Rabbit hay for sensitive eyes — cleaner hay guide

So your rabbit developed itchy eyes on their last hay — that's a classic sign of a dusty or poorly dried product, and it's more common than people realise. Before we get into solutions: hay should make up around 80% of a rabbit's diet. It's not a nice-to-have — it keeps the gut moving and grinds the teeth down naturally. Pellets are a small supplement, not the main event. Tell me a bit more about your rabbit: how old are they, are they otherwise healthy, and what hay were you using before?

That timeline — symptoms appearing with the hay and clearing once you stopped — points strongly to dust or mould spores in that hay rather than any underlying health issue with her. Supermarket own-brand hay is often compressed in bags for a long time, which traps moisture and encourages mould, and it's rarely screened for dust the way specialist brands are. What part of the hay does she tend to eat most — does she pick through it, or does she usually eat most of what you put in?

Good — a rabbit who eats hay readily is a joy to manage. The fact she's keen means you just need a cleaner source, not a different feeding strategy. I'd point you to Oxbow Western Timothy Hay. It's produced specifically for small animals, kiln-dried to a consistent low moisture level, and screened to keep dust content down. Timothy is also ideal for an adult rabbit like her — high in fibre, lower in calcium than some other grass hays, which matters at three years old when you're not trying to support bone growth. It's available in a couple of bag sizes on Amazon UK. Given she eats well, I'd go for the larger size — it's better value and fresh hay stored in a cool dry spot stays good for weeks.

I'd switch fully rather than mixing, at least initially. If you mix with the old hay or any unknown source, you won't be able to tell whether the eye irritation returns from the new product or residual dust from the old one. Give Oxbow a few weeks on its own — if her eyes stay clear and she's eating well, you'll know you've found your baseline. You can always introduce a second variety later, like oat hay or meadow hay from a quality source, once you've confirmed she's settled. Keep the pellet portion small — a tablespoon or so per day for a rabbit her size — and you're in good shape.

Great choice — she should do really well on it. If the eye symptoms come back at any point even on clean hay, it's worth a vet check just to rule out other causes, but in most cases like yours the hay quality is the whole story. Hope she enjoys it.