This is a specific conversation about Rabbit food and hay — getting the diet right — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Living in a flat with a rabbit makes hay choice matter more than most people realise — dust and loose fibres build up fast in small spaces, and that's bad for both of you. Before I get into specifics: hay should make up around 80% of your rabbit's diet. It's not a side offering — it's what keeps the gut moving and wears the teeth down naturally. Pellets are a small top-up, nothing more. How old is your rabbit, is he in good health, and what are you currently feeding him?
He's three years old, a Dutch rabbit called Monty. He seems healthy — good energy, eating well. I'm giving him a mix of pellets and some meadow hay from a pet shop, but the hay makes the flat really dusty and I'm always sneezing.
inparticular.ai
That's a very common problem with loose meadow hay — it's often full of fine particles and dried plant debris that become airborne the moment you handle it. At three, Monty is a healthy adult rabbit and his needs are straightforward: high-fibre timothy hay as the bulk of his diet, good quality pellets in a small measured amount (roughly an egg cup per day for a Dutch), and fresh leafy greens. The dustiness you're experiencing is the hay, not just your flat. What brand of pellets is he on, and roughly how much hay does he get through in a week?
He's on Supreme Science Selective pellets — I give him about a handful a day. Hay-wise, I just keep his rack topped up, so maybe a couple of big handfuls? The sneezing is really getting to me though.
inparticular.ai
Good news on the pellets — Supreme Science Selective is one of the better ones, so no change needed there. The handful is on the generous side; dial it back to roughly 25g measured and you're in a good place. For the hay and your dust problem, I'd switch Monty to Burgess Excel Timothy Hay. It's dust-extracted, so the fine particles that cause the sneezing are removed before packaging. Timothy hay is also slightly coarser than meadow hay, which means better tooth wear for an adult rabbit like Monty. The fibre content is consistently high, and because it's processed to remove dust it stays much cleaner in a small space — less mess on the floor, less in the air. It comes in a 1kg bag which is practical for a flat, and it's widely available on Amazon UK. Keep the rack topped up as you're doing — unlimited access to hay is exactly right.
That sounds perfect. Is there anything else I should be doing differently for a rabbit living in a flat?
inparticular.ai
The main things are ventilation and enrichment. Make sure Monty's area gets reasonable airflow — not a draught, but not a sealed corner either, especially once you're handling hay daily. For enrichment, Dutch rabbits are active and curious, so make sure he has daily free-roam time in the flat, even if it's just a couple of hours. Fresh greens like romaine, rocket, and fresh herbs a few times a week will round out his diet nicely alongside the hay and pellets. You're already doing the important things right — this is just a refinement.
Really helpful, thank you. I'll order the Burgess Excel Timothy Hay today.
inparticular.ai
Good call. Monty should be fine on it straight away — no gradual transition needed when switching between hay types, unlike pellet changes. If you notice he's reluctant at first, try mixing a small amount with his current hay for a few days just to ease him in. Any other questions, come back.
