RABBIT HAY GUIDES · SINGAPORE
Same hay, new bag. Why won’t your rabbit eat it?
The label can stay the same while the hay inside changes.
A new bag can smell and feel different, even when the brand and grass type match. If your rabbit still eats the old hay normally, compare the two bags and introduce the new hay alongside the familiar one.
Oxbow: changing between bags ↗Why can the same hay feel different?
Weather can delay a harvest, and more mature grass generally produces coarser hay. The name on the bag can stay the same while the stems become a different mouthful. Oxbow explains this harvest variation.
Put two handfuls on a clean surface and compare:
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Texture | More stiff stems, fewer leaves, or a different strand length? |
| Aroma | Different from the old bag? A musty smell is a reason to stop using it. |
| Condition | Dampness, visible mould or excessive dust? Set the bag aside and contact the seller. |
Quality checks: The Rabbit Doctors.
Open the next bag before the current one runs out
- Keep familiar hay available. Add a little of the new, sound hay; avoid making the new bag the only choice overnight.
- Watch actual chewing. Note whether your rabbit eats the new leaves, stems, both or neither. Keep the feeding spot unchanged.
- Build on what they eat. Increase the new hay gradually if it is being eaten and appetite and droppings remain normal. Photograph the hay and keep the packaging if you need the seller’s help.
Oxbow’s bag-to-bag transition advice; why Oxbow asks owners to retain packaging.
Eating less overall, or passing fewer droppings? Contact a vet promptly; do not assume a new bag explains a reduced appetite. PDSA advice ↗