Have you been wondering what type of hay can be offered to hour homestead or pet rabbits? No suprise if you have, because there are many different types out there!
Fortunatley, we at Hobby Farm Heaven are ready to answer all questions regarding ‘Can Rabbits Eat Meadow Hay?‘
Right off the bat: Yes, rabbits can eat Meadow hay. Like Timothy and Orchard grass hay, it provides a nice mix of protein, calcium, and fiber for adult rabbits, along with other healthy nutrients!
Meadow Hay for Rabbits Is One of the Best Kept Secrets Of Successful Rabbit Owners
So if you’re having trouble finding quality Timothy or Orchard grass hay at a reasonable price but can easily find quality Meadow hay, then go right ahead and feed Meadow hay to your rabbits! Bunnies like Meadow hay.
Is Meadow Hay Good for Rabbits?
Yes, below is a table of Meadow Hay Nutrients and other popular rabbit feed hays; adapted from House Rabbit Society.
| Hay | % Protein | % Fiber | % Calcium |
| Alfalfa | 15.3 | 27 | 1.4 |
| Barley | 4.0 | 38 | 0.3 |
| Meadow | 7 | 33 | 0.6 |
| Oat | 7.3 | 29.5 | 0.3 |
| Orchard | 9.8 | 30 | 0.3 |
| Rye | 7.4 | 26 | 0.5 |
| Timothy | 6.3 | 30.2 | 0.5 |
| Wheat | 7.4 | 25 | 0.2 |
Pro for Meadow Hay
- Good Nutrition
- Diversified, Not Monoculture
- Diverse Texture, Taste & Smell
- High Fiber
Con for Meadow Hay
- Diversity Means Nutritional Content Varies
- Diverse Means Less Consistency & May Include Briars, etc.
- Softer Hay – Not as Abrasive on Teeth
- Slightly Higher Calcium than Other Hays (except Alfalfa)
What Age Can Rabbits Eat Meadow Hay?
Rabbits can eat meadow hay as they begin to wean. However, newly weaned rabbits are still developing until they are six to eight months old. Alfalfa hay, which is higher in protein and calcium, is a better alternative for these bunnies. You can then transition the rabbits to Meadow hay beginning at six months.
Do Bunnies Like Meadow Hay?
Yes, bunnies tend to like meadow hay. It can contain various textures, tastes, and even flowers that are intriguing to bunnies.
Can Bunnies Eat Meadow Hay?
Yes, bunnies can eat meadow hay. We are showing that meadow hay is a fine alternative to some of the more popular and more expensive hays for rabbits.
Can Rabbits Eat Meadow Hay Bedding?
Meadow hay is sometimes used as a bedding for rabbits because is softer than most hay and straw. We do not recommend allowing your rabbits to eat meadow hay bedding!
Yes, there is the risk that if you use Meadow hay for bedding, then your rabbit also eats some of the meadow hay bedding that it has spoiled. Clearly, we try to avoid mixing food and bedding.
Most rabbits are “smart” enough to know that. On the other hand, you’d be surprised at what can happen. Some owners use a bit of Meadow hay as bedding for their rabbits. Mostly, this is done when the rabbits are accustomed to another hay, such as orchard or timothy, and have free access to plenty of it. In these instances, the rabbits do not view their meadow hay bedding as food.
We understand that some owners will feed orchard hay or timothy hay, but don’t have access to straw or some other appropriate bedding (for those who wish to use bedding) and may choose to use a local and affordable meadow hay for bedding. Again, if your rabbit is well fed then in most of these cases he will not recognize the meadow hay as food.
What Are The Advantages of Meadow Hay?
The main advantage of Meadow Hay is that it is often a little less expensive than Timothy or Orchard grass hay. Some people regard Meadow Hay as a second-tier hay when compared to Timothy or Orchard grass hay. But in reality, a quality Meadow Hay is just as healthy for your rabbits as the higher priced and more popular Timothy or Orchard grass hay. Additionally, meadow hay is a mix of grasses, providing various textures and flavors for your rabbit.
Relative outliers in this table include:
- Alfalfa hay os relatively high in protein and calcium.
- Barley and Meadow hay stand out for their relatively high fiber content. Fiber is very important for rabbits. It is a primary ingredient that keeps the adult rabbit’s digestive system healthy and working properly.
Here’s one of our articles that discusses Crude Fiber and Crude Protein in animal feed labels.
Higher calcium and protein levels are important and beneficial for bunnies that are weaning off their mother’s milk and beginning to eat hay. From weaning through about six months, bunnies’ benefit from bodacious amounts of beautiful protein and calcium. Protein and calcium help bunnies grow strong bones and muscles. Similarly higher protein and calcium intake is beneficial for pregnant and nursing mother rabbits or does. They are passing along extra protein and calcium during pregnancy and then while nursing their kits.
Too Much Calcium Bad For Adult Rabbits
Again, young rabbits that are still growing and developing bones benefit from the higher calcium levels in alfalfa. But adult rabbits do not need the extra calcium. In fact, an excess of calcium may cause calcium deposits in a rabbit’s urinary tract, kidneys, ureters, bladder. Moreover, excess calcium may form a “sludge” in the rabbit’s kidneys or bladder, known as “bladder sludge”.
Here is a very popular, informative video about meadow hay, and other types of hay for your rabbit. Meadow Hay is featured at 2:10 into the video.
How Much Meadow Hay to Give A Rabbit?
Give a rabbit as much Meadow hay as it will eat. A rabbit can eat an unlimited amount of meadow hay.
How to Store Meadow Hay to Keep It Fresh
To store meadow hay, treat it like any other hay. Do not seal it in plastic bags, keep it in a dry, warm place that is not in direct sunlight. If Meadow Hay is stored in a damp environment or in a way that promotes condensation, then it will become moldy and mildew.
Final Thoughts
We highly recommend feeding a quality, grass-based pellet to augment the primary rabbit diet of hay and water! And as we’ve discussed, bunnies can eat Meadow hay and meadow hay is good for bunnies.
Rabbits can eat meadow hay as it scores well in fiber content, along with protein and calcium. Best yet, Meadow hay is often an economic alternative to the more popular and higher cost orchard hay or timothy hay.
The manufactured pellets are designed to include vitamins and minerals in an appropriate ratio for adult rabbits. Augmenting with pellets helps ensure that the rabbit receives the range of nutrition that is best for its health and longevity.
For more healthy Rabbit Foods you can reference our What Rabbits Eat Guide!