Rabbit Feeding Hay

Do rabbits eat hay? Yes – lots of it! However, not any old hay will do. It’s got to be good enough to eat. Feeding hay for rabbits has to be specially grown, harvested at just the right time to capture all the goodness, and full of flavour so that your rabbits really enjoy eating it. Bedding hay, which is only suitable for rabbits to sleep on, is cut later in the season and will be less palatable, but provides a great bedding. By contrast, high quality meadow hay for rabbits is fresh and fragrant, barn dried, dust extracted and rich in nutrients. Our Burgess Excel range of feeding hay for rabbits is made from 100% natural ingredients, is high in fibre and good for dental and respiratory health.
Product image for Excel Long Stem Feeding Hay

Excel Long Stem Feeding Hay

from £8.49 or subscribe and save 10%
Product image for Excel Feeding Hay with Dandelion & Marigold

Excel Feeding Hay with Dandelion & Marigold

from £8.99 or subscribe and save 10%
Product image for Excel Feeding Hay Dried Fresh Grass

Excel Feeding Hay Dried Fresh Grass

from £6.99 or subscribe and save 10%

How much hay should I feed my rabbits?

Having fresh, irresistibly tasty feeding hay every day is an absolute essential for rabbits and it should make up the bulk of their diet. In fact, around 85-90% of a rabbit’s diet should be high quality feeding hay and grazed grass. That’s equal to their own body size in hay every day!

Top quality feeding hay for bunnies is an excellent source of fibre, which is really important for buns to be healthy and happy.

The Excel Feeding plan

The Excel Feeding plan

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

  1. Excel Feeding Hay & Grass: High-quality, dust-extracted hay for rabbits or fresh grass should make up 85-90% of your rabbits’ diet. You should make sure that it is freely available and replaced with fresh hay every day.
  2. Excel Tasty Nuggets: Should be fed as a supplement to rabbit feeding hay or grass to ensure that your rabbits get all the vitamins and minerals that they need.
  3. Excel Nature Snacks: Natural snacks – such as our Excel Fruity Feasts – 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.
  4. Fresh Greens: Can be fed as a treat to add variety and provide additional nutrition. Special care must be taken, however, as some greens – such as savoy cabbage and spinach – should only be fed occasionally, and some not at all.
  5. Fresh Water: Fresh water should always be available. Change it daily and ensure that 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)800 413 969 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.

Rabbit Feeding Hay FAQs

How can eating hay benefit your rabbits’ health? What type of hay should you feed your rabbits? What else do rabbits need in their diet? Burgess in-house vet, Dr Suzanne Moyes MVB MRCVS, answers some frequently asked questions.

Suzanne is a small animal vet who spent many years in first opinion practice before joining Burgess Pet Care. Suzanne oversees recipe development and product production, and with her teams, ensures Burgess Pet Care makes great quality, safe products for dogs, cats and small pets.

Need more advice?

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

You can also call our expert team, available 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, on +44 (0)1405 862241 who’ll be happy to help. Alternatively, use our online contact form to get in touch.

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