Switching a rabbit from pellets to hay-led diet

Switching a rabbit off a pellet-heavy diet to something hay-led is one of the best things you can do for their long-term health — but at two years old, it needs to be done gradually so you don't upset the gut. Hay should make up around 80% of a rabbit's diet: it keeps the digestive system moving, prevents dangerous GI stasis, and the constant chewing action is what naturally wears the teeth down. Pellets are useful but they're a supplement, not a staple. Before I point you toward anything specific — is your Polish rabbit currently healthy, any dental or digestive issues, and what does a typical day of feeding look like right now?

That's a really common pattern — rabbits raised on pellets often ignore hay at first because pellets are calorie-dense and easy. The trick is to reduce pellet volume slowly while making hay constantly available, so hunger nudges her toward it rather than forcing the change. The other thing that helps a lot is hay quality. Dusty, dry, stalky hay gets ignored. Fresh, sweet-smelling hay gets eaten. What brand or type were you buying before, do you remember?

Almost certainly, yes. Poor-quality hay is one of the main reasons rabbits refuse it. For a two-year-old Polish rabbit making this transition, I'd go with Oxbow Western Timothy Hay. It's the benchmark product for good reason — consistently fresh, green, and fragrant, with the right fibre length to support gut motility and dental wear. Polish rabbits are a small breed, so you won't need huge quantities, but it should be available 24 hours a day, ideally in a hay rack above the litter tray — that's where rabbits naturally graze and toilet at the same time, which encourages the habit. On pellets, cut down to one small tablespoon-sized serving per day for her size, and keep the leafy veg in the evening. Within two to three weeks most rabbits are eating hay readily once the quality is there.

Gradual is much safer. Halve the morning pellet serving in week one, then remove the morning serving entirely in week two, leaving just one small evening portion. By week three you can reduce that final portion to a tablespoon or less. Going cold turkey on pellets can cause a rabbit to refuse food altogether and that risks GI stasis, which is a genuine emergency in rabbits. Slow and steady keeps the gut stable while hay becomes the new normal.

Good move. One last tip — when the hay arrives, hold a handful near her nose before you put it in the rack. The smell alone often triggers interest in rabbits that have never engaged with quality hay before. Within a few weeks you should see her teeth and gut thanking you for it.