It's official: Beau hates Timothy hay

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This topic has 7sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 6 months ago by DanaNM.

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- 05/21/2020 at 3:28 PM
  Beau Bunny
  Participant
  66 posts
  Hi everybody! I hope all is well with you and your buns. (sorry that sounded weird)
  
  Beau doesn’t touch his Timothy hay. For a while I was out of alfalfa, so he only had that, and barely made a dent in it. I even tried changing his hay daily, and now keeping his alfalfa in the smaller hay feeder thing so the timothy is easier to get to, but he won’t touch it.
  
  I feel like I can anticipate what will happen. He turns 6 months, alfalfa goes away, he gets sick because he’s not eating enough hay.
  
  What alternatives do you guys suggest? I saw someone mention something about orchard grass..fresh and dried sufficient?
  
  Timothy seems to be the standard, so not sure if that was for a good reason other than cost/availability.
  
  Thanks!
- 05/21/2020 at 4:51 PM
  Hazel
  Participant
  2587 posts
  Timothy hay is usually the most hated part of a bun’s diet, that’s why I think it’s best to start baby buns on it from the get-go so they won’t get picky 😉 . They will accept a switch from Alfalfa pellets to Timothy pellets easier than switching the hay. I would get rid of the Alfalfa hay altogether and feed him Alfalfa pellets instead until he’s grown. If he decides to make a fuss about losing them later on, you won’t have to worry as much about it as you would with hay. Chances are he won’t care a whole lot, because PELLETS. 😆
  
  Orchard is a perfectly fine alternative to Timothy, many buns like it because it has a sweeter taste.
- 05/22/2020 at 7:09 AM
  michaela
  Participant
  47 posts
  Orchard grass is a great alternative and is completely fine to feed instead. Many bunny owners prefer this because they may be allergic to Timothy hay. Lorelei (from the Lennon the Bunny YouTube channel) prefers to feed Lennon orchard grass because she is allergic to Timothy Hay. Hopefully Beau won’t be as picky once he’s an adult. 😂😁
- 05/22/2020 at 7:38 AM
  Beau Bunny
  Participant
  66 posts
  Yes, that’s what I was thinking too. So now I have a GIANT container of Timothy hay….but when he wasn’t eating any I freaked, and got the alfalfa which he makes a very visible dent in.
  
  I’ll give the orchard a try. Fingers crossed! Thanks Hazel!
- 05/22/2020 at 12:43 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9054 posts
  Second Hazel, if he’s getting alfalfa young rabbit pellets you can just get rid of the alfalfa hay.
  
  Oat and rye hay are also fine (any grass hay can take the place of timothy). You might also experiment with different hay cuts or sources. Mine currently tend to like the crunchier hay pieces, although Bunston always liked the soft grassy ones. 🙂
  
  . . . 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.
- 05/22/2020 at 4:22 PM
  Beau Bunny
  Participant
  66 posts
  He’s on Timothy pellets, alfalfa hay, and Timothy Hay which if course just sits there mostly. I ordered 5 lbs of orchard grass so fingers crossed. Now….what to do with the giant bin of Timothy hay????
- 05/22/2020 at 5:18 PM
  Hazel
  Participant
  2587 posts
  I hope he’ll like it!
  
  If you don’t think he’ll get any use out of the Timothy hay at all, I guess you could always donate it to a shelter. 🙂
- 05/22/2020 at 6:58 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9054 posts
  You could also use it as litter box bedding. Who knows, he might even sneak a few pieces that way. 🙂
  
  . . . 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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