By Dr Duncan Houston
A fresh pile of hay can be a meal, a place to explore and something to pull apart. For rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas, changing how you offer it can make everyday feeding more interesting.
The aim is to encourage comfortable grazing. If your pet has suddenly started eating less, adding a puzzle is not the next step: an appetite change needs veterinary attention.
Quick Answer
Make hay feeding more interesting by offering another suitable grass hay, creating a shallow forage box, loosely filling a cardboard tube, providing several feeding stations and hiding part of the normal food allowance in hay. Keep an easy-to-reach supply of plain hay available at all times, including while your pet explores a new activity. Use dry, species-appropriate food for chinchillas, and avoid sweetened hay recipes. Contact your vet promptly if hay intake falls, especially if droppings or behaviour also change.
Why does hay feeding matter?
Rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas need plenty of fibrous food for normal digestion and to help wear their continuously growing teeth. Hay also gives them opportunities to search, select and chew throughout their day. These ideas are intended for those three herbivorous species; other small animals have different dietary needs.
Hay should form the foundation of the diet, alongside the appropriate food for each species. Guinea pigs additionally need a reliable dietary source of vitamin C, so hay alone is not a complete feeding plan. See the veterinary guidance on feeding rabbits, guinea pig nutrition and chinchilla diets.
1. Offer a small selection of grass hays
Place a little of another suitable grass hay beside the familiar hay. This lets you see which texture your pet chooses without removing a food they already eat. Timothy and good-quality meadow hay are useful options; the PDSA chinchilla feeding advice specifically recommends these.
Introduce changes gradually and keep the usual hay available. Variety is optional: a pet eating one suitable hay well does not need a constantly changing menu. Choose clean, dry hay with little dust, and discard anything damp, mouldy or soiled. Do not add fragrances, essential oils or unidentified plants to make it smell appealing.
2. Make an easy forage box
Fill a shallow, open cardboard box with a loose pile of hay. Choose a low side that your pet can step over comfortably, particularly for guinea pigs or animals with reduced mobility. Let them investigate, pull out strands and rearrange the pile.
Use plain, clean cardboard with tape, staples and plastic removed. Supervise the first session and remove the box if your pet eats substantial amounts of cardboard, becomes trapped or cannot reach the hay. Replace it when wet or damaged.
For rabbits, the RSPCA enrichment guidance supports hay-filled cardboard boxes and recommends watching how each animal responds to new objects. An open hay pile is a good alternative for pets that dislike containers.
3. Loosely fill a cardboard tube
For an animal that enjoys pulling things apart, tuck a little hay into a plain cardboard tube with strands projecting from both ends. Keep it loose enough to pull out easily. The tube is an extra activity, so leave the main hay supply accessible nearby.
Never use a narrow tube that could become stuck around the head. A simple precaution is to cut it open along its full length so it cannot form a closed ring. Avoid string, elastic bands, wire and glued decorations. If your pet tries to eat the tube instead of exploring it, switch to a loose hay pile.
Cardboard feeding activities are included in PDSA rabbit enrichment advice and its chinchilla care guidance. Check suitability for the individual animal each time.
4. Create several comfortable hay stations
Offer hay in more than one quiet, accessible place. For bonded companions, spread the stations far enough apart that one animal cannot control access to all of them. Watch each pet eating: a shrinking shared pile does not prove everyone is getting enough.
Keep feeding positions comfortable. Guinea pigs should not need to climb or stretch up to reach their main hay supply. Older or stiff animals also benefit from easy access. If you use a rack, check that openings cannot trap a head or limb, and remove any damaged feeder.
For guinea pigs, nearby cover can make moving between feeding places less intimidating. Blue Cross guidance on guinea pig enrichment describes hay piles, low racks and hiding places as ways to encourage natural activity. Keep all feeding areas dry and remove contaminated hay promptly.
5. Hide part of the normal food allowance in hay
Scatter a few of your pet's usual pellets through a shallow hay pile. Take them from the measured daily allowance, rather than adding an extra meal. Start with the pellets easy to find; digging through a large, tightly packed mound should never be necessary to obtain food.
For rabbits or guinea pigs, a small amount of a familiar, suitable leafy food can also be used, then removed before it spoils. For chinchillas, keep the activity dry and use their normal chinchilla pellets. Do not copy rabbit or guinea pig fresh-food recipes for them.
This approach follows species-specific advice on rabbit foraging and chinchilla feeding. Fruit juice, banana-based cookies and sweet hay coatings are unnecessary additions, especially when the goal is eating more plain hay.
Is this enrichment working?
| What you notice | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Relaxed exploration, normal eating and usual droppings | The activity appears suitable. | Continue, with daily checks and unrestricted plain hay. |
| Avoiding the new object but eating normally elsewhere | The presentation may be unfamiliar or difficult. | Remove or simplify it now. Let your pet choose whether to investigate later. |
| One companion repeatedly blocks another | Food access or social tension needs attention. | Add separate accessible stations and watch both animals. Seek help if conflict continues. |
| Eating less, smaller or fewer droppings, drooling or weight loss | Illness or pain may be affecting intake. | Contact your vet promptly. Do not spend the day trying new feeding games. |
What if your pet still avoids hay?
Check freshness, access, competition and how much concentrated food your pet receives. Too many pellets can reduce the amount of hay eaten. A sudden change deserves particular attention: dental pain, digestive illness and stress can all affect appetite.
Drooling, dropping food or a new preference for easier-to-chew foods should not be dismissed as fussiness. A vet may need to assess the mouth, body weight, hydration and abdomen. The PDSA guide to reduced appetite in rabbits explains why dental, gut and other health problems need consideration; guinea pig health guidance also identifies appetite changes and drooling as warning signs.
When should you seek urgent help?
If a rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla stops eating, contact a vet immediately. Little or no droppings, obvious pain, marked lethargy or a swollen abdomen make the situation particularly concerning. Do not wait overnight for a different hay to solve it.
Leave familiar hay and fresh water available while arranging care. Do not start medicines or syringe feeding unless your vet instructs you. Appetite loss requires investigation, as highlighted in the veterinary guidance on rabbit appetite loss, guinea pig illness and chinchilla health changes.
A simple daily action plan
- Start with the basics: provide fresh hay and water, then choose one easy activity.
- Watch the first session: check access, chewing of materials and each companion's response.
- Check every day: observe actual eating, droppings and behaviour. Track body weight regularly using suitable scales.
- Keep what works: rotate an occasional activity while keeping feeding and resting routines predictable.
Leave enough clear space for movement, hiding and rest. Feeding games complement suitable exercise space and compatible companionship within the same species. They do not replace those everyday welfare needs.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Making a difficult puzzle the only route to hay.
- Adding extra pellets or sweet treats until they displace grazing.
- Keeping damp, dirty or dusty leftovers because wasting hay feels wrong.
- Assuming every herb, hay blend or feeding accessory is suitable for every small animal.
- Calling a new appetite change boredom or stubbornness.
Frequently asked questions
Can rabbits and guinea pigs eat the same hay?
Both can eat suitable grass hay, such as timothy. Their complete diets still differ, particularly guinea pigs' need for dietary vitamin C. Use food formulated for the correct species.
Do chinchillas need hay if they eat pellets?
Yes. Chinchillas need a continuous supply of good-quality hay as well as a measured amount of appropriate pellets. Pellets do not replace hay.
Is a hay rack better than a pile?
Either can work if the hay stays clean and is easy to reach. A loose pile allows searching and rearranging; a suitable rack can help contain hay. Watch which arrangement your pet actually eats from.
Can I use hay dust to make treats?
Do not turn dusty, damp or contaminated leftovers into food. Sweetened homemade treats are not needed for enrichment. Fresh hay in a simple open box is a more useful starting point.
What if my pet eats pellets but refuses hay?
Review the pellet allowance and hay presentation, but arrange veterinary advice for persistent refusal. If this is a new change, or droppings decrease, contact your vet promptly because dental or digestive problems may be involved.
Keep hay interesting and easy to eat
Begin with one small change and let your pet's response guide you. Comfortable access, steady intake and normal droppings matter more than a complicated activity. If eating changes, act on that first.
For more practical pet-care information, visit ASK A VET™. If your small pet is eating less or seems unwell, contact your treating vet promptly for advice specific to their needs.
The ASK A VET™ Tracker logs live location and activity trends, so a change in routine never goes unnoticed.
Every ASK A VET article is written and reviewed by qualified veterinarians.
