Elderly Flemish Giant diet advice — hay at age 10

A 10-year-old Flemish Giant is genuinely remarkable — that's a very old rabbit, and it tells me you've been doing something right. To answer your question directly: no, the fundamental hay requirement does not change with age. Hay should still make up around 80% of the diet, because it's what keeps the gut moving and the teeth worn correctly — and both of those become even more critical in senior rabbits, not less. Pellets remain a small supplement only. What I'd like to understand is this: is your rabbit still eating hay readily, and are there any health issues in the picture — dental problems, weight loss, digestive slowdowns, anything like that?

That's a really solid setup, and the fact that she's still eating hay at all is great news. The reduced enthusiasm is worth paying attention to though. In elderly rabbits, a drop in hay intake can sometimes come down to texture — older teeth and jaw muscles can make coarser hay harder work. One thing worth trying is a softer, leafier hay alongside her Timothy. Orchard grass or meadow hay tends to be softer and more palatable for seniors, and some rabbits who've gone off Timothy will eat it readily. Have you noticed whether she's leaving more of the stalky pieces and eating the softer bits, or is she reducing overall volume across the board?

That's a very clear signal. She's telling you exactly what she needs — the hay itself is fine, but the texture is the issue. I'd recommend switching to Oxbow Orchard Grass Hay. It's consistently cut finer and softer than most Timothy hays, it's widely available, and it's specifically well-suited to older rabbits or those with any dental sensitivity. You don't need to drop the Timothy entirely if she'll still eat some of it — mixing the two is completely fine — but making Orchard Grass the primary offer will likely bring her hay intake back up. Given the arthritis, also make sure her hay rack or feeder is at a comfortable height so she's not straining her joints to reach it. A floor-level hay feeder can make a real difference for arthritic rabbits.

At 10, the main watchpoints are weight, gut motility, and dental health — all three are connected to hay intake, which is why keeping that up matters so much. Watch her droppings: if they become smaller, fewer, or misshapen, that's an early sign gut movement is slowing and warrants a vet check. Keep the pellet portion small — senior pellets are fine, but overfeeding them at the expense of hay is the most common mistake with older rabbits. Fresh leafy greens daily also help with hydration, which supports kidney function. And given the arthritis, worth asking your vet about pain management if you haven't already — a comfortable rabbit eats better. You're clearly very attentive with her, which is the biggest factor at this age.

Good plan. The feeder height adjustment costs nothing and might make an immediate difference. Oxbow Orchard Grass is easy to find on Amazon UK — just make sure you're getting the full-size bag rather than the small one, it works out much better value and you'll go through it quickly enough. She sounds like she's in good hands.