Frequently Asked Questions
Product Questions
What are the Differences Between Your Hays?
Coarse Timothy Hay is known for its high fiber and low protein, making it a great food source for adult rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas. By late spring or early summer the hay is ready to be harvested for the first time of the growing season. It’s usually by mid June that the farmer cuts the first growth of the year. During this early growth the plant grows long thick stems, short broad leaves, and long seed head (flowers) making it coarser than the two later cuts. When this is harvested it is commonly referred to as First Cut Timothy Hay and is a great choice to maintain healthy teeth and digestion.
Medium Timothy Hay is known for being a softer hay with its long thin stems, short seed heads, and broad flat leaves making it easier for rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas to eat. After the first harvest of Timothy Hay, the hay is then left to regrow and is harvested a second time usually by late summer, commonly referred to as Second Cut Timothy Hay. Medium Timothy Hay is also high in fiber and low in protein making it a great choice for your small pet’s dental health and digestive system particularly if they are aging and need softer hay.
Soft Timothy Hay is known for containing mostly leaves with very few stems or seed heads. This grade of hay comes from the third seasonal harvest of Timothy Hay or an exceptionally soft second harvest. Stems, if any, will be thin and occasional seed heads will be short. The key to this grade of premium hay is that it is made up almost entirely of soft leaves. It’s good for small pets that have soft or weak teeth which makes it hard for them to eat more coarse types of hay. Soft Timothy Hay offers all the nutrients and fiber that are required for digestive health, but due to its softness it doesn’t cover dental health. Therefore, we recommend investing in chew toys, such as Apple Sticks, or mixing in some coarse hay such as Coarse Orchard or Coarse Timothy to maintain healthy teeth.
Soft Orchard Grass is known for being the softest hay that we carry. For pets and owners who are allergic to Timothy Hay, Orchard Grass can be a great alternative. Orchard Grass is great for digestive health and can be fed free-choice to your rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas. Soft Orchard Grass has long soft grass blades, minimal seed heads and fewer stalks than other types of hay. Due to its softness, we recommend investing in chew toys or supplementing their diet with a little coarse hay to keep their teeth in good health.
Coarse Orchard Grass is very similar to Coarse Timothy Hay and is known for its large seed heads and more fibrous leaves and stems. For pets and owners who are allergic to Timothy Hay, Orchard Grass can be a great alternative. Orchard Grass can be fed free-choice to your rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas. Coarse Orchard Grass provides long strands that promote natural chewing behavior. It holds a great balance of roughage and nutrition to benefit both dental and digestive health.
Alfalfa Hay is full of protein and nutrients, making it perfect for growing rabbits between the ages of 3 weeks and 7 months. Alfalfa Hay has a thicker stem and lots of elliptical leaves compared to the long thin leaves found on grass hays. Mature rabbits can only eat a limited amount of Alfalfa due to the high levels of protein and calcium. Adult rabbits also require more fiber than alfalfa can provide to maintain healthy digestion. Transition your 7 month old rabbit (6 months old for guinea pigs, and 1 year for chinchillas) off of Alfalfa Hay and onto a grass hay (such as Timothy or Orchard).
Mountain Grass is high in fiber and low in protein and calcium content, ideal for keeping the digestive tracts of rabbits and other small animals functioning properly. It's made up of a variety of wild grasses that grow in a mountain meadow. Mountain Grass contains a variety of textures and colors, which your small pet will enjoy. Typically it has leaves that are fine and coarse in texture with almost no stems. It's known for being a grass hay that wild rabbits would naturally feed on with an added benefit of being coarse enough to wear down their teeth.
Oat Hay is known for containing mostly stems, long seed heads, and leaves. This grade of hay comes from the first harvest of Oat Hay. The key to this grade of premium hay is that it’s made up entirely of coarse stems and leaves. Near the end of the growing season the plant begins pumping sugars up into the seed heads to help them finish maturing. This causes our hay to taste great despite having more yellow than other grass hays.
Do You Have Good Quality "X" in Stock Right Now?
Take a look at our Fresh From the Hopper - How's The Hay Looking to see what is currently in stock!
We monitor our inventory carefully, so if we don’t have what you are looking for in stock, we will not allow you to purchase it.
Our goal is to have your product to your doorstep within no more than 5 business days of your order. We do our best to keep everything in stock, but some products are outside our control.
Need to talk to one of our hay specialists? Give us a call at (530) 763-6900, we are open Monday - Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm PST.
My Rabbit Won't Eat Any Hay, What Should I Do?
Rabbits should have fresh hay available 24 hours a day. Grass Hay should make up 80-90% of a bunny’s diet because it’s rich in fiber and provides the roughage that helps reduce the danger of hairballs and other blockages.
Grass Hay also helps maintain the length of their continuously growing teeth–if uncomfortable chewing is an issue, a visit to the vet is mandatory. If this isn’t the problem, try feeding your rabbit in their favorite areas––like their litter box or the couch, as they may only want to eat there.
If that doesn’t work, have them play! There are many rabbit-safe toys on the market that are designed to help encourage play and eating that might help you turn the corner.
Sometimes, especially if you haven’t always fed your rabbit the best diet they will take time to acclimate to their new diet. Stick with it, and try to not give back in to their old unhealthy diet. Many rabbits are stubborn, but hunger generally rules the day.
You should also check the hay you purchase. Large scale providers do not hand-pack hay, and it’s typically shipped many times before it gets to you, and can arrive damaged.
Rabbits will usually not eat powdered hay and will search through it to find larger strands. This is why it is important to get the best quality hay affordable, which is dust-free/sweet smelling/slightly green with long strands. You should also try a variety of hays to find which one your furry friend will enjoy most.
You can flavor the hay by adding things like sage, rosemary, basil, parsley, peppermint and cilantro. Rub the hay and one of the additives to release the oils––remember that a little goes a long way. If this doesn’t seem to work, look to see if the rabbit is more focused on other tasty food and treats, and reduce those to redirect them.
If the issue persists, your bunny may be ill. If you don’t find stool in their litter box, or you find diarrhea, take them to the vet (the one who does her annual checkups) and go over stats and symptoms. NEVER try home remedies on a (potentially) sick bunny, unless recommended by your vet. Waiting for remedies to work will give your vet less time to help your rabbit.
It’s important to know that rabbits have difficulty passing gas; if you feed your bunny foods that cause gas, they might be in pain. If you spot them hunched over and looks like they are trying to press their belly to the floor, then they might have gas pains. You can speak with your vet to see how to help relieve their pains so they can eat again.
Why Should I Buy This Paper Bedding?
Our food grade paper bedding is super absorbent and has quick action odor protection. Because it is super absorbent, it can last much longer than other beddings including, shredded newsprint, wood shavings or clay based litters (please never use clay based litters with your small pets, they can be extremely dangerous). Did you know that our paper bedding can absorb 6 times its own weight!?
If you worry about the environmental effect of the bedding, you can relax because the bedding is tested dioxin free! It’s 100% environmentally friendly, and FDA approved food grade virgin paper! Now that’s a deal! You no longer have to worry if your small pet nibbles or consumes it because it’s safe for them to ingest.
What could be better than environmentally safe bedding? Comfort! It’s soft and gentle, and is resistant to matting. So, when they snuggle up and dream of the dance of the Timothy Hay Fairies, they will not wake up due to a clump causing discomfort.
Additionally, they won’t be disturbed by dust from sand, dirt, or grit because there is none! The bedding is 99.9% dust free, something that you cannot expect with other beddings.
What is Rabbit Hole Hay Doing to Ensure My Small Pets Safety During This RHDV2?
At Rabbit Hole Hay, we want our customers to know we are in close contact with the California Department of Fish and Game (the agency that is monitoring RHDV2 in California) and to date there have been NO reported cases of RHDV2 in the Northern California areas where we source our hay and where our warehouse is located.
All Rabbit Hole Hay product currently in the marketplace is from our Northern California 2022-2023 growing season, but again there have been NO reported cases affecting our area of the country.
The USDA estimates the virus can remain stable for up to 3 months. Taking into account the dates of the recently confirmed cases and dates of harvest, along with the location of the harvest, we can safely reassure you that no Rabbit Hole Hay product that is available is currently at risk for being a carrier of RHDV2. Even with that being said, all of the hay that is currently available has been being held indoors for more than 3 months making our hay very safe.
We are committed to remaining vigilant both in how we monitor and how we move forward with product safety as it relates to RHDV2. Click here to read about the virus and other questions asked about it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Order Questions
How Long Will it Take to Receive My Order?
Rabbit Hole Hay is a small, family owned business located and operated in Chico, California.
Most US based orders are shipped directly from our warehouse the next business day.
For our West Coast Customers: it can take up to 2-3 business days once your order has shipped.
For our East Coast Customers: it can take up to 7-10 business days once your order has shipped.
We don't ship out anything on Saturdays, Sundays, or Holidays.
How Do I Track My Order Status?
Once your order has shipped you'll receive an email with a tracking number! You can click that number and it'll show you the current status of your order.
If you know your tracking number, you can also click here and enter it.
My Order Says it’s Delivered, But it’s Not Here. Where is it?
No need to panic!
One of following situations has probably occurred:
1. The Delivery Company pre-marked your order as delivered, but won’t actually deliver it for a few hours.
2. The Delivery Company accidentally delivered it to the wrong house, but don’t panic we’ll get you your order!
As the first one is most common, we ask that you please wait 24 hours before contacting our amazing Customer Service Team. After 24 hours we will be happy to help figure out where your order is!
Only Part of My Order Was Delivered, Where is the Rest of it?
Our hay wranglers work quickly to get your small pet’s favorite products delivered as quickly as possible!
Sometimes this means your order may be split into more than one package (we don’t charge for separate shipments), each with a unique tracking number.
If you don’t see your packages on the same day, don’t panic! We recommend waiting 24 hours before reaching out to our amazing Customer Service Team to ensure that your delivery is completed in full.
This Doesn’t Look Like My Normal Order of Hay, What Do I Do?
We receive new batches of hay every 4-6 weeks, which is why your hay can look a little different from your last order.
With that being said, please have your little one try it out! If they like it, then wonderful nothing more needs to be done! If they don’t then please reach out to our Customer Support Team and we’ll see about sending you a replacement.
Curious how our current batch of hay is looking? Click here to read the Fresh From The Hopper - How's The Hay Looking?
I Received Dusty, Dirty, Brown, etc. Hay - What Do I Do?
First of all, it is important to remember that the products we sell are direct from the farmers, and the quality varies based on weather patterns, including drought some years and an overage of rain others!
Having said that, if you have received hay that you are dissatisfied with, please email support@rabbitholehay.com and let us know! You can also take a look at our return policy to see our 2 different options. We will do whatever we can to ensure you are pleased with our product.
I Received a Dead Mouse, Rat, Bird in My Hay - What Do I Do?
Yikes! We apologize! Throw the offending hay away and send us an email ASAP at support@rabbitholehay.com so we can send you a replacement!
If you are curious how this happened, the simple answer is that we receive our hay in 100 pound bales directly from the farm and break it up to provide you with the amount that you ordered. While we try to make sure this doesn’t happen, occasionally in our larger boxes, something like this sneaks by. At least you know it came straight from the farm! But, again we're sorry this happened!
What is Rabbit Hole Hay Doing to Ensure My Small Pets Safety During This RHDV2?
At Rabbit Hole Hay, we want our customers to know we are in close contact with the California Department of Fish and Game (the agency that is monitoring RHDV2 in California) and to date there have been NO reported cases of RHDV2 in the Northern California areas where we source our hay and where our warehouse is located.
All Rabbit Hole Hay product currently in the marketplace is from our Northern California 2022-2023 growing season, but again there have been NO reported cases affecting our area of the country.
The USDA estimates the virus can remain stable for up to 3 months. Taking into account the dates of the recently confirmed cases and dates of harvest, along with the location of the harvest, we can safely reassure you that no Rabbit Hole Hay product that is available is currently at risk for being a carrier of RHDV2. Even with that being said, all of the hay that is currently available has been being held indoors for more than 3 months making our hay very safe.
We are committed to remaining vigilant both in how we monitor and how we move forward with product safety as it relates to RHDV2. Click here to read about the virus and other questions asked about it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shipping & Return Questions
How Long Does it Take to Ship?
Most US based orders are shipped directly from our warehouse the next business day.
Your product will arrive within 2 to 7 Business Days once shipped.
Note: We don't ship out anything on Saturdays, Sundays, or Holidays.
Do You Ship Internationally?
Yes we do ship internationally, but only to a few countries. Shipping a natural product, such as hay, can be difficult as many countries are protective of what plant products (hay is considered a plant product) can be important.
But - good news, with so many wondering if we could send our hay directly to customers in countries other than the United States we've created a definitive list of which countries we can and cannot send our products to. You'll find the article on international shipping here.
If you have any other questions regarding International Shipping, don't hesitate to email support@rabbitholehay.com and someone from our team will help you.
What's Your Return Policy?
While we generally don't accept physical returns due to the high cost of shipping. If you are unhappy with your purchase please let us know!
We have 2 different options for you to choose from:
1. Free Replacement - we will quickly ship you a replacement order at no cost.
2. 30 Day Money-Back Guarantee - if our product isn't right for you and your small pet, we will give you a full refund.
What Parcel Services do you use?
We use several parcel (shipping) services. Our main one being FedEx, but we also use UPS and USPS.
If you have a specific shipping question please reach out to us by phone or email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Subscription Program Questions
How Does a Rabbit Hole Hay Subscription Work?
Saving $$$ on your small pet's favorites just got easier!
When you create your subscription order, you'll be at Tier 1.
Tier 1 allows your subscription to receive 10% off retail price for the first 4 recurring orders (Initial Order + 3 Recurring Orders).
Once your subscription hits its 5th order, your subscription will be automatically moved to Tier 2.
Tier 2 allows your subscription to receive 15% off retail price on all future recurring orders on that same subscription.
To move from Tier 1 to Tier 2, the recurring orders must be made on the same subscription.
How Do I Make a Subscription Order?
Follow these simple steps to create your small pet's subscription order!
Step 1: Find the product(s) your small pet loves and you want shipped to your door on a regular basis.
Step 2: On the product page, before adding a product to your cart, make sure the Purchase Option of “Subscribe & Save 10%” is selected.
Step 3: Once you've selected "Subscribe & Save 10%" you'll be able to select the Delivery Frequency (i.e. how often you want that specific product to be delivered to your doorstep).
Step 4: Add product to cart, and repeat on as many products as you want!
Note: If your products have different delivery frequencies, it’ll create a separate subscription for each. But all will be easily accessible under the “Manage Subscriptions” portion of your account!
How Do I Choose My Delivery Frequency?
On the product page, once you select the Purchase Option of "Subscribe & Save 10%" the drop down of Delivery every _____ will appear.
You can choose to have your product delivered every:
• week
• 2 weeks
• 3 weeks
• month
• 5 weeks
• 6 weeks
• 7 weeks
• 2 months
• 9 weeks
• 10 weeks
• 11 weeks
• 3 months
• 4 months
• 5 months
• 6 months
Once delivery frequency is selected, click "Add to Cart." Repeat with as many products as you want or proceed to checkout!
What Does it Mean to Have an "Active" Subscription?
An Active Subscription just means that your Subscription hasn’t been paused or canceled.
Paused = temporarily stop your subscription with the ability to resume your subscription in the Tier you left off on.
Canceled = you've canceled your subscription completely.
Don’t worry, your subscription can still be Active even if you skip your next recurring order.
However, if you cancel your subscription and decide to join again at a later date, you’ll start back at Tier 1.
Can I Have a Subscription Order with Multiple Products with Different Delivery Frequencies?
You can have multiple products under one subscription, but you can’t have products with different delivery frequencies under one subscription.
If you have multiple products with different delivery frequencies it’ll create separate subscriptions around each delivery frequency. All of which show up and are easily accessible under the “Manage Subscriptions” portion of your account.
Follow the steps below as many times as needed until you've added all your products at the desired delivery frequency, then proceed to checkout!
Step 1: Find the product(s) your small pet loves and you want shipped to your door on a regular basis.
Step 2: On the product page, before adding a product to your cart, make sure the Purchase Option of “Subscribe & Save 10%” is selected.
Step 3: Once you've selected "Subscribe & Save 10%" you'll be able to select the Delivery Frequency (i.e. how often you want that specific product to be delivered to your doorstep).
Step 4: Add product to cart.
Note: Each Delivery Frequency will create a separate subscription, but all subscriptions are easily accessible under the “Manage Subscriptions” portion of your account.
Have more questions? Call us at (530)-763-6900 or email us at support@rabbitholehay.com and we’d be glad to help you out!
Can I Change My Delivery Frequency After Ordering?
Absolutely! You can change the frequency along with skipping or rescheduling your next subscription order anytime in your Customer Portal under Manage Subscription.
Note: When you change the delivery frequency, your new delivery date will be based off the date you changed it not off your last delivery date.
Example: If you change your delivery frequency to be every 3 months today, your next order will be delivered 3 months from today NOT 3 months from your last delivery date.
Can I Add Products to My Subscription?
Absolutely! Your subscription products can adjust as often as your small pet needs.
You can add additional products to your subscription anytime in your Customer Portal under Manage Subscriptions.
Can I Remove Products to My Subscription?
Absolutely! Your subscription products can adjust as often as your small pet needs.
You can remove any of your current products to your subscription anytime in your Customer Portal under Manage Subscriptions.
Note: To make sure you stay at your Subscription Tier, we've found it best if you email us at support@rabbitholehay.com or give us a call at (530) 763-6900 and we'll help remove any products you no longer wish to receive while still staying at your Subscription Tier.
Can I Skip a Shipment?
Absolutely! It’s one of the perks of our subscription program, you can skip a shipment (or multiple shipments) without any penalties to your subscription tier.
Underneath the Billing Schedule section, you should see the words ‘Skip payment’ inside your Manage Subscriptions once logged in. Once clicked, it’ll skip that scheduled shipment.
Skip payment is the same thing as skipping a shipment.
If you don't, please email support@rabbitholehay.com for quick and easy help in skipping a shipment!
Can I Pause My Subscription?
Absolutely! It’s one of the perks of our subscription program, you can pause your subscription without any penalties to your subscription tier.
Once inside your Manage Subscription, you’ll see a button that says ‘Pause my subscription.’ This will pause ALL your upcoming subscriptions associated with the subscription number.
If you don't, please email support@rabbitholehay.com for quick and easy help in pausing your subscription!
Note: Once you’re ready to start again you’ll just go through the same process but hit the ‘Resume my subscription.’
I’d Like to Switch Out My Subscription Product for Future Orders, How Do I Do That?
Time for something different? No worries! It’s actually quite simple to do.
You can either:
1. Give us a call or send us an email letting us know which product you’d like to switch out and what new product you want.
2. Make the changes yourself*. [Here’s how you can do it.]
*Please note: if you make the changes yourself, you will go back to Tier 1. If you give us a call or email us your switch then you will stay at your current Subscription Tier.
Next Time I Want to Add a One-Time Product to My Subscription Order, How Do I Do That?
Isn't it awesome that you can easily add a one off product to your subscription order?
Here’s how you can make that happen for your next order!
I Changed My Address on My Account but My Subscription Order Still Went to My Old Address, How Do I Stop That From Happening?
We are so sorry for the inconvenience! Unfortunately when you change your address in your account it doesn’t change your address for your subscription orders.
To make sure you have the correct address for your subscription orders, please log into the Manage Subscription portion of your account to change it.
Click here to see where you to change it.
Please note, we are working with the software developer to have it updated everywhere, but for now it needs to be updated in both locations. Again, we are sorry for the inconvenience!
How Do I Cancel My Subscription?
You should be able to see a 'Cancel' button within your Customer Portal once logged in. If you don't, please email support@rabbitholehay.com for quick and easy help in canceling!
If I No Longer Wish To Receive Subscription Orders, When Must I Cancel By?
As long as you cancel before the recurring order is shipped out, you won't be charged for a recurring order!
If I Cancel When in Tier 2, and I Re-Subscribe will I still be at Tier 2?
No, you'll start back at Tier 1 and have to work your way back to Tier 2.