Tips for Transitioning to the Best Hay for Rabbits Based on Their Age

Tips for Transitioning to the Best Hay for Rabbits Based on Their Age

Rabbits have specific needs when it comes to just about everything, but especially in terms of what they eat. Fulfilling their dietary needs is essential in order to offer them the best life possible.

Feeding your rabbit the wrong type of food could result in long term issues or even life-threatening consequences. It's vital that you understand which type of food to feed to your rabbit depending on their stage of life. So... What do you feed a baby rabbit versus an adult rabbit?

Though it may seem like a simple task, one of the biggest mistakes a rabbit owner can make is feeding their rabbit something that does not serve their particular nutritional needs.

The good news is that the experts agree when it comes to what to feed your rabbit. Knowing if and when to change your rabbit’s diet can be the difference between a healthy rabbit and one fighting to survive.

What Do Bunnies Eat Early On

Just like a human, a baby rabbit’s diet should look different from that of an adult. A baby rabbit from birth to about seven weeks should be nursing from its mother. While still nursing, Alfalfa Hay should be introduced starting at about three weeks and should continue until about six months of age. Alfalfa Hay contains high protein, fiber and calcium. Plenty of good fresh Alfalfa Hay should be fed to a young rabbit daily along with vegetables and pellets in small amounts.

Bringing Up Bunny

By the time a rabbit reaches about seven months his diet should begin to be transitioned from Alfalfa Hay to Timothy Hay in order to ensure the health of your rabbit. Timothy Hay has a high amount of fiber but has a lower protein and calcium content than Alfalfa Hay. Continuing to feed a rabbit Alfalfa Hay after it is no longer a baby could result in obesity and other health concerns, it's also not the best hay to keep up their dental health.

Exceptions to these diet guidelines would be rabbits who are pregnant, nursing, recovering from surgery, underweight or elderly.

Making The Switch

Rabbits will naturally prefer to eat Alfalfa Hay over Timothy Hay at first so a good way to switch over to Timothy Hay is to mix the two types of hay together as your rabbit learns to adjust to the change. As time continues you should begin to mix less Alfalfa in and introduce more Timothy Hay.

Ensuring Quality

One reason your rabbit may not be eating the timothy hay you are supplying to him could be due to a poor quality product. Timothy hay that has gone stale is as unappealing to eat for a rabbit as rotten produce is for you. If the hay doesn’t have a pleasant smell or if the texture is dry and powdery you may want to throw it out and start over.

Your rabbit will not eat food that is not appetizing to him, and you probably wouldn’t even want him to because there is also a chance that it could be moldy. A way to ensure freshness is to buy your hay regularly and in small amounts.