Asked on the Rabbit Forum by heathfawnlaw on 6/30/2005, 9:34 am
Q: Hay
A new question -
After I got my rabbits, it was a few weeks later, I read about the importance of timothy hay in their diet. I had been feedling them pellets and clover, and I know they had never been feed hay by the previous owner. So I began to give them hay in the morning and clover or something green in the evenings. I can not get them to eat it. They will eat the pellet and such but, hardly touch the hay. I guess they are not used to eating it?Should stop giving them any greens etc untill the do begin to eat the hay? Any suggestions.
Answered by bunnylover52691 on 6/30/2005, 11:16 am
A: Hay
How old are they? Yes, you should stop the greens intill they start to eat the timothy hay. Hay is a essential part in their diet and they have to eat it. You may be able to get them to eat Alfalfa hay with the timothy as rabbits seem to like the taste of alfalfa hay better. But don't make that the main hay source.
>
> A new question -
>
> After I got my rabbits, it was a few weeks later, I read
> about the importance of timothy hay in their diet. I had
> been feedling them pellets and clover, and I know they had
> never been feed hay by the previous owner. So I began to
> give them hay in the morning and clover or something green
> in the evenings. I can not get them to eat it. They will eat
> the pellet and such but, hardly touch the hay. I guess they
> are not used to eating it?Should stop giving them any greens
> etc untill the do begin to eat the hay? Any suggestions.
>
Answered by cinni on 6/30/2005, 1:41 pm
A: Hay
>
> A new question -
>
> After I got my rabbits, it was a few weeks later, I read
> about the importance of timothy hay in their diet. I had
> been feedling them pellets and clover, and I know they had
> never been feed hay by the previous owner. So I began to
> give them hay in the morning and clover or something green
> in the evenings. I can not get them to eat it. They will eat
> the pellet and such but, hardly touch the hay. I guess they
> are not used to eating it?Should stop giving them any greens
> etc untill the do begin to eat the hay? Any suggestions.
>
Unfortunately, timothy hay isn't as appetizing as alfalfa or clover, however, it is essential to the rabbits' diets. It sorta like kids and vegetables. It's hard to get your kids to eat them, but it's important that they do, right?
Unless your rabbits are underweight, I would recommend cutting back on the pellets and greens a bit and try to get them to eat more of the timothy. Remember, if you do cut back on the pellets and greens, do it gradually so not to upset their digestion.
If you absolutely cannot get them to eat the timothy hay, you may want to try oat or brome hay. Oat and brome are two other 'grass hays' that are about equal (higher in fiber, lower in protein) to timothy and can help as roughage. At least it would be better if they ate these instead of clover or alfalfa hay.
Good luck!
