Best diet for a Holland Lop rabbit

Great that you're thinking about this now — getting the diet right at one year old, before any bad habits form, is exactly the right move. Hay should make up around 80% of your rabbit's diet. That's not a rough guideline — it's the foundation of gut health and the main mechanism keeping those teeth properly worn down. Pellets are a small supplement to that, not the main event. So, a couple of quick questions: what are you currently feeding your Holland Lop, and roughly how much hay versus pellets each day?

You have, yes — but that's exactly why you're here and it's an easy fix at this age. The ratio wants to flip completely: unlimited hay available at all times, and pellets down to about one tablespoon per kilogram of body weight per day. For a Holland Lop, that's usually around two tablespoons maximum. The key thing with hay is quality — rabbits are much more likely to eat it consistently if it smells fresh and is soft enough to be appealing. What hay are you using at the moment, and is she actually eating much of it?

That's the trap — pellets are essentially fast food for rabbits, very palatable, very easy. If she's getting a full bowl every morning she has no reason to bother with the hay. Once you cut the pellets back, you'll almost certainly see her hay intake go up on its own. On the hay quality side, I'd recommend Burgess Excel Timothy Hay. It's consistently fresh, good fibre content, and most importantly it smells like proper hay rather than dust. Timothy hay has a slightly coarser stem than meadow hay which is actually better for tooth wear. You can get it on Amazon UK and it comes in a decent size bag that keeps well if you store it somewhere dry. Transition her over about a week — gradually reduce the pellets so it's not a shock, and make sure the hay rack is always topped up.

Keep a small amount going — pellets aren't bad, they just can't be the main food. At one year old, a healthy Holland Lop does fine with a small daily portion. The pellet to choose matters too: look for a high-fibre, low-protein pellet with no added seeds, nuts or coloured bits. Burgess Excel Adult Rabbit Pellets pair well with the hay I mentioned — same brand, consistent nutritional profile, and they're plain enough that they don't become more exciting than the hay. Think of the pellets as a top-up of vitamins and minerals, not a meal. Fresh leafy greens like romaine, kale or herbs a few times a week round things out nicely.

Exactly that. Give it seven to ten days and you should see a real difference in how much hay she's getting through. If she's still ignoring the hay after two weeks even with the pellets reduced, try a different cut — some rabbits prefer meadow hay or a mix. But most take to good Timothy hay once the pellets aren't competing. You're setting her up well.