I have to agree and disagree with the posts. Hay is not hay....all hay has nutritional differences....even different cuts of the same hay and even field to field depending on growing conditions. Grass hays should be available at all times...."free choice" as it is known. Hay is essential to a properly operating digestive system. Rabbits are "hind gutfermenters" and the grass hay is the primary focus of the fermentation process in the cecum. Grass hay is also the primary way the teeth are worn down. Rabbit's teeth are open rooted like a horse. Contrary to popular belief, it's not how hard something is, it's how chewy it is that wears the teeth down. Grass hays such as timothy, oat, brome, orchard grass, bermuda, etc.are neither rich or fattening....it is the food that Mother Nature intended rabbits to eat. We have rabbits here that eat only high quality grass hays...no pellets...to maintain proper weight. What do wild rabbits primarily eat? Grass. Ever see an overweight wild rabbit? I haven't and I have had hundreds of wild rabbits in my rescue. The inner workings of domestic and wild rabbits are identical. In the real world, "special" treats and overfeeding pellets are the cause of the majority of obese rabbits as well as most digestive system issues and dental issues. Grass hays are the "low protein, high fiber" diet that rabbits require to be healthy.
I do feed alfalfa hay to nearlyall my rabbits (weight is the primary concern if they don't get a little bit of alfalfa)....either alone or in horse mixes. I do not feed it free choice due to the much higher proteins....meaning calories. Feeding alfalfa free choice will result in an obese rabbit. I use itthe most in rabbits that are recovering from injury or illness....andI do use it "free choice" in baby rabbits. All my rabbits get alfalfa as a treat once a week or so. The long perceived negatives regarding calcium and urinary issues appear to be generally unfounded. In reality, just like with people, it appears that some rabbits are just prone to calcification issues regardless of diet. Ihad a rabbit here a few years ago that had the worst urinary issues we have ever had. His diet (and he was herehis entire life after weaning) was strictly Oxbow BBT andOxbow Timothy Hay (Ino longer use any products from Oxbow) No doubt that rabbits do metabolize calcium differently than most animals. But it appears the urinary calcium levels might be caused moreby an overall improper diet as it is by feeding alfalfa hay. The problem I have with all the info out there about keeping calcium to near nothing is based on "observations" long ago of the appearance of rabbit urine. Fact is, rabbitscan developa condition known as Metabolic Bone Disease just like any other animal. This is basically Osteoporosis in the animal world. A rabbit's skeletal system represents about 7% of it's body mass which is much lower than other mammals. Combine that with the very strong muscles, a rabbit with MBD can suffer from fractures especially in the hind quarter along with other health issues. There is beginning to be some signals that MBD might be part of the cause of jaw abscesses since soft bones can allow the teeth to migrate. They do need calcium as a part of their diet....but like everything else except grass hay and water....in moderation.
Grass hay is essential to your rabbit's health and should be fed free choice at all times. Alfalfa can be a limited part of this hay...but my concern with alfalfa is much more with the protein levels and weight gain rather than calcium levels.
I use a lot of horse hay....any hay that is safe for a horse is safe for a rabbit. Find the high end equine community and see if you can get some hay contacts thru them. They might even be willing to sell you a bale or two. Most of my hay comes from farms that have horses worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. You know they aren't going to have bad hay going to those horses. You might also want to check your states Department of Agriculture. I check "Hay Alert" ads for both NC and VA and have found great hay at bargain prices. Go to horse shows or the rodeo....ask them where they get good quality hay. And also visit the fairs and festival (they are usually in the fall around here) as they are usually agricultural oriented.
Randy
