What Types of Hay Can My Bunny Eat?
There are several Hay types that Bunnies can eat and they include Timothy, Oat, Meadow, Orchard, botanical, and Alfalfa.
Timothy hay is the most recommended for adult Rabbits as it is lower in Calcium, Protein, and higher in Fiber content. Timothy hay is a dried Perennial grass that has a sweet smell, can grow from 2 to 3 feet tall. Timothy hay has long stems and soft heads. Timothy hay comes in three cuts. First cutting, second cutting, and third cutting. Depending on your Buns different needs will determine which cut is best for them. First cutting has the highest fiber, but lowest nutritional quality. Second cutting is a more balanced cut with more equal fiber and protein content. Third cutting is the softest and greenest cut with less fiber content and more protein!
Timothy hay usually has a breakdown of 32-34% fiber, and 8-11% Protein.
Oat hay is rich in digestible minerals, vitamins, and fiber. It is harvested before the seeds develop. Oat hay is higher in fiber and lower in protein, has a higher fat content than Timothy hay, and it makes great blends with other types of hay. This is a great type of hay to aid in gaining weight and can help spruce up an active Rabbits diet.
Oat hay usually has a breakdown of 31% fiber, and 10% protein.
Meadow hay consists mostly of native grown grasses and can sometimes contain other plants as well. Meadow hay is soft and more leafy and can have botanical qualities. Meadow hay is grown by a lot of local farmers but is less predictable in their nutritional contents. A good rule of thumb is greener hay has generally greater levels of calcium and vitamin C and if the hay is more brown it has higher vitamin D and fiber. Meadow hay has a breakdown of about 33% fiber and 7% protein.
Orchard hay is known for having a high nutritional content and being a pleasant tasting hay. It has a higher calorie content than Timothy hay and is easily digestible high fiber content. Orchard hay makes for a great variety change in your bunnies diet. It is great for younger bunnies that need higher protein.
Orchard hay has a breakdown of 33% fiber and 10% protein.
Botanical hay can be made up of herbs, leaves, flowers, and grass hay. This can be an amazing way to spice up your bunnies diet. Depending on your bunnies dietary needs hay can be complemented with an assortment of herbs and flowers that have medicinal benefits. This is a great boredom breaker that allows your bunnies to sift around in the hay for the extra goodies. Very sweet smelling and generally irresistible.
Botanical hay has a breakdown of 32% fiber, and 8% protein.
Alfalfa is a legume hay and is known for its highest level of proteins and rich calcium. This is good for baby Bunnies and nursing mothers but not very good for healthy adult rabbits as protein and calcium levels are too high. Alfalfa hay is best when mixed with other types of hay. Alfalfa hay is also great to feed to bunnies that need a little extra or for ill or underweight buns.
Alfalfa hay has a breakdown of 28-34% fiber and 13-19% protein.
Are you looking for great quality hay? We recommend Small Pet Select when you are looking for all of your hay needs. They can deliver directly to your door!
Email: HappilyEverAfterRabbitry@gmail.com
Phone : (484)-755-0800
With Love – Happily Ever After Rabbitry
Article #10
January 22, 2024
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Sources: https://www.kaytee.com/learn-care/small-animals/what-is-timothy-hay https://littlehayco.com/blogs/all-about-hay/timothy-hay https://www.vrra.org/wp-beta1/wp-content/uploads/bunphotos/Types-of-Rabbit-Hay.pdf https://www.bluemountainhay.com/blog/9-reasons-to-choose-organic-oat-hay-for-rabbits/ https://squidgypigs.com/2018/01/24/timothy-hay-vs-meadow-hay/