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
Tight budgets and rabbit ownership can be a stressful combination, but the good news is that hay — the single most important thing your rabbit needs — is actually the cheapest part of keeping them properly fed. Hay should make up around 80% of a rabbit's diet. It's not filler or optional background food: it's what keeps the gut moving and what physically grinds down those continuously growing teeth. Pellets are a small supplement, not the main event. Before I point you toward the best value option, can you tell me — is your Beveren currently healthy, and what are you feeding them right now?
She's 3 years old, seems healthy, good energy. I've been giving her a mix of pellets, some fresh veg, and a bit of hay but honestly the hay runs out and I don't always replace it straight away. Just lost my job so I need something that lasts and doesn't cost a lot per week.
inparticular.ai
That gap when the hay runs out is the bit I'd want to fix most urgently. Even a day or two without hay can slow a rabbit's gut, and in a larger breed like a Beveren — they're big rabbits — that risk is slightly higher because there's more gut to keep moving. The pellet-heavy days when hay is absent are also doing nothing good for her teeth. How much hay are you getting through in a typical week, roughly? And are you buying in small bags currently?
Yeah, small bags from the pet shop which is probably why it costs more. Maybe a medium bag every week or two. I didn't really think about buying bigger quantities online.
inparticular.ai
That's exactly where you can save the most money. Small pet shop bags are expensive per kilogram and they run out fast — which is how you end up with those gaps. My recommendation is Burgess Excel Timothy Hay, available on Amazon UK in a 2kg or larger bag. Timothy hay is a good-quality feeding hay: appropriate fibre levels, well-liked by most rabbits, and consistently available. Burgess is a reputable brand, not a cheap own-label product that's dusty or poorly dried. Buying a larger bag through Amazon Subscribe & Save brings the cost down further and means you always have stock. A 2kg bag typically lasts a medium-to-large rabbit around two weeks, and for a Beveren you'd want to be generous — she needs constant access, not a measured portion.
That makes sense. Should I cut her pellets down now that hay will be more available? And is there a cheaper hay I could use instead?
inparticular.ai
Yes on the pellets — for a healthy 3-year-old Beveren, around 25–30g of pellets a day is plenty. They're useful for micronutrients but shouldn't be filling her up. If she's currently eating more than that, reducing gradually over a couple of weeks is fine. On cheaper hay: you can find meadow hay that costs less than Timothy, and it's not harmful — the fibre content is similar. The risk with very cheap hay is dust and mould, which can cause respiratory issues. If you do go for a budget meadow hay, smell it before you give it to her and make sure it's dry and pale-gold, not dark or musty. But Burgess Timothy in bulk is honestly competitive on price per kilogram, and you know what you're getting.
Really helpful, thank you. I'll order a bigger bag today and set up the subscribe and save. Feel better knowing the essentials aren't actually that expensive when you buy right.
inparticular.ai
Exactly — and you're already doing the right things with fresh veg alongside it. Keep that going, keep pellets as a small daily supplement, and make sure she never runs out of hay. A Beveren with constant access to good Timothy hay and a sensible pellet portion is a well-fed rabbit. You're in good shape.
