Hay

Hay is dried grass that forms the majority of the diet for grazing small pets (rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, degus) — it keeps the gut moving and wears down continuously-growing teeth.

For rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus, unlimited good-quality hay should always be available and make up around 80–90% of the diet — pellets and greens are the smaller part, not the base.

Its two jobs are mechanical: the fibre keeps the hindgut moving (preventing life-threatening stasis) and the chewing wears down open-rooted teeth. A diet low in hay is behind most dental and gut disease in these species.

← Back to the full glossary