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How can I get my bunnies to eat more hay?

Toffs and Pebbs

Toffs and Pebbs

Warren Scout
Hi all

I've read about infinity things about hay and they all say "Hay should be 80-90% of your rabbits diet" and "If your rabbit doesn't eat enough hay it can get G.I Statis" and I do feed my bunnies hay, I give them quite a lot but they just don't eat it. They eat a bit but they don't ever eat enough in time and by the time they have started thinking about eating it all its like rotten and wet.

So what can I do? Do I have to give them lots of toys ,which take a lot of time to prepare:?, do I have to hand feed ,even though they won't come every near me:?, I know I don't need to worry about the illness but I want to give the best I can give. Any ideas and guidance is very very appreciated :D

Thanks
Ali
 
How many pellets do you give them?
Good quality, fresh, hay is indeed the most important part of a rabbit's diet - it keeps teeth worn down and digestive system in good order.
 
I think by far the best way to get them to eat more hay is to get them to try different ones and then go for the one they like best. The Hay Experts and Hay for Pets (now hay and straw.co.uk if I remember correctly) do samples you can try out on them. My first bun was a fussy hay eater and I had to try quite a few before I found varieties she would happily tuck into.

Also have their teeth been checked recently by a vet? If they have issues with their teeth then they may not want to eat hay as chewing it would be quite uncomfortable.
 
Hi, I've just replied on your other thread. I would say the reason why your rabbits are not eating much hay could be because they are filling up on other things, which make them feel full more quickly. Much the same as if we were to eat a couple of doughnuts and then not have room for our dinner :)

Why does the hay get rotten and wet? Is this from urine or rain? In either case the wet hay should be replaced as they will certainly not want to eat it.

If you find that they are not immediately attracted to eating lots of hay, then perhaps try different types of hay or get a small bag of dried herbs or forage and sprinkle it over the top of the hay to tempt them.
 
get a small bag of dried herbs or forage and sprinkle it over the top
I was going to suggest this :D
Don't forget cheaper hays. Mine loved meadowgrass with an aniseedy smell. They couldn't leave it alone.
 
My advice would be to replace it regularly, it shouldn't be allowed to get wet or rotten. I change their trays daily which are loaded with hay & even though they don't eat it all they'll show enthusiasm for the hay top up they get in the evening .

All advice you've received so far is good. Mine love green oat readigrass & get a handful mixed in with the hay.

Keep experimenting with different types & keep nuggets to a minimum. A dental check would be good just in case
 
I get my Timothy hay from pets at home and they have 100g of pellets and cabbage and some veg and fruit and herbs occasionally
 
It gets wet from rain most of the Time and normally I replace it and thats a really good idea to use herbs as they love them.:D
 
Yes definitely, they can't eat too much hay :)

Is there any way you could cover that part of the run (or wherever it is) so that the hay doesn't become wet. It will become more of a problem in the winter and you don't want to be wasting too much hay,

Good luck :)
 
Toffs and Pebbs said:
I get my Timothy hay from pets at home and they have 100g of pellets and cabbage and some veg and fruit and herbs occasionally
Click to expand...
Do you have a local farm selling hay? If not Timothyhay.co.UK or hayandstraw.co.UK would probably be cheaper for hay than pets at home. Cheaper hay means that you can accept some won't be eaten and will be thrown away
100g of pellets sounds lots, our bunnies share 25g a day (two egg cups)
 
My bunnies were never great hay eaters, so I just tried them with loads of different hay, and I mean loads, I spent so much money!!! In the end I found one that they love and now they eat lots. I recommend Ings hay from hayforpets.co.uk

Once they started eating lots if hay I introduced others too, which they also eat, although Ings is the main one :)
 
Omi said:
Yes definitely, they can't eat too much hay :)

Is there any way you could cover that part of the run (or wherever it is) so that the hay doesn't become wet. It will become more of a problem in the winter and you don't want to be wasting too much hay,

Good luck :)
Click to expand...

I would also suggest making changes so the hay doesn't get wet. Wet hay needs to be completely removed daily. The reason being is it will become moldy, and moldy hay if ingested is quite dangerous to rabbits.
 
Omi said:
Hi, I've just replied on your other thread. I would say the reason why your rabbits are not eating much hay could be because they are filling up on other things, which make them feel full more quickly. Much the same as if we were to eat a couple of doughnuts and then not have room for our dinner :).
Click to expand...

How should I reduce the pellets 10g at a time for two days and then change or should I do less grams and more days or less grams and less days and you get what I mean how should I do it so I gradually get to 25g?
 
Last edited:
Toffs and Pebbs said:
How should I reduce the pellets 10g at a time for two days and then change or should I do less grams and more days or less grams and less days and you get what I mean how should I do it so I gradually get to 25g?
Click to expand...
I'd reduce by 5g a day as it's a subtle change and you can monitor on a daily basis.

You can try the hay experts for sample packs of 5 different hays to see which hey prefer best?

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
 
We have a timothy hay imported from america. We tried all the pets at home stuff, all the expensive British ones with no luck. Our bunnies seem to have a particular taste for american hay apparently. We get it delivered via amazon, on repeat every 4-6 weeks depending on how much they eat, and we give some fresh greens daily. a strawberry or some coriander as treats, but the full grown boys love stealing Juliettes baby nuggets so we feed that part separately for supper :)
The imported hay isnt too pricey, thought it might give you an idea about more options for you bun :)
 
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