Bertram Boyer
Dec 04, 2024
do rabbits eat straw?
I've read that rabbits are supposed to eat hay, but my friend feeds hers straw. When I get my new bunnies, I plan to use straw for bedding and hay for food. Will they eat both hay and straw if I do that? I'm a bit confused!
10 Answers
Hay is an essential component of a rabbit’s diet which helps to alleviate boredom and keep teeth ground down as well as provide needed fibre, vitamins and minerals. You are right to plan to feed your rabbits plenty of hay, they should always have some.
Some rabbits will eat or chew on straw, especially if it is a high quality softer straw e.g. barley straw, which many calfs are given to chew on as an early source of solid food. It makes a better bedding than hay as the hay goes off and rots or moulds much easier than straw.
There is no problem with rabbits having both or just hay with their pellets, but they shouldn’t really have straw only as it lacks lots of the nutrients in hay.
They will also enjoy a variety of fruit and veg slowly introduced to their diet once they are old enough to eat forage (this is breed/ parentage dependant) which is a great accompaniment to the main part of their diet. Foods to avoid include lettuce, which should never be fed as it is sophorific (induces a sleepy/ sedated state) and retains all the impurities and chemicals from the soil with its high water content without having much nutritional value, a variety of poisonous house and garden plants including rhubarb leaves. Contrary to popular misconception your rabbits teeth will not rot if they eat fruit, although fruit is high in natural sugars and acids a rabbit’s teeth continually erupt which is why they need to grind them down constantly with harder foods and hay. Any weakened enamel would reach the tooth tip far too quickly to have sustained significant damage unless there is underlying dental disease. Many people miss out on the chance to offer their rabbits an extra water source in the summer by not introducing moisture rich fruit, when there usually is no need.
My bunnies all have both hay and straw and some just rearrange their straw, others chew or eat it.
Nov 17, 2024
hi yes rabbits should be fed on hay, straw and rabbit food, carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli from time to time. But need plenty of hay and straw as they require this for bedding and also helps there digestion, try your local library for a rabbit book, thi swill help.
Good luck, i have 2 rabbits, great animals
Yes they will eat both. They tend to eat more hay as it is nicer for them, but they may well munch on the straw, donāt worry about it, just keep their bedding clean and soft and let thm eat what they fancy of it they will be fine so long as they ahve a nice balanced diet.
Nov 08, 2024
yes they do.
Hay is essential to a rabbitās good health, providing roughage which reduces the danger of hairballs and other blockages. Apple tree twigs also provide good roughage.
Unlimited timothy, grass hay, oat hay, straw
I always use excel for my rabbits, occasionally give them
chopped vegetables , fruit.
You need to introduce different food slowly so you dont upset your rabbits digestivie system.
they eat the hay and use the straw for warmth. rabbits also need proper rabbit food, and a good supply of fresh veg. they like cucumber, and lettuce and you can even give them apples, but keep that to once a week. my rabbit loves fresh strawberries too ā but is only given them as a special treat. fruit tends to rot their teeth so keep to veg for the most part.
Iām sure they just eat the hay and then sleep on the straw. I have only ever seen my rabbits eating hay.
Dec 06, 2024
I bet they do. If not use for their bedding. Some rabbits eat odd things. Waht does your rabbit eat?
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