Rabbits are one of the most popular pets in
the UK. In fact, after dogs and cats,
rabbits are the third most popular pet to have in our homes. And, just as anyone will tell you that cats
and dogs are different from each other, so too are rabbits – from just about
any other animal on Earth. Fortunately,
caring for rabbits doesn’t need to be difficult. For the most part, this has to do with proper
dietary requirements and a snuggly home to live and play in. And, apart from the rather extensive runs
that rabbits need, this isn’t such a difficult ask. That’s because rabbits primarily want to eat Timothy
Hay.
What
Is Timothy Hay?
Although it has a bit of a funny name, Timothy
Hay is serious business. It’s the dried,
preserved form of Timothy Grass that grows throughout the UK. This type of grass is brimming with fibre which
is exactly what your rabbits need to live long and healthy lives. Although there are many different types of
grasses, and therefore hays, Timothy Hay is the one that best suits the natural
requirements of rabbits. (Incidentally,
it’s also perfect for other fibrevores such as chinchillas and guinea pigs. It’s also great for horses and cows too, but you’re
not likely to keep those in your home.)
Digestion
Is Central to Rabbit Welfare
To understand why Timothy Hay is so
important to rabbit health, you’ve got to consider their digestive systems. And, it’s not exactly the same as human digestion. In fact, it is a little more complicated. Rabbits are fibrevores, so they need a great deal
of fibre. And, that includes both digestible
and indigestible fibre.
Indigestible fibre passes through a
rabbit’s system without too much bother.
It goes through the stomach and intestines without being broken down. This stimulates the desire to eat more Timothy
Hay, and that’s a good thing. Because, not
only is Timothy hay filled with indigestible fibre, it is also laden with digestible
fibre.
Unlike indigestible fibre that simply goes
through the body, digestible fibre follows a different path. Because fibre is so difficult to digest (even
when it’s called digestible) it needs extra steps to extract the nutrients from
it. So, once it is partially digested in
the stomach, digestible fibre is then moved to an appendix-like organ called
the caecum. It’s here that fibre is further
broken down; well, actually it becomes fermented. This is an important step in the process as it
is easier to pull the nutrients from fermented fibre than otherwise.
From the caecum, fully fermented fibre is excreted
in the form of caecotrophs. This may resemble
droppings in so much they exit the body in the same manner. However, caecotrophs are not waste products;
they are essential to the well-being of rabbits. And, these must be eaten so that rabbits can maintain
their regular intake of fibre.
Unfortunately, without an extreme amount of fibre, rabbits will become desperately
ill.
Timothy
Hay Also Helps with Oral Hygiene
Besides providing the almost ridiculous amount
of fibre that rabbits need, Timothy Hay also offers other benefits. Rabbits, like many other animals, have teeth that
continue to grow throughout their lifetime.
This can present problems if these teeth are not worn down. Unfortunately, rabbit teeth, left to
themselves will grow into sharp points that can be both painful and dangerous. Rabbits, unfortunately will not grind their teeth
arbitrarily, they need an aid to make this happen.
Humans chew their food by mashing it up and
down in their mouths. Rabbits will do
the same with most foods. However, rabbits
eat Timothy Hay differently; they grind it from side to side. This helps them to grind their teeth down
into something more manageable. And this
is wildly important for rabbits. In
fact, after digestion, oral health may just be the most important health concern
that you’ll want to consider as a rabbit owner.
Timothy
Hay Is Also a Good Time
Rabbits don’t care about television; it
won’t amuse them the way it amuses their owners. They need something more finely tuned to
their interests. And, although a good part
of rabbit free-time (meaning the time
they’re not eating and sleeping) is spent hopping through their run, Timothy Hay
also plays an important role in rabbit amusement. That’s because they absolutely love to play
with their food. They enjoy pushing it
from side to side in their hutch – and simply lying around in it. Timothy Hay does a lot more than you think it
could when it comes to amusing your pet.
And, hiding other treats in hay also serves to entertain rabbits. There’s simply no shortage when it comes to
the talents of Timothy Hay.
Feeding
Timothy Hay to Your Rabbits
Each and every rabbit in your warren needs
a pile of hay at least as large as themselves every day. And, that’s just for eating (you’ll need more
for playing and sleeping in). Never fear
that you will overfeed your pets by giving them bigger piles. Rabbits will only eat as much as they need. And, even if they do eat a little more than that,
they will not become overweight from eating Timothy Hay. However, it is important to note that if your
rabbit does not eat all his hay in one day, the leftovers cannot serve as part
of the meal for the next day. Fresh hay is
required every day.
But, don’t forget that rabbits (and other fibrevores)
need more than just hay every day. They should
also have a small amount of fresh greens and specially formulated treats. These items will help to round off the nutritional
needs of your pets. And, it’s crucial to
ensure your rabbits have fresh water every day.
Depending on how playful they are, you may need to refill your pets’ water
bowl more than once a day. (Just note
that contaminated water may harm your pets, so it’s worth being vigilant on
this score.) So although you may have
heard that hay is for horses... now you know it’s for rabbits too.
To see some information about our excel
feeding plan for fibrevores, follow this link -
