Hay Introduction

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This topic has 6sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 9 months ago by Azerane.

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- 07/06/2016 at 6:43 PM
  MLdoubleE
  Participant
  9 posts
  Hi everyone!
  
  I’m going to be taking in a rabbit named Pepper. She is at least a few years old. I’m not sure about her breed either, but she’s larger than my two current Lops. The poor thing has been in a tiny cage her whole life without access to fresh hay. Honestly, I’m not sure if she’s ever had hay at all.
  
  How do I introduce hay into her diet? Currently her droppings are the proper shape and size. I do NOT want to cause digestive upset and diarrhea for this girl. I’m assuming just small amounts every day until I work up to unlimited?
  
  Any help or insight would be much appreciated. Thank you!
- 07/06/2016 at 7:20 PM
  floppylop
  Participant
  13 posts
  Do you know exactly what her current diet is from her previous home? I think small amounts and working up to a regular hay diet sounds like a great idea. Although there could be a possibility it would upset her digestion, I would think its a bit slim.
  
  Reading that there is a possibility that she’s never had hay at all leads me to think that she could be malnourished, in which case I don’t think hay would upset her. But like you said, I think introducing it slowly would be the best idea, just to be safe.
- 07/06/2016 at 7:22 PM
  MLdoubleE
  Participant
  9 posts
  All I know is that she has unlimited access to, what I believe, are *decent* quality pellets…and she is given some bunny-safe flowers and herbs on occasion.
- 07/06/2016 at 7:37 PM
  floppylop
  Participant
  13 posts
  If the pellets she has are timothy or alfalfa based then introducing hay might be easier than expected if you give her the type of hay that the pellets are based on. If you don’t know the type then just slowly introduce timothy hay and keep an eye on her droppings.
  
  Good luck to both you and Pepper!
- 07/06/2016 at 7:37 PM
  floppylop
  Participant
  13 posts
  If the pellets she has are timothy or alfalfa based then introducing hay might be easier than expected if you give her the type of hay that the pellets are based on. If you don’t know the type then just slowly introduce timothy hay and keep an eye on her droppings.
  
  Good luck to both you and Pepper!
- 07/07/2016 at 2:15 PM
  MLdoubleE
  Participant
  9 posts
  Thank you!!
- 07/07/2016 at 2:47 PM
  Azerane
  Moderator
  4688 posts
  Unless you’re offering lucerne hay (which you shouldn’t for an adult anyway), hay does not need to be introduced slowly. You can just offer a big handful straight away, the fiber is fantastic for them and will really help cleanse the gut if her diet has been poor.
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