition them!