This is a specific conversation about Rabbit food and hay — getting the diet right — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Three bonded rabbits with one senior in the mix — that's a really common situation and the hay question comes up a lot. Before I get into whether you need to separate them at feeding time, let me give you the baseline: hay should make up around 80% of every rabbit's diet regardless of age. It's not a filler — it's what keeps the gut moving and what wears the teeth down properly. Pellets are a small supplement, not the main event. Now, to give you the right steer on the senior rabbit specifically: how old is the older one, and what are all three currently eating day to day?
The senior is about 8, the other two are 3 and 4. They're all bonded so they live and eat together. They're getting meadow hay at the moment, plus about an egg cup of pellets each and some leafy greens. The older one has slowed down a bit but the vet hasn't flagged anything serious yet.
inparticular.ai
That's actually a pretty solid setup — meadow hay is fine, and the pellet portion sounds reasonable. The main thing I'd want to change for your 8-year-old is swapping at least some of the hay to timothy hay. Timothy is lower in protein and calcium than meadow hay, which matters more as rabbits age because their kidneys become less efficient at processing excess calcium. The younger two won't be harmed by timothy at all — it's excellent for them too. So you don't necessarily need to feed them separately. Can I ask: does the senior eat enthusiastically, or do you notice her picking at hay less than the others?
She does eat a bit less hay than the younger two, yeah. She still goes for the greens and pellets first.
inparticular.ai
That's typical for older rabbits — they'll often prioritise the easier, tastier food. The problem is that if she's eating less hay, her gut motility and tooth wear both suffer, and it can sneak up on you before any obvious symptoms appear. The fix isn't usually separation — it's making the hay more appealing and available in multiple spots so she doesn't have to compete. I'd recommend switching everyone to Oxbow Western Timothy Hay. It's consistently fresh, has a good smell that encourages reluctant eaters, and the nutritional profile suits your senior well without shortchanging the younger pair. Put it in two or three spots around their space so the older one can always access some without having to push past the others.
That makes sense. Do I need to reduce pellets for the senior then, or keep it the same?
inparticular.ai
For an 8-year-old who's healthy but slowing down, I'd keep pellets very modest — if anything, slightly less than the younger two, especially if she's a good weight. Excess pellets at that age can contribute to sludgy urine and calcium buildup. Stick with a timothy-based pellet rather than alfalfa-based if you ever switch brands. The priority is just getting her eating more hay consistently — that does more work than any supplement or food change. The Oxbow Timothy Hay is the right starting point. Get a good-sized bag, keep it fresh in a dry spot, and refresh the hay racks daily rather than topping up — stale hay is often why older rabbits lose interest.
Really helpful, thank you. I'll order the Oxbow timothy and try putting hay in a couple of spots. Fingers crossed she takes to it.
inparticular.ai
She very likely will — Oxbow timothy has a good track record with fussy eaters. Give it a week or two before judging it; sometimes older rabbits just need a bit of time to shift habits. If she's still ignoring hay over greens after a fortnight, it's worth mentioning at the next vet visit since dental issues can make hay uncomfortable to chew. But based on what you've described, I'd expect the extra access points and fresher hay to make a real difference.
