Best hay for senior rabbit with GI slowdown risk

A 7-year-old Palomino with a vet flagging GI slowdown — that's exactly the kind of situation where hay stops being background noise and becomes the actual treatment plan. Hay should make up around 80% of a rabbit's diet regardless of age, but in a senior with slowing gut motility it's genuinely non-negotiable. The long fibre strands keep the gut moving and the chewing action keeps teeth worn down correctly — pellets can't do either of those things. Before I point you toward the right hay, a couple of quick questions: what is your rabbit currently eating day to day, and has the vet given any other guidance beyond the GI slowdown warning?

That 50/50 split is almost certainly part of the problem. Pellets are energy-dense and easy to eat, so rabbits will often fill up on them and graze less hay — which means less gut stimulation and less tooth wear. At seven, her gut is less forgiving of that. Meadow hay is fine for variety but it tends to be softer and lower in long-strand fibre than timothy hay, which is exactly what you want for gut motility. Can I ask — is she eating the meadow hay willingly, or leaving most of it?

That's very common, and it usually means the pellet portion needs to come down significantly so hay becomes the appealing option by default rather than the afterthought. Most adult rabbits need no more than a tablespoon of pellets per kilogram of body weight per day — for a senior with GI concerns I'd go toward the lower end of that and let hunger do the work. On the hay itself, I'd switch her to Oxbow Western Timothy Hay. It's consistently cut with long strands rather than the dusty, short-chopped texture you often get from pet shop bags, and that length is what physically moves through the gut and keeps things flowing. It's also very palatable — a lot of reluctant hay eaters come around to it. I'd offer it in a rack at nose height rather than on the floor; rabbits tend to graze more when they can pull strands naturally.

The hay is the main thing — get that right first and you'll see the biggest difference. Fresh leafy greens daily are worthwhile alongside it: romaine lettuce, fresh herbs like parsley or coriander, and dark leafy things are all good. They add hydration and variety without displacing fibre. I'd hold off on adding anything marketed as a gut supplement unless your vet specifically recommends it — most of what's sold for rabbit digestion is unnecessary if the hay intake is properly sorted. Focus on the Oxbow Timothy, cut the pellets right back, and give it two to three weeks. If her droppings don't improve in size and quantity, that's worth going back to the vet with.

Good plan. Reduce the pellets gradually over a week or so rather than all at once — it gives her time to adjust and start seeking out the hay. Watch the droppings closely; they're the clearest signal that things are moving as they should. Oxbow Timothy is widely available on Amazon UK and usually arrives quickly. You're doing the right thing catching this early at seven — GI slowdown caught before it becomes stasis makes a real difference.