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Rabbit Feeding Hay

Rabbits are very loving and social animals, meaning they enjoy spending time with other rabbits, and their owners. Without this interaction, rabbits can get bored, to the point of loneliness or upset. Though toys can ease their boredom, they need the support of animal companions, good exercise and of course, the very best nutrition throughout their life.

The bulk of a rabbit’s diet should consist of good quality hay or grass measured to the equivalent of their body size. Fresh hay should be available at all times for your rabbits to graze on. This helps to maintain your rabbits’ general health, with hay being abrasive to wear your rabbits’ teeth down as they continuously grow, and to give them the right amount of fibre required for their digestive health.

Excel Long Stem Feeding Hay

Excel Long Stem Feeding Hay 1kg from £6.99

Excel Feeding Hay with Dandelion & Marigold

Excel Feeding Hay with Dandelion & Marigold 1kg from £5.99

Excel Feeding Hay Dried Fresh Grass

Excel Feeding Hay Dried Fresh Grass 1kg from £5.99

Excel Feeding Hay with Hedgerow Herbs

Excel Feeding Hay with Hedgerow Herbs 3kg from £16.99

Buy Feeding Hay For Your Rabbit Online from Burgess

The Excel Feeding plan

Following our Excel feeding plan will ensure that your rabbits get the correct balance of fibre, vitamins and minerals. 85-90% of a rabbits’ diet should be high quality, dust extracted feeding hay or fresh grass. This should be supplemented with a small portion of Excel nuggets, the occasional Excel Nature Treat, a small handful of fresh greens and plenty of fresh water.

Rabbits are herbivores who live on a plant-based diet. However we like to call them ‘fibrevores’ as fibre is by far the most important part of their diet and is essential for their gut and dental health.

Understanding rabbit digestion

The rabbit gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a highly complex structure that processes and digests food, largely with the help of a huge population of bacteria.
Whilst most nutrients are absorbed in the small intestines and carried through to the bloodstream, the large intestine contains microorganisms that break down fibre in the diet. These bacteria live in the caecum which is the same as our appendix, but larger.
As herbivores, rabbits have nutrient requirements that go beyond that found in feeding hay. Nuggets provide extra vitamins and minerals to help supply a balanced diet. A handful of leafy greens such as dark leafy greens, cabbage, kale and green beans also provide variety to the diet.

What’s so good about our hay?

Beneficial Fibre – High in fibre content for natural herbivores.
Dental Support – Helps to wear down teeth for dental health.
Natural Behaviour – Encourages grazing and chewing behaviours.
Natural Ingredients – 100% natural hay harvested fresh from the field.

A pair of rabbits lying on hay

The Burgess Excel Feeding Hay range – high quality hay for all rabbits

At Burgess, all our feeding hay is dust extracted to ensure great quality and outstanding taste, to help keep your rabbits happy and healthy – from kits, to adult and senior.

The science of animal nutrition has made leaps and bounds, and we know that – for example – a muesli diet is no good for rabbit health. We have actively been involved in research that highlights the risks associated with muesli diets and the negative impact these have on hay intake.

The best diet for your rabbit is one that includes the right amount of hay, nuggets, leafy vegetables and water for their size, life stage and lifestyle. This means calculating the nutrient content and dietary components such as fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals, and this is exactly what our team of nutritionists do when we create our delicious nugget recipes.

Burgess Excel hay, such as Excel Feeding Hay Dried Fresh Grass, Excel Feeding Hay with Dandelion & Marigold and Excel Long Stem Feeding Hay can help provide your rabbits with the fibre they need.

A small pair of rabbits eating hay

The Importance of Rabbit Feeding Hay

According to the RSPCA, ‘’Your rabbits’ diet plan should include clean water and at least one bundle, about the size of your rabbit, of high-quality hay per day. On the side, you can also provide a controlled portion of leafy greens and commercial pellets.’’ Hay provides many health benefits to rabbits, and these include:

Keeping cecal flora (bacteria in the caecum) in balance, promoting a healthy gut.
The repetitive and rapid chewing movement of eating hay helps maintain dental health.
Encourages natural behaviours such as foraging and grazing, which may lessen boredom, increase activity, and provide a sense of security within your rabbits.
Rabbit feeding hay satisfies natural snacking and chewing urges, which could otherwise lead to unhealthy behaviours.
Provides a key component of nutritional needs, which includes protein, calcium and energy.
Helps prevent fur blockage (especially important for Angora and long-haired rabbit breeds).

What’s more, rabbit feeding hay helps support gut health and dental disease. Whereas gut stasis is where a rabbit’s digestive system slows down or stops, dental disease is caused by a lack of abrasive fibre in the diet, with their teeth becoming overgrown – making it painful for them to eat properly. It’s a fast process – rabbit teeth grow about 12cm a year. Rabbit hay such as timothy or a mixed meadow hay containing bluegrass, fescue, oat and ryegrass are all good options, and a diverse range of hay will give your rabbits the nutritional value they need.

Rabbits outdoors eating hay

Our Rabbit Feeding Hay Range

When your rabbits need to eat their size in feeding hay every single day, as rabbit owners, we must ensure that it is delicious, nutritious and keeps them happy and healthy. Our Burgess Excel range of feeding hays taste as good as they look, and provide benefits that help to support dental health and weight control, when fed as part of a balanced diet. With three great options from which to choose, your rabbits will love their new feeding hay.

Our Rabbit Feeding Hay Range Includes:

Excel Feeding Hay Dried Fresh Grass:

100% Timothy Hay- Tasty, nutritious and grown in the UK.
High in fibre – A good source of energy for rabbits, and helps to keep their gut functioning correctly.
Dust extracted – To support respiratory health.
Dental health – Helps to wear down their continuously growing teeth.

Excel Feeding Hay with Dandelion & Marigold:

Timothy Hay- Tasty, nutritious and grown in the UK with Dandelion and Marigold that add variety.
High in fibre – A good source of energy for rabbits, and helps to keep their gut functioning correctly.
Dandelion – May aid urinary tract health.
Marigold – Helps support a healthy immune system.
Dust extracted – To support respiratory health.

Excel Long Stem Feeding Hay:

100% Timothy Hay- Tasty, nutritious and grown in the UK
High fibre content – Stimulates chewing, which is good for dental health, and promotes digestive health too.
Dust extracted – For the best in taste and safety of eating.
Resealable packaging – Helps to keep the hay fresh and tasty.

Our Burgess Excel rabbit food is enjoyed by animals across the UK, in areas including Manchester, Liverpool, London, Cardiff and Glasgow. With guided support and pet food recommendations, we can help you find the best food. We encourage you to get in touch with us today on 01405 862241 to learn more and to let your animals taste our delicious rabbit food for themselves.

The Excel Feeding Plan

When it comes to feeding your rabbits, we recommend following our Excel feeding plan, which comprises 5 easy steps for a healthy diet. These are:

Excel Feeding Hay & Grass: High-quality, dust extracted feeding hay or fresh grass should make up 85-90% of your rabbits’ diet. You should make sure it is freely available and replaced with fresh hay every day.
Excel Tasty Nuggets: Should be fed as a supplement to feeding hay or grass to ensure your rabbits get all the vitamins and minerals they need.
Excel Nature Snacks: Natural snacks – such as our ‘Excel Apple Snacks’ can be fed in small amounts either by hand to help bonding, left in housing to keep your rabbits occupied or sprinkled through the hay to encourage foraging.
Fresh Greens: Can be fed as a treat to add variety and provide additional nutrition. Special care must be taken however, as some greens should only be fed occasionally – such as savoy cabbage and spinach, and some not at all.
Fresh Water: Fresh water should always be available. Change it daily and ensure it hasn’t frozen in the winter months.

If you’re at all unsure about the best way of feeding your animal or have any concerns about specific nutritional requirements at different times of their life, ask your local veterinary practice for advice.

You can also call our expert team on 44 (0)0800 413 969 who’ll be happy to help. They’re available 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.

Alternatively, you can use our online form to get in touch.

Black rabbits

How To Make Our Rabbit Hay Extra Tasty

As many rabbit owners know, some rabbits are pickier with their food than others. This means that rabbit owners need to get a little creative when it comes to feeding hay.

Top Tips:

Feed new varieties – Offering new types of hay opens your rabbits up to a variety of new tastes and textures to make mealtime more exciting.
Add some vegetables – Your hay mix can be as simple as combining two varieties together, or can be more involved by including an appropriate serving of your rabbit’s favourite green or treat to make a “hay salad.’’
Make a game of it – Try stuffing hay into your rabbit’s favourite natural chew to make a fun and challenging puzzle. Play hide and seek by hiding your rabbit’s favourite food in their habitat. The added mental stimulation might help stimulate your rabbit’s appetite.
Swap out the hay feeder – If your rabbit has a hay feeder, consider changing up how you offer hay. Some hay feeders aren’t comfortable or efficient for rabbits to use at all times, or might present too much of a challenge. You can try a new hay feeder, or even go without one for a day or two, and monitor for any changes of your animal’s eating habits.

For some additional taste, we recommend adding some herbs into the mix.

Our Rabbit Herbs Include:

Excel Mountain Meadow Herbs:

A natural mix of herbs and grasses which is high in fibre.
These blends can be added as a tasty topper or sprinkled through feeding hay to encourage foraging.
Composition: Meadow Hay, Parsley Stalks, Oat Herb, Wheat Herb, Dandelion, Chamomile Plant (10%), Milk Thistle Seed, Fennel Seed, Hibiscus, Sage and Marigold Blossoms.
Available in 120g pack size.

Make any rabbit meal extra tasty with our lovingly prepared packs of Excel herbs.

Excel Country Garden Herbs:

A natural mix of herbs and grasses which is high in fibre.
This blend is great as a tasty topper or sprinkled through feeding hay to encourage foraging.
Composition: Meadow Hay, Oat Herb, Wheat Herb, Dandelion (10%), Mint, Plantain (ribwort), Milk Thistle Seed, Marigold, Cornflower and Chicory.
Available in 120g pack size.

Group of rabbits eating hay

Why Choose Burgess Pet Care For Your Rabbit Hay

At Burgess, we understand the importance of high quality feeding hay in helping to maintain rabbits’ health and wellbeing. Research supported by Burgess has shown that a high intake of feeding hay is essential and actively encourages owners to feed more hay. All of our packaging clearly shows that feeding hay or fresh grass should be the largest part of the diet. We work with farmers in the UK to help ensure our hay is the best quality, sweet smelling and dust extracted so that rabbits will love the taste.

Such is our dedication to rabbits that we established Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW). With the aim of increasing rabbit welfare, RAW brings together hundreds of retailers, vets and charities to promote the right rabbit diet, health and environment, as well as educate rabbit owners on the need for companionship and risks relating to inappropriate housing, space and diet. Rabbits are one of the most misunderstood animals around, and therefore, we feel it our duty to look out for these animals and do right by them. You’re always welcome to take part, and can find out more about RAW here

Is your rabbit a Burgess rabbit? Join the Burgess Pet Club for exclusive offers and rewards.

Rabbits sitting on hay

FAQs

What kind of hay do rabbits eat?

There are lots of feeding hay that rabbits can eat, and these include Timothy, Oat, Wheat, Pasture, Paddock, Meadow or Ryegrass. We use fresh timothy hay in our ‘Excel Feeding Hay Dried Fresh Grass’, ‘Excel Long Stem Feeding Hay’ and ‘Excel Feeding Hay with Dandelion & Marigold’.

How much hay should a rabbit eat?

Rabbits should eat at least their own body size in hay every single day. They need access to clean hay every day and in unlimited portions. Should any ever be left over, this can always be moved to the toilet area and used as litter, with a new portion replacing it in the feeding area.

Along with fresh hay, rabbits should also have constant access to fresh clean water.

Other key parts of a rabbit’s diet includes leafy greens such as cabbage, kale, broccoli, parsley and mint.

What is the best hay for rabbits to eat?

At Burgess Pet Care, we have done much research into this question, and truly believe that Timothy hay or high quality meadow is the best hay for rabbits to eat. This will provide the fibre that the rabbit needs for digestive health alongside the dental benefits that come from chewing the hay.

Our feeding hay is grown in the UK, and rabbits seem to love its fragrance, its green appearance and how palatable it is. For some extra taste, we recommend our ‘Excel Country Garden Herbs’ or ‘Excel Mountain Meadow Herbs, which can be sprinkled on top.

How can I get my rabbit to eat more hay?

All rabbits need to eat hay, but they can be very fussy at times. Our rabbit hay recommendations include:

Try them on various hays until you find one they like.
Mix tasty additions in with their hay encouraging them to forage in there, such as grass and herbs.
Stuff toilet roll or kitchen roll tubes with hay to make fun games for them.
Lightly spray pineapple juice on some hay and let it dry – they’ll like the sweet taste.
Grass is also good for rabbits’ teeth and tummies so give them grass while you’re weaning them onto hay.

Two rabbits eating hay

Buy Your Rabbit Hay Online Today

The importance of a good diet can never be underestimated. High quality feeding hay supports digestive health, dental health and encourages natural behaviours. With a wide range of feeding hay treats and nuggets to also choose from, and deliveries available across the UK – to areas including Liverpool, Glasgow, Cardiff and Birmingham – your rabbits will never have to wait for long. Get those food bowls filled today by browsing our selection or calling us on 01405 862241 for more information.

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