Wet hay?

[Ashley K.]

Is it ok to give a bunny wet hay? I know it helps horses who have a hard time chewing, my bunny normaly likes to soak her pellets in water before eating them and im wondering if wetting her timothy hay is a good idea.

Thank you!!

[Beka27]

I don’t know anything about that. I know you can’t KEEP it wet b/c it’ll get moldy… but you’re referring to wetting it down immediately prior to serving? I don’t think being wet is going to change the chewing required to digest it.

Does your rabbit have problems with her teeth? Let us know what’s going on and we might be able to help you figure something out. With some buns, it may be necessary to cut hay into smaller pieces.

[BunnyLiz]

According to my vet its fine to do. I was talking to my vet about Lucy refusing all veggies, and my concern with her not getting enough water as a result because she is known to have a few pearl string poops. She suggested I mist her hay with a bit of water to up her intake of water. I just dont really like this though, I dont want to leave wet hay to get all gross. It would probably be fine if its eaten right away though. But I agree with Beka, dont think it will be any different with chewing. Unless you let it soak, which would get yucky so I wouldnt do that.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

How come your bunny has trouble chewing? Have you had her examined by a vet-with a scope and possibly x-rays? If this is a medical problem, things will decline and soaking hay will not solve it. I’m thinking abscess or molar spurs if she won’t even eat pellets dry..

Yes you can soak it But do as you do for horses-soak and give right after-hay sitting around wet will get moldy.

[Ashley K.]

We had her checked by a vet and nothings wrong, she just seems to like soaking her food in water lol its a very strange habbit

[Monkeybun]

If its not a medical issue, i’d just give t to her dry like normal. Would rather not risk mold and such by wetting it.

[Deleted User]

Are you saying it is your rabbit that soaks her feed herself? What exactly does she do/how does she do this?

[KytKattin]

I thought it was wet for horses in order to prevent choking, not to help chewing… I always drench the rabbits’ greens in water, but it pretty much ends there. lol. I too am curious what you mean by her wetting her pellets. She sounds more like a raccoon than a rabbit!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

It can’t mold if you feed it wet immediately-you’ll have to be vigilent to ensure older hay is not left for her-but I don’t really see a problem with it.

thought it was wet for horses in order to prevent choking, not to help chewing…

Actually quite a few of the european jumpers I worked with preferred their hay wet-when it wasn’t wet for them they colicked-which is basically the horse equivelent of GI stasis.

[Boysclub]

i work at a barn and we soacked some of the horses hay to get rid of some of the dust that is in it. their had breathing problems.

my old cat used to soak her dry food. one piece at a time she would put it in the water with her paw and then fish it out and eat it. if she didnt get it out in time, she started over. needless to say took her HOURS to eat one meal! she was an odd little thing.

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