🌾 Vet’s 2025 Guide to Hay and Your Pet’s Health: Digestive, Dental & Mental Benefits 🐰🐹

By Dr. Duncan Houston, BVSc

Hay isn’t just a snack—it's a cornerstone of health for rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and other herbivorous small pets. This 2025 guide dives deep into the powerful role hay plays in supporting digestion, maintaining dental health, and providing daily enrichment. With the right hay and feeding habits, you can help your pet live a longer, healthier, and more fulfilled life. 🌾🐾

🧠 Why Hay Matters

In the wild, small herbivores graze continuously. Mimicking this natural behavior is critical in captivity. Hay delivers fiber, dental wear, hydration, and behavioral stimulation—all essential for well-being.

🦷 Dental Health Benefits

Small pets have open-rooted (hypsodont) teeth that grow continuously. Without proper wear, they risk overgrowth, malocclusion, abscesses, and pain.

• Hay = Natural Tooth File: Chewing hay encourages side-to-side jaw motion, wearing teeth down evenly.
• Pellets ≠ Enough: Pellets don’t offer sufficient abrasion. Even chew toys can't replace the consistent texture of hay.
• Signs of Dental Issues: Drooling, difficulty eating, decreased appetite, eye discharge (from tooth root impaction).

🌾 Digestive Health Benefits

Fiber keeps the gut moving—especially important in hindgut fermenters like rabbits and guinea pigs.

• Motility Support: Constant fiber helps prevent GI stasis, a life-threatening emergency.
• Healthy Gut Flora: A hay-rich diet supports the right balance of gut microbes.
• Poop Check: Consistent, round, and dry pellets = a healthy GI system.

🍀 Mental & Behavioral Enrichment

Foraging through hay mimics wild behavior and provides daily mental exercise.

• Encourages natural exploration, digging, and chewing
• Reduces stress and boredom that can lead to aggression or self-barbering
• Perfect for stuffing in toys, tunnels, and cardboard tubes

🌱 Best Types of Hay (And When to Use Them)

• Timothy Hay: Gold standard for adult rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas. Balanced fiber, low protein/calcium.
• Orchard Grass: Softer and sweeter—great for picky eaters or hay rotation.
• Meadow Hay: A mix of grass species—adds variety and aroma.
• Oat Hay: Crunchier with seed heads—adds interest and variety.
• Alfalfa: High in protein and calcium—ideal for young, pregnant, or underweight animals, but not suitable for long-term adult feeding.

📅 How Much Hay Does My Pet Need?

Hay should be available 24/7 and comprise:

• 🌾 Rabbits: 80–90% of the daily diet
• 🌾 Guinea Pigs: 70–80% of the daily diet
• 🌾 Chinchillas: 75–85% of the daily diet

Offer a pile of hay at least as big as your pet—refill multiple times a day if needed.

🧪 How to Identify High-Quality Hay

• Color: Green is best—brown = old or sun-damaged
• Smell: Fresh and grassy—not musty, sour, or dusty
• Texture: Crisp, not overly coarse or powdery
• Storage: Store hay in a cool, dry place in a breathable bag or bin

🔁 Hay Rotation & Variety

Even the most enthusiastic hay eaters appreciate variety. Rotating hay types:

• Prevents boredom and encourages consistent consumption
• Introduces a wider range of plant fibers and micronutrients
• Supports dental and digestive balance

🧺 Enrichment Ideas with Hay

• Stuff toilet paper rolls with hay and a few pellets
• Fill baskets, tunnels, or digging boxes with hay and treats
• Use hay-based mats, tunnels, or cubes

🚫 Common Hay Mistakes

• Relying on pellets or veggies instead of hay
• Feeding hay that’s moldy, dusty, or damp
• Not cleaning hay racks or replacing stale hay daily

🩺 When to Call the Vet

If your pet isn’t eating hay or has any of these symptoms, seek care:

• Decreased appetite or weight loss
• Change in poop size, shape, or frequency
• Drooling, facial swelling, or eye discharge
• Lethargy or isolation behavior

📱 Resources & Support

• 💬 Expert hay and diet help via Ask A Vet or the Ask A Vet app
• 🌿 Shop fresh hay mixes, racks, and enrichment toys at Woopf
• 🥗 Order fortified supplements and pellet blends from Purrz

Hay is more than a meal—it’s your pet’s dental floss, gut fuel, and daily activity. With the right hay and a commitment to fresh feeding, you’re giving your small pet the best chance at a happy, healthy life. 🌾🐰🐹💚