Preventing dental issues in rabbits with diet

Dental health in rabbits is almost entirely diet-driven, so the fact you're thinking about this at six months — before any problems start — puts you in a really good position. Californian rabbits are a sturdy breed, but like all rabbits their teeth grow continuously throughout their lives and only stay worn down correctly through the right kind of chewing. Before I point you toward something specific, a couple of quick questions: is your rabbit eating hay consistently at the moment, and are you looking to improve the hay itself, add a supplement, or both?

Right, so this is actually the core issue — and it's really common. Pellets are soft and don't require the long lateral chewing motion that wears rabbit teeth down properly. If hay is a side dish rather than the main event, the teeth won't grind correctly and you can end up with spurs, malocclusion, and expensive vet trips down the line. The fix isn't a supplement — it's making hay genuinely appealing and cutting back the pellets so he's hungry enough to eat it. What hay are you currently using?

Almost certainly yes. A lot of cheap hay is dusty, stalky, and low in the leafy bits rabbits actually want to eat. The difference in enthusiasm when you switch to a quality hay is pretty dramatic for most owners. My recommendation is Oxbow Western Timothy Hay — it's consistently fresh, leafy, and fragrant, which makes rabbits far more likely to graze on it throughout the day the way they're supposed to. Timothy hay specifically has the right fibre structure for dental wear. I'd get the largest bag you can store, reduce his pellet portion to around one to two tablespoons per kilogram of body weight per day, and make hay the always-available constant. Within a week or two you should see him eating significantly more of it.

Mineral and salt licks aren't necessary if he's eating a balanced diet with good hay — they're more of a marketing product than a genuine need. Chew toys like untreated willow sticks or apple wood can be a nice enrichment bonus, but they won't replace the dental work that long-strand hay does. The hay really is doing almost all the heavy lifting here. Get the Oxbow Timothy sorted first, adjust the pellets down, and you'll be doing far more for his teeth than any supplement could.

Perfect plan. One last tip: if he's reluctant at first, try hiding a few pellets in the hay so he has to forage through it — most rabbits quickly start associating the hay with food hunting and the habit builds from there. You're catching this early and that really does matter for lifelong dental health.