Hay seems to make her sneeze uncontrollably

[Deliciosa]

I really do not know what to do about this. A long time ago, I stopped giving Mimi hay because it seemed to make her sneeze more. I have since allowed her to have hay again because of her being so skinny, she needs something to snack on... I want her to have it because it's good for her, but it makes her sneeze so much! Whenever there is hay in her cage she seems to have terrible sneezing fits. She likes to eat it, but... I don't know what to do.

 

[Happi Bun]

Not all hay is created equal. You want to use good quality hay that is green, fresh and has a low dust content. If it is making her sneeze it is probably too dusty. You can try getting a handful and shaking any dust off before offering it. Hay is a very important part of the domestic rabbits diet.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

What kind of hay are you feeding? Some rabbits can have issues to one type (like timothy), but be fine with another (like orchard grass). Try some different types of hay to see if it help.
Where the hay comes from does make a difference. Some brands are dustier that others. Try smelling the hay before you buy it (it should smell sweet) and don't buy stuff that doesn't smell nice. You may need to try some different brands to find one that works.
Also try keeping it more contained so the little bits aren't all over the place. A milk jug could be used as she will be able to pull the hay out. A wooden box with holes for her to eat the hay could also work. You might be able to find something else that works as well.
Keep a record of the hays you buy and how she does. You can see if she does better on a certain type or brand.

 

[JimD]

Hay cubes are a great alternative to loose hay.

My Benji has bad reactions to hay that's overly dusty or dry.

Before I was able to find a good source of hay, I would lightly mist his hay with a spray bottle.

I make sure he gets hay off the top.
I'd lay it out on a newspaper and spray a light mist over the hay, and then put it in a hay rack for him.
I mountedthe hay rack low enough so he wouldn't have to get under it to get to the hay.
A NIC grid can be fashioned into a nice hay trough.

Any haymisted needs to be removed daily, to prevent them from getting hold of any that might go moldy.

 

[gmas rabbit]

if your rabbit is really skinny maybe supplementing her pellets with alfalfa pellets 1/2 to 1/2 timothy pellets would help. Alfalfa comes in 18%protein for growing rabbits. I would also give her some dry bread ( ancient grain, 12 grain etc ), fruit and lots of vegetables. I guess the next question if have you checked her feces for worms or is she just a slim rabbit. As for the hay alfalfa is one of the dustier, grass hays not so much. If you are buying it from the pet store in bags, open it up and smell it. Check the bottom and see how much dust is in the bottom. Benjamin hates timothy grass hay, but I am sorry to say he is pretty plump, so am kind of forching the issue. He would live on alfalfa hay but the calcium content is just too high for adult rabbits.