Vet says cut pellets, add hay variety for Thrianta

So your vet has flagged the pellet intake and wants you to shift toward more hay variety — that's actually one of the most important adjustments you can make for a rabbit's long-term gut health, and it's great that it was caught early. Thiantas are a compact, active breed and their digestive systems really do depend on constant hay movement. Before I point you toward anything specific, can you tell me a bit more? How old is your rabbit, and what hay are you currently using — is it just one type, or a mix?

That makes a lot of sense. Timothy is a solid base, but using only one hay type can mean rabbits get bored and actually eat less of it — which is the opposite of what you need. Slow gut sounds are an early warning sign for GI stasis, which can escalate quickly in rabbits, so adding variety now is exactly the right move. What I'd suggest is introducing Oxbow Orchard Grass alongside your timothy. It has a softer texture and a slightly sweeter smell, which most rabbits find much more appealing — and because the fibre length and texture differ from timothy, it genuinely encourages more chewing. Oxbow is the brand most rabbit vets reach for, and the orchard grass in particular tends to get even reluctant hay-eaters munching more consistently.

Keep both — don't replace the timothy. The goal is a mixed hay rack so he has different textures and smells available at the same time. Some rabbits will prefer one on a given day, and that's fine; what matters is that there's always something he finds appealing so he's eating hay pretty much constantly throughout the day. Oxbow Orchard Grass is available on Amazon UK — the 425g bag is a good starting size to see how he takes to it before committing to a larger quantity. If he takes to it well, the 1.13kg bag is much better value. You could also consider adding a small amount of Oxbow Botanical Hay (which includes dried flowers and herbs) as a third option down the line — that's particularly good for enrichment and getting fussier rabbits interested.

A general guide for a healthy adult rabbit is about one to two tablespoons of pellets per kilogram of body weight per day — so for a typical Thrianta, which usually comes in around 2 to 2.5kg, you're looking at roughly two to four tablespoons maximum. The key is that pellets should be a supplement, not a staple. If he's filling up on pellets he simply won't eat enough hay, and hay is what keeps his gut moving and his teeth worn down properly. Cut back gradually over a week so it doesn't feel like a sudden change to him, and you should see hay consumption increase naturally as he gets a bit hungrier for it.

You're doing exactly the right thing by acting on it promptly — GI issues in rabbits can move fast, so early adjustments like this really do matter. Oxbow Orchard Grass on Amazon UK is the one to go for. Watch for him eating it enthusiastically within a day or two; most rabbits take to it quickly. If his energy levels seem off or he goes off food entirely at any point, don't wait — that's worth a vet call same day with rabbits. Good luck with him.