Hay suggestions/recommendations

[Theodorusrex]

Hi all,

Just a quick hay-related question. Does anyone have any really tasty hay recommendations? I have a very fussy rabbit with a dodgy tummy who hasn’t been eating his hay recently.  Naturally I’m really worried if this continues he will go in to stasis again.

We had good success with Oxbow orchard grass hay for a while, he loved it and ate loads. But the last few bags I’ve got have shorter strands and Theo seems to think it’s just not as tasty at all. I bought two bags of hay from a pet store last week to see if he would eat it but he’s shown no interest at all. They were ‘Burgess feeding hay’ with i think is timothy with dandelion in it and ‘Natures touch wild hay’ which has a few different varieties in it. I’ve also tried oxbow oat hay, alfalfa king timothy hay, several different brands of timothy hay including one from B&M bargains in the UK and several from Pets at Home in the UK also. I’ve also tried mixing in Botanical oxbow hay and readigrass. All of which he showed no interest in. 

He weighs 2.5kg and gets 1/4cup pellets in the morning and 2 or so cups of veg in the evening and a scoop of protexin probiotics daily. We don’t really have farms which sell hay here except in massive quantities (huge bales) which I have nowhere to store. 

Does anyone have any suggestions? 

[Bam]

My only suggestion is Burn’s green oat hay. It’s a U.K. brand, I buy it from VetUK but it’s also available at the Hay Experts and probably in more places as well.

[Theodorusrex]

Thanks, Bam. It was on my list of hays to try and I had forgotten about it. Is that the hay you feed Bam? Will order some today and give it a try

[Bam]

That plus Oxbow oat hay is what I feed Bam.

[kirstyol]

I had the same bad tummy/wont eat much hay issue with Bramble. At first the two of them really liked that redigrass stuff but then they started turning their noses up at that too! There is another burgees one that’s got apple and something else through it, and they also do a herbage which is ok. This is the one I buy currently https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B012RHPIP0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 they have been on this one for about a year and its the most hay I have ever seen them eat!

[Theodorusrex]

Thanks Kirstyol, It is so frustrating isn’t it! Theo ate loads of the orchardgass hay by oxbow for the last year or so but has now went off it. I ordered some of the hay you suggested too so hopefully it will be a success!

[jerseygirl]

Im sorry I can’t recall but has he ever had dental xrays?
Just wonder if his fussiness and being prone to stasis is dental related.

Are there farm supply stores that sell local hay in smaller proportions? 

[Theodorusrex]

He’s had his teeth checked several times in the last year. The first time they were slightly long but the vet wasn’t worried about them and just advised us to give him plenty of willow chews etc to wear them down. Then several months later they were checked again and the vet said they were perfect. I have never had them x-rayed however, the vet just uses the instrument that goes in the mouth (theo tolerates this surprisingly well)

I’ve never come across one jersey.. I must have a deeper look though. Where I live is quite rural but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of farm supply stores (I’ve never come across one) that people mention on here all the time.. I wonder if I’m just missing them.

I put hay in his litter tray this morning and he sniffed it, dug and sniffed through it and then proceeded to push it out of the litter tray. I’ve raised a brat. lol

[Theodorusrex]

Kirstyol.. just wanted to come back and thank you for your suggestion. Theo LOVES that hay.. he’s eaten more today than he has done in weeks. So much so that he had a wee bout of gas requiring simethicone treatment last night cause I think his gut wasn’t used to all that good fibre!
And the oat hay you reccommend is arriving today bam.. can’t wait to see if Theo likes it. If he does it would be great to mix them up a bit for variety!

[Theodorusrex]

& just wanna say thank you bam for the suggestion! He also loves the green oat hay. So he has sumpreme hay in his litter box and oat hay in his hay feeder. His poops are perfectly golden and his appetite has improved massively! Thanks guys

[Author]

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