Sniffles and Sneezing? Get Answers to Your Timothy Hay Allergies
Written by The Rabbit Hole Hay Team
Achoo! Your eyes are red and itchy. Sniff sniff. Your nose won't stop running and you wish you could clear your sinuses. That tickle in the back of your throat won’t go away even though you’ve cleared your throat a few hundred times. That rash that just won’t stop itching.
Sound familiar? It’s your basic case of allergies that have flared up from your bunny's favorite Timothy Hay.
The Inner Struggle with Allergies
How do you justify the fact that you know Timothy Hay is an important staple of your rabbit’s diet, but your allergies flare up whenever the box arrives and you can't find relief until your rabbit has eaten the entire box of hay?
You know that your rabbit should have a diet of at least 80% grass hay and that everyone says that Timothy Hay is the best for your rabbit. It's long strand fiber not only keeps your rabbit's digestive system functioning properly, but it also helps to wear down their teeth.
But that leaves you with the question of which is more important:
Your Rabbit’s Health or Yours?
You + Your Rabbit's Healthy are Important
At Rabbit Hole Hay, we believe that the question of who is more important should never cross your mind! You and your rabbit both deserve to be healthy.
Allergies, especially to Timothy Hay are common (you aren’t alone!).
Orchard Grass can be a wonderful alternative for you and your small pet while still giving them all the important nutrients they need. In our experience, people who are allergic to Timothy Hay are less allergic to our Orchard Grass.
Orchard Grass is high in fiber and low in both protein and calcium content, which is ideal for keeping the digestive tracts of rabbits and other small animals functioning properly. Orchard Grass can be fed free-choice to your rabbits and other small animals, and should be a mainstay of any small herbivore’s diet. Free-choice feeding means that the hay is constantly available and the animals can balance their own diet, without increased risk of weight gain or digestion issues.
While many veterinarians recommend Timothy Hay as the best type of hay, Orchard Grass is a good substitute if you or your rabbit have issues with Timothy Hay.
Keeping Their Digestion & Teeth Healthy
Did you know that Orchard Grass comes in two different cuts? We have a Coarse Orchard Grass and a Soft Orchard Grass, here is what each of them is known for:
- Known for its large seed heads, fibrous leaves and stems, Coarse Orchard Grass provides long strands that promote natural chewing behavior and dental health.
- Coarse Orchard Grass is very similar to First Cut Timothy Hay in texture.
- High in fiber and low in both protein and calcium making it a great choice to balance roughage and nutrition.
- Known for being the softest type of hay we carry, with longer blades of grass, minimal seed heads, and fewer stalks than other types of hay.
- Ideal for keeping the digestive tract functioning properly due to its high fiber and low protein and calcium content.
If you are feeding your rabbit exclusively Soft Orchard Grass we recommend you mentioning this to your vet so that they can keep an eye on their dental health. We also recommend that you invest in a few chew toys (like Apple Sticks) that will help wear down their teeth. You can also mix in a little of the Coarse Orchard Grass as well!
Our All Natural Apple Chew Sticks not only help to wear down their constantly growing teeth, but also bring a source of entertainment for your rabbit by keeping them physically active and mentally stimulated!
So, even if you're allergic to Timothy Hay it doesn’t mean that you or your rabbit have to suffer! The best medicine we can prescribe is Orchard Grass. Not only is it a wonderful alternative but it's also one of our most popular hays, even with people who aren't allergic to Timothy Hay! We think it’s safe to say that once you give your bun this hay they won’t want to go back to anything else.
Here at Rabbit Hole Hay we are dedicated to making sure your pets are happy, healthy and well-fed. We also know that allergies happen and you have no control over them. Don’t suffer from the sneezing, itchy eyes, and a stuffy nose any more when you can give your rabbit the hay they will love!
Want to learn about other grass hays that you can feed your rabbit? Download our Hay is for Rabbits eBook below. You'll learn all about the seven different types of hay, healthy benefits to each, the best ones to feed your rabbit based on their age, and more!
