Can bunnies have rye grass hay?

[Wenny]

Hi guys,

I don’t know how I managed to raise charlie into such a picky bun but he’s recently been hating oaten hay even tho he’s been introduced to it since birth. Whether it’s store packaged hay or bales of horse-quality oaten he just doesnt want to eat it. I’m certain its not an appetite issue because he’s still very keen on pellets, veggies, and treats, so I want to try rye grass hay (I gave him a little that I took from the stock feed store where theres also bales of oaten and he seemed to like it). However I heard that its not as suitable to be fed exclusively because it’s high in sugar and protein or something along the lines of that? Oaten and rye grass are the only types of hay widely available here and any timothy or orchard grass are the ones shipped from oxbow which cost over 100 for a small bag. Currently, as a bun over 6 months old, his daily diet consists of a few bites of banana, 1/8 cup of oxbow adult essential pellets, 1.5 stuffed cups of veggies (around 5 varieties), and unlimited oaten hay. If im going to switch to rye grass is there any dietary change I should make in other areas?

[Bam]

Rabbits can have rye grass. Here is a chart that compares nutritional content between various grass hays and legume hays:

https://www.guinealynx.info/hay_chart.html

The site this comes from is a guinea pig site, but rabbits and guinea pigs have very similar nutritional demands, except guinea pigs need vitamin C in their food, and rabbits synthesize vitamin C so they dont need any extra from their food.

[Wenny]

The website is good but it doesnt show sugar content though cuz thats what Im most concerned about. I read from horse websites that rye grass is high in sugar and starches and that it “facilitates rapid weight gain” in livestock, so now I dont know what to do because I always hear that the best grass hay is what ur bun will eat the most of (and hes really not been keen on oaten recently) yet I’m worried about potential obesity and diabetes 😔

[LBJ10]

Sugar content varies depending on growing conditions, maturity, and harvest/curing conditions. So sugar content isn’t going to be a fixed percentage. Instead, it’s a range. That being said, unless your bunny has a metabolic problem, I wouldn’t worry about sugar content in the grass hay.

It may also be important to note that, although ryegrass may have a higher sugar content compared to timothy or orchard hay… it’s still less than oat or barley grass hays. You said your bunny has already been eating oat hay, so I don’t think you should be concerned about the sugar content of ryegrass. Hopefully that helps.

[Wenny]

Ohh ok, thanks for the advice! I started feeding him ryegrass yesterday and he’s been loving it lol <3

[DanaNM]

Glad he likes it! There is nothing nicer than a bunny happily tucking into his hay 🙂

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

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