Rabbits like to eat hay and depend on it to fulfill their satiety. It is a dried grass of legumes, grains, and other herbaceous plants for animal feed.
Why is My Rabbit Eating So Much Hay? Rabbits eat so much hay because they like its taste and it is easy to chew. Moreover, it is a highly active animal and has well-toned digestive muscles with a higher metabolic rate. In addition, rabbits’ diet increases during their breeding and shedding seasons. You should also add other food such as fruits and vegetable peel in its diet.
You should notice the eating habits of your bunny if you have it in the home as a pet. It is better to set a large cage or give it room to remain active and happy.
Good taste
Many animals like the taste of hay and like to eat it all the time. So many people complain to the vet that their bunnies are not eating other things.
It happens because many people introduce the hay as the first feed to their pets. It modifies the taste buds accordingly, and the animal will not accept anything rather than it to eat.
There are types of hay such as oat, timothy, and alfalfa, so the taste also varies. For example, if a rabbit eats hay, it will not accept alfalfa in its diet.
Fulfill satiety
The bunnies are very picky in choosing their food. Many people take the special pallets and feed on the market, but these things cannot fulfill the satiety.
It is one of the things that fulfill its satiety and appetite. It is rich in fiber and gives the feeling of fullness to the stomach.
Hay is easy to chew
Many people give hay in dry form to their pets. It is easy to chew and digest; that’s why many bunnies rely on it and eat more.
They also like it if you give them the same food repeatedly. If it is available in dry form, it will mix with saliva in the mouth and transfer to the stomach.
They do not need to chew it for a longer time. It will just put it in its mouth and mix with the tongue and teeth. The bunnies without teeth can also have it easily.
Highly active rabbits
These animals are highly active and run around to play. Putting them in the soil will dig the holes and make the underground pathways go from one place to another.
These pets have an active lifestyle that makes them feel hungry and eat more hay. It always remains busy doing something in the garden or the room.
The consumption of food also depends on the activity level. The higher the activity level, the higher will the feed consumption. This is because the animal will feel hungry after running around in your garden.
Small Stomach size
The stomach size depends on the age; the adult rabbit has a much larger stomach capacity than the bunny.
In general, they have a small stomach and can store a little food in it. Bunnies will flick their front paws when they are excited.
Play and busy
Many people put the hay on the living place of rabbits. The animals play on it and eat whenever they want. In this way, the bunny consumes more as it is easily accessible.
Moreover, this thing keeps it busy doing some activities, such as running, spreading, and rubbing the grass with its feet. This way, it will feel hunger and eat more while playing.
Garnished hay
Many people present the food to the pets in an attractive way. Some serve the feed in the tray and bowls.
The attractive serving of the feed will insist then to eat more quantity. Moreover, you can also add various types of hay to provide a variety of nutrients for proper growth and development.
Well-toned digestive muscles
It has well-toned digestive muscles that help in rapid digestion. These muscles are strong and rapidly act on the food coming into the gut.
Therefore, the rabbits will eat more because the intestinal muscles work more efficiently to digest food.
Sometimes it does not intake even a little food if it faces some health issue. However, my rabbit loves to play and eat this food.
Happy mood
The mood is the significant factor that affects the eating pattern of any species. Many people like pets and keep them at home at a specific location.
It is better to make the small room in the garden or give them a room. You can also feed the pallets, fruits peel, and other things along with it. Rabbits stare at the wall when they are sad.
Easy access
All bunnies cannot access the hay easily because some live in the home. However, the outdoor animals can easily access any variety of grass compared to the indoor.
They can only eat more hay at home when you put a large quantity in one place or spread it over the surface. It will be available all time, and it will be easy to eat after small intervals.
Rabbits eat more during breeding
The requirement of energy and nutrients for female rabbits increases in pregnancy.
It puts an additional load on the animal body, and they will feel an empty stomach even after spending an hour. In addition, sometimes female rabbits crave hay during pregnancy and start eating it more than the recommended quantity.
Shedding of fur
After the winter season, the rabbits shed their fur to make the thin layers. It has a thick layer of fur on the skin, which keeps them warm during the cold.
When the summer starts, the molting process begins in bunnies. It requires more energy to meet its requirements. Mainly the shedding occurs two times a year to eat more during this season.
How is hay beneficial for rabbits?
There are many benefits of eating hay because it has essential nutrients necessary for normal growth and development.
Hay is rich in fiber that maintains gut health and motility. In addition, the higher fiber content fills the stomach for a longer time.
Many minerals are present in the grass to help maintain the fluid balance. Moreover, you should feed them twice a day, not more than this.
In this way, it will play and spend a lot of time rubbing, scratching it with the surface with feet. It creates an exciting and light sound that the bunny enjoys.
It takes a few minutes for your pets to swallow the hay because it swells when mixed with saliva. However, it will keep them busy, and the bunny will not feel bored and depressed.
The teeth are the main parts of the body and help chew the food particles. The rabbits have small and sensitive teeth that can grow more than their size.
It also strengthens teeth as it contains minerals. You should add the grass in their feed to protect it from dental issues.
How much hay should a rabbit eat per day?
Generally, these animals feed on grass and fulfill their requirements. The one serving of fed should contain 75% to 80% hay, but sometimes it eats more than the recommended quantity.
The quantity of food depends on the stomach size and age of the bunny.
The stomach size of the baby rabbit is small, and food remains there for a longer time. The digestive system works slowly and delays the process of digestion.
When you have an older rabbit of about 4 to 7 years, it will also consume less grass. This is because it has no or little teeth for proper chewing and gets tired after eating a little quantity.
You should give the food according to the weight of the bunny. If it is suffering from some health issue and not eating the food at a time, you should take it to the vet.
How to replace the hay with other food?
Many people complain to the specialist and discuss with other people about their pets. Sometimes, the bunny does not like other vegetables and fruits.
The hay should not be more than 80%; otherwise, it can cause constipation. Then, you can add the fruits starting from the minimum quantity.
Some of them like only one type of hay, such as oats hay; in this case, you should add alfalfa and other variety. It is better to increase the quantity of new and slightly decrease the previous grass.
It will help taste building; you can also offer food pallets. Take a pot, put the food in it, mix it with the grass, and add more veggies mixed with carrots.
You should know the recommended amount of hay, add vegetables in the remaining 20%-25%. In the same way, add the fruit peel to enhance the nutrition.
How to feed hay to your rabbit?
You can feed the bunny with multiple methods to increase acceptance. The vet recommends feeding the bunnies two times a day and according to their weight.
Mix veggies and put in an attractive bowl. Place the pot in the cage or the garden; it will attract the animal.
Mix pallets with grass and creatively present them. You should take a basket and place it on the floor. Fill it with the mixed food, and the rabbit will eat it.
It is better to add fruit peel to its diet, but you can only give it once in five days. You can also mix it with pellets.
First, sprinkle only water to change its texture.
You can also add the honey with it to alter the taste. Moreover, you can give the food pallets by adding artificial hay flavor.
In addition, make it more acceptable and delicious by adding sweetener and scent. You can also replace the diet with cubes of orchard hay.
Related Articles:
