Hay and Health

Become a member

As a member, you can get tons more helpful resources just like this on our Rabbiting On magazine.

The first thing to think about when considering your rabbits’ health is their diet. The most common health problems faced by rabbits come about simply because they are not given a natural diet.

The diet of the wild rabbit holds the answer to good health

Just like their wild cousins, domestic rabbits’ diets should be made up of around 85% grass or hay. Grass or hay is vital for two very important reasons. The first is so that they have healthy guts, and the second is their teeth. Rabbits’ teeth grow continually. They have evolved, so the specific action of chewing the long strand fibre of grass or hay wears the teeth down evenly. It is only this chewing action that keeps their teeth properly worn in the way nature intended.

If a rabbit isn’t eating enough hay, its constantly growing teeth will not be naturally worn down. The edges will continue to grow and cause painful spurs that cut into the mouth’s gums, tongue and sides.

Veterinary help & advice for dental overgrowth

Rabbits with painful spurs may need to have their teeth burred down by the vet. This requires an anaesthetic, which of course, carries some risk, but is necessary for this situation.

Because rabbit teeth grow continuously, this will need to be repeated, usually every 2-4 months. It is far better to stop the problem before it even starts by giving the rabbit its correct natural diet.

Other conditions

As well as preventing problems caused by dental overgrowth, the long-strand fibre in grass or hay is vital to maintain healthy gut movement. If a rabbit’s gut is not moving as it should, then stasis can set in, meaning that its system literally shuts down, an often fatal condition.

An improper diet can cause the conditions listed below.

Runny eyes
Wet mouth

Lack of Appetite
Dirty Bottom

If your rabbit has any of the conditions on the list, they should see a vet immediately (in the case of Flystrike, it is an extreme emergency).

Rabbit health is never simple

This page stresses how a proper diet is at the heart of good rabbit health. The conditions described can also be caused by other reasons, so please check the Health Advice section for more information.