Fibre and hay: what the research really says about rabbit digestive health
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
“Just feed hay” rarely guarantees good digestive health on its own: not all the fibre it contains plays the same role in a rabbit's body. A review by Gidenne, published in 2015 in the journal Animal, surveys dozens of studies on dietary fibre in growing rabbits and distinguishes several categories with quite different effects on gut transit and digestive health (see the study). Find all our feeding guidance in the rabbit food section.
Contents · 4 sections
Does all fibre play the same role?
No: the review distinguishes indigestible fibre, which stimulates gut transit and should make up the bulk of the ration, from more fermentable fibre, needed only in measured amounts to feed the caecal flora without causing digestive trouble when overfed.
Why does hay remain irreplaceable?
Grass hay provides a high proportion of long, indigestible fibre — exactly the profile the review links to a lower risk of digestive trouble in growing rabbits. Our comparison of hay versus gnawing sticks covers why no accessory truly replaces that function.
How should the daily ration be adjusted?
Hay should stay available in unlimited quantity and make up most of what's eaten, with pellets and fresh vegetables added as a supplement rather than a substitute. Our tool for calculating rations by age and weight helps get the pellet portion right.
- Indigestible fibre: stimulates gut transit, should dominate the ration via hay.
- Fermentable fibre: useful in measured amounts for caecal flora, risky in excess.
- Reference feed: grass hay offers the best fibre profile for rabbits.
- Daily ration: unlimited hay, with pellets and vegetables as a measured add-on.
Building a suitable ration is less about stacking up varied foods than about getting the right proportion of indigestible fibre, with hay as the essential foundation.
Frequently asked questions
Do high-fibre pellets replace hay?
No, even when high in fibre, they lack the long, abrasive texture of hay that's essential for wearing down teeth and stimulating transit.
Can too many fresh vegetables throw off the fibre balance?
Yes, in excess they dilute the ration's share of indigestible fibre in favour of heavier fermentation.
Should the type of hay change with the rabbit's age?
The fibre proportion remains the top priority at any age, though a younger, richer hay can usefully supplement growth in kits.
An accessory from our shop for this use: Wooden hay rack with tray for rabbit, guinea pig and chinchilla (€21.90) · the whole shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Rabbits universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.
