Do rabbits need hay?

Question

I want to get a rabbit but im allergic too hay. Im intending on keeping my rabbit inside. Can i get a rabbit and not give it hay?

Answer 1

They just use it for nest building, you can use wood shavings.

Answer 2

The kind of hay that you would feed a domestic rabbit is not the same kind of hay you would find in a barn or in bedding material.  The hay the rabbit eats is a type of grass, either timothy grass or alfalfa or oats.  You may not be allergic to those things.  If find that you are though or you don't want to take the chance (which I don't blame you), be sure to feed your rabbit an excellent brand of pellet food supplemented with alfalfa or timothy cubes (comes in cubes, not loose like hay so it wouldn't bother your allergies) and fresh vegetables (not lettuce), oats (as in for oatmeal, but not instant) and some fruit (like apples and bananas).

Answer 3

not really but it is good for them or use rabbit bedding like::wood dust

Answer 4

Hay is the main part of their diet. It should be offered to them in unlimited quantities. Usually you can get a small bag of Timothy hay at the pet store. Give them a hay rack and fill it up with hay when it gets empty. Usually you don't even notice it. (I have allergies too!)

IIf you have any more questions about owning a rabbit you can email me.

Hope this helped.

Answer 5

no but it is very healthy for them also carrots are like junk food for bunnies

Answer 6

Yes, rabbits need hay. If you can't handle hay consider getting an omnivorous animal that doesn't eat hay like two rats.

Answer 7

Not "hay"

bedding for rabbits...yeah.

hay for rabbits.......noo!

Answer 8

It is important to give your rabbit plenty of hay, but if you are worried about the hay dust that could come from it, you should look into hay cubes.  They will give them the nutrition, file down their teeth, and they don't have dust that comes off of them.  But if you get allergic reactions, just get rid of it and make sure that your rabbit has something to chew on.  Good luck.

Answer 9

Well, I'm sure you can use a diffferent type of bedding, but I'm not sure if you can replace their food kind of hay with anything. Hay is important to their digestive system.

Answer 10

No, you need to give hay for their digestive tracts. They are more likely to get into stasis and get teeth issues if you do not feed it.

There are different kind of hay, Orchard or bluegrass is usually better than timothy for allergies.

Also read http://www.cavyspirit.com/allergies.htm

Answer 11

hello there

hay is the most important part of a rabbit's daily meal.hay keeps the rabbit's teeth and digestive system healthy.

hay play three parts in rabbit keeping:

♦as food-you must feed it everyday to the rabbit.most rabbit diseases comes from the mistake of owners who never gives hay to their pet.

♦as bedding-first off,never give wood shavings to rabbits as bedding.giving a rabbit wood shavings for bedding causes respiratory diseases and may cause death.hay is the most advisable bedding for rabbit cages.

♦for litter boxes-place hay on the litter box if you plan on litter-training it.i strongly suggest litter training the rabbit as you said that you plan to keep it inside the house.place hay inside the litter box for easy traning.

so all-in-all,hay is really the most important part of a rabbit's needs.please find a way to give it.

have a nice day!

Answer 12

Rabbits absolutely need hay!

There are different kinds of hay, you maybe goto the pet store and see if they have something you're not allergic too.

Also, people with allergies use hay cakes, that aren't just loose hay.

Answer 13

You can have a pet rabbit that will be healthy and happy even if you never feed it hay. Many well known and responsible rabbit breeders never feed hay to their rabbits. This can be accomplished if you feed the rabbit a complete feed. The best feeds can be obtained from a feed mill or farm supply store. Never buy pellets from a pet store or from a place like Walmart. I raise Mini Rex and feed Pen Pals rabbit food made by ADM. This is a complete feed and contains everything a rabbit needs to flourish and be healthy. Make sure the feed you buy contains at least 15% protein and the fiber content is higher than the protein.

Most people think a rabbit has to have hay because that is what they have been told. Most rabbits like to eat it but do they absolutely need to have it? No.

Also if you are going to get a pet rabbit please buy from a responsible breeder  not from a pet store. Pet store rabbits are often taken from their mothers too early this leads to health and behavior problems. A rabbit from a breeder comes with a pedigree and the knowledge that the breeder can supply about your rabbit and any help you will need.

You can find breeders at rabbit shows held by AR BA rabbit clubs. Look for a show in your area on the ARBA website.

http://www.arba.net