If you are a rabbit lover, you probably know that a diet based on hay is important for their dental and digestive health. But did you know that hay is also important for their mental health and that having non-stop access to high-quality hay (or grass) can help prevent and treat behavioural problems in rabbits?
Aggression – If rabbits don’t have constant access to fresh hay, they may develop aggression towards each other or humans during feeding time because they are too hungry when the food arrives.
Gnawing on things – Gnawing on things is a normal behavioural need for rabbits. Hay can, to a large extent, fulfil this need because it takes much longer to eat hay than dry pellets or vegetables or herbs.
Stereotypic behaviours – rabbits that don’t have anything to do can develop stereotypic behaviours, like gnawing on the enclosure bars or eating fur. Finding the tastiest blades of hay and eating hay gives rabbits something to do, reducing the prevalence of abnormal behaviours.
House soiling – Hay located in the litter tray or in the rack above it stimulates rabbits to use the litter tray.
When providing hay, make sure that it smells fresh and that you give a new portion at least once a day. Give more than your rabbits can eat, to allow them to choose the most tasty blades and therefore stimulate hay consumption.
And while hay is important for preventing and treating health and behavioural problems in rabbits, of course, other aspects of rabbit welfare can’t be ignored for their mental wellbeing. And while hay should be the basis of rabbits’ diet, don’t forget about providing also some food enrichment.
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