There are so many varieties of hay on the market that it can be confusing to know which is best for your fluffy companion. Hay should make up the majority of your rabbit or guinea pig’s diet and should be available without limits every day. It is crucial that your pet enjoys their hay and eats enough for optimal health.
Timothy is the most popular variety of hay; however, just feeding your fluffy friend the same type of hay all day, every day, is not ideal. Rabbits have natural instincts to forage; in the wild, they would eat several different grasses and greens. Therefore, it is essential to try different hays to ensure they are getting all the nutrients and fibre they require.
The majority are very similar in composition, except for Alfalfa Hay, which is a legume rather than a grass. We have detailed each hay variety available at The Hay Shed so you can quickly compare which ones may be best for your furry friends to try.
Timothy – most common on the market, with a similar nutritional profile to grasses that rabbits eat in the wild. It is not too coarse and has a good amount of fibre and lower protein and calcium, making it suitable for daily eating.
Meadow – quite soft and sweet, making it popular with fussier rabbits that don’t enjoy coarse hay. The low protein makes it a good choice if your rabbit needs to lose weight.
Rye – gorgeously green and has a medium coarse texture. As one of the most fibrous hays, it promotes optimal gastrointestinal health. If your rabbit has a sensitive stomach, this would be a good choice of hay to try.
Oat – this is cut when the plant is immature and the seed heads haven’t fully developed into a cereal, making it a tasty grass alternative to the traditional varieties. It is yellowy/green and stalkier than Timothy and Meadow, with a medium coarse texture – the immature seed heads are also a big hit! Its lower calcium content makes it an excellent choice for rabbits with urinary and kidney disease.
Green Wheat – similarly to oat, Green Wheat is cut when the plant is immature and the seed heads haven’t developed into a cereal, making it a super tasty grass. It has a similar nutritional profile to Timothy, but this is the coarsest of all The Hay Shed hays. It is very lush with beautiful seed heads and a pleasant aroma. This is our resident vet, Dr Lucy Robson’s rabbits’ favourite!
Alfalfa – as previously mentioned, this is a legume rather than a grass, making it higher in protein and calcium. It is sweet in flavour and scent, and a hay that almost all rabbits will find tasty; however, it comes with specific instructions. This hay is recommended for young rabbits (<6 months old), pregnant does, or unwell and underweight rabbits. Please consult your vet before using Alfalfa as a sole hay source. All rabbits can enjoy Alfalfa with other hays by adding a small amount with their daily hay to add variety or as a treat.
Our resident vet, Dr Lucy Robson, recommends providing a selection of different hays daily so rabbits can have a variety, mimicking their experience in the wild. This means they can get the benefits of each hay type, letting you rest assured that they are receiving all the different health benefits.
The best way to see which hay your fluffy friend enjoys the most is with our Hay Buffet. You will receive a good-sized sample of each to either add in as a treat to their daily hay or to see if they prefer different varieties to what is already offered.
19 June 2025