Before considering owning a small animal, it’s essential to understand the importance of hay in their diet. For most small pets, including rabbits, their diet should consist of approximately 80-90% hay as the high fibre content and crunchy stems helps to keep their complex bodies and digestive system moving.
Timothy hay is a great choice for any bun as it is high in fibre and protein to ensure that it aids their digestion and gut health.
Suitable for a range of small animals including; rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus, our Timothy hay is guaranteed to be delicious each time for hay lovers everywhere!
Our guide on Timothy hay will provide you with an insight on “what is Timothy Hay” and some tips and tricks on feeding it to your rabbits.
Shop premium quality, coarse Timothy Hay for your rabbits.
What Is Timothy Hay?
‘Timothy’ is a variety of grass, and grass is what we plant in the ground to create hay. Hay is what we call dried grass once the grass has been harvested; therefore Timothy hay is dried Timothy grass.
As most of you small animal lovers will know, Timothy hay is one of the most popular forage choices to feed rabbits, guinea pigs and other small animals due to its nutritional qualities, taste and texture.
According to The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund, a rabbit’s diet should be:
- 85% hay or grass
- 10% leafy green veg
- 5% extruded pellets or nuggets (approximately an egg-cup full)
Unlimited, good quality hay is the foundation of a healthy diet for pet rabbits. As well as providing the nutrients they need, it has many other benefits which can include high fibre and high protein to support their sensitive guts and to reduce the requirement of hard feed.
Why Should I Feed Timothy Hay To My Rabbit?
Timothy hay can be a great addition to any rabbits or small animals diet, as it:
- Has coarse and crunchy stems to promote healthy teeth
- Is high fibre to aid digestion and gut health
- Is high in protein which reduces the requirement for hard feed
By adding great nutritional value to your rabbit's diet, it will also reflect within their poop! Golden nuggets (our code for rabbit faecal pellets) are produced when they have a high fibre diet, and is our sign as owners that their digestive system is moving correctly.
|
Tasty Timothy Hay |
|
|
Crude Protein |
8 |
|
Crude Fibre |
32 |
|
Crude Fats and Oils |
2.4 |
|
Crude Ash |
2.4 |
|
Sodium |
0.01 |
*All figures are displayed in %
Which Timothy Hay Would We Recommend?
Our HayDay Tasty Timothy Hay is adored by the small pet community. Loved as its premium, coarse and long stem; our Timothy hay is green in colour and consistently delicious for rabbits.
Find out more about our barn dried Timothy hay here.
How to Feed Timothy Hay
As hay is a vital part of any small pet’s diet, it’s important to ensure that the way you’re presenting their forage is fun and differs from time to time!
Here are some popular ways of making tea time fun:
- Using hay rollers, hay bags or hay feeders
- Hide treats and pellets inside their hay (this should be occasional and not all the time)
- Offer different varieties of hay - like Timothy Hay and Meadow Hay
For more information on feeding forage to your small pet > Here’s our nutritionists top tips.
The Importance Of Hay In A Rabbit’s Diet
Let’s explore some of the reasons why hay is so important for your small animal and their health!
Healthy Teeth
Hay is vital when it comes to your rabbit’s teeth! Rabbit’s have teeth which are known as hypsodont, meaning they are designed to erupt continuously. They can only be worn down by a high fibre diet (hay), so the key to maintaining healthy teeth is also a factor as to why hay is so important in their diet! Both Tasty Timothy hay and Moreish Meadow Hay provide great options for healthy teeth, but with its long, coarse stems our Timothy hay is a winner!
Happy Tummies
A high fibre diet keeps the gut moving! Hay is the closest thing to a natural diet for pet rabbits and an unlimited supply should be offered to your small animal to allow them to graze on it at all times.
See our feeding guidelines and nutrition for more advice.
Golden Poops Guaranteed
Remember your rabbit’s poop should be consistent in size, colour and consistency - all in which can be maintained by adequate high quality fibre.
This will keep their complex digestive systems healthy from start (teeth) to finish, with this being evident in their poop. Hooray! But don’t just take our word for it.
Here are some fine examples of healthy, small animal poop from small animals who have tried and tested our Tasty Timothy and Moreish Meadow Hay.
Read more in our handy guide - What is the difference between Timothy Hay and Meadow Hay?
What To Look For When Buying Hay
When purchasing rabbit hay, it’s important to consider these five things:
- Is the quality of the hay consistent?
- Is this hay produced under accredited conditions?
- Can I get my hay on subscription with fast delivery?
- Do they offer a variety of hay for my pet?
- Is the hay sweet smelling and green (is the smell too good to resist - even for us humans?)
We understand the difficulties in finding a forage choice that your small animal will love, but at HayDay, you can rest assured that our products are quality approved. We work closely with our nutritionist Briony, meaning our products are tailored to your small pet’s specific requirements.
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Tasty Timothy Hay |
|
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High Fibre |
✓ |
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High Protein |
✓ |
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Good for Digestive Health |
✓ |
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Good for Dental Health |
✓ |
|
Good for Gut Health |
✓ |
Quality
Unlike traditional farming techniques which often rely on four consecutive sunny days to harvest, at HayDay, our Timothy and Meadow hay is barn dried meaning that we are less reliant on the weather to produce our top quality products.
With our drying facilities, we are able to provide a consistent hay product year round which suits your pet’s needs and we take pride in ensuring the best possible quality. This allows us to produce top quality hay reliably, year on year.
We also follow strict procedures when storing and reprocessing our hay boxes. We ensure to minimise the risk of any foreign objects, even as a natural product.
How To Change Your Rabbit’s Diet
Sudden changes to the diet should be avoided, as any rapid changes in the type or quality of hay, may result in digestive upset for small animals. Any changes in your hay, whether that’s a new addition or substitution, should be gradual and over a period of seven to fourteen days. Put simply - 7 days for small changes, but extending to 14 days where the change in nutritional properties or presentation is significant.
As always, consult your vet if you’re ever unsure.
Summary
In summary, timothy hay plays a vital role in ensuring that your rabbit lives a happy and healthy life. Timothy hay should be offered at unlimited, and free choice for all small animals including rabbits; as it aids healthy gut and dental health.
Need extra advice? Feel free to reach out to our team, and our expert in-house nutritionist Briony.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Meadow Hay Be Used As Bedding?
Yes, Meadow hay can be used as bedding hay. As Meadow hay is softer in texture, it makes it the perfect choice for rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas or degus to burrow within it! Whilst you can use Timothy hay for bedding, it’s essential to be wary of hay poke if the stems are too coarse. For this reason, we would always recommend you using Moreish Meadow Hay to bed your small animal down.
Are There Different Cuts of Timothy Hay?
Depending on location, supply and demand of Timothy hay, there can be up to 3 cuts per harvest. At HayDay, we recognise that first cut timothy holds the best nutritional requirements for your small pets; therefore our Tasty Timothy Hay is first cut.
With our first cut (Tasty Timothy), you can expect to see it rich in colour (green) with long stems - the perfect combination for your small animals.
Is Timothy Hay Good for Guinea Pigs?
Timothy hay is suitable for most hay-based diet animals such as guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas and degus. Guinea pigs tend to love Timothy hay due to its coarse and crunchy stems. These high fibre and long stems are particularly handy when it comes to maintaining your small animal’s ever-growing teeth!
Relevant Advice
Hay! The Grass Roots | Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF)
How To Keep Your Small Animal's Hay Fresh
