Hay is not just something rabbits eat. It is the foundation of their health, digestion, and daily routine. For pet owners who truly care about their rabbits, choosing the right hay products matters more than almost anything else in their diet.

In this guide, we are exploring rabbit hole hay products, how they are sourced, how they are graded, and why so many dedicated rabbit owners trust them. We will also touch on how thoughtful feeding choices pair well with care tools like Everbreed, which help rabbit owners stay consistent and informed over time.

Why Hay Is the Most Important Food for Rabbits

Rabbits rely on hay more than any other food. Their digestive system is a one-way tract, which means they cannot vomit or regurgitate. Once food enters their system, it must pass through completely. This is why fiber is critical.

High-quality hay provides long-strand fiber that supports:

• Healthy digestion
• Consistent gut movement
• Proper stool formation
• Lower risk of digestive issues
• Natural tooth wear

Most rabbit-savvy veterinarians agree that 80 to 90 percent of a rabbit’s daily diet should be hay. Pellets are great in moderation, greens add variety, and treats should be limited. Hay does the real work. For rabbits, bunnies, and other small pets like guinea pigs and chinchillas, hay is not optional. It is essential.

Getting to Know Rabbit Hole Hay

Rabbit Hole Hay is a small business located in Chico, California. Every box of hay is hand-packed with care, not machine-cut, and sourced from farms in Northern California and Southern Oregon.

What makes Rabbit Hole Hay different is their focus on quality and education:

• Hay is organically grown and weather-dependent
• Farms are personally visited for quality control
• Hay is kept covered to protect nutrients
• Moisture exposure is carefully avoided

• Packing is done by hand to preserve long strands and reduce dust

This approach results in hay products that rabbits actually want to eat, not just dig through or throw aside.

A Texture-Based Grading System That Makes Sense

One thing that sets rabbit hole hay products apart is how they are graded. Rather than labeling hay strictly by field cuts, Rabbit Hole Hay grades their hay by texture. In 2019, they officially moved away from first cut, second cut, and third cut labels and introduced a clearer system:

• Coarse
• Medium

• Soft

The goal was simple. When a customer orders hay, they should know what it will feel like and how their rabbit will interact with it. Texture matters more than the technical name of the cut.

Understanding Timothy Hay Products

Timothy hay is one of the most common grass hays fed to adult rabbits. Rabbit Hole Hay offers three distinct Timothy textures so owners can choose what works best for their bun.

Coarse Timothy Hay

Coarse Timothy Hay is often harvested from the first cut, although some second cuts can also qualify when the texture develops properly. This hay is typically identified by its mint or olive green color, along with thick, fully developed hollow stems that give it a firm, coarse feel. The leaves are broad but make up less than half of the overall hay, while long, mature seed heads are commonly present and help define its sturdy structure.

This type of hay provides excellent chewing resistance. It supports dental health and digestion and works well for adult rabbits with strong teeth. Some customers refer to this as ultra-premium coarse timothy or premium coarse timothy hay because of its structure and fiber content.

Medium Timothy Hay

Medium Timothy Hay is the fan favorite among Rabbit Hole Hay customers and is known for its balanced texture and easy chew. It typically has a true or hunter green color, with thin, mostly solid stems that are less rigid than coarse hay. This variety contains more leaves than stems, making it softer overall, while the seed heads are noticeably shorter and fewer than those found in coarse Timothy hay.

Medium Timothy strikes a balance between softness and structure. It is easier to eat than coarse hay while still promoting healthy chewing and digestion. For many rabbits, this becomes their “only hay” because it checks so many boxes.

Soft Timothy Hay

Soft Timothy Hay contains mostly leaves, with very few stems or seed heads, giving it a noticeably soft texture. It typically appears darker green in color and has extremely thin stems, or in many cases, almost none at all. At a glance, this hay looks and feels soft and leafy, making it a gentle option for rabbits that prefer or require a softer hay.

Ultra premium soft timothy and premium soft timothy hay are often chosen for older rabbits, rabbits with dental issues, or rabbits that struggle with rough textures.

Soft Timothy Hay contains the fiber needed for digestive health, but because it is so gentle, it may not provide enough tooth wear on its own. Mixing it with coarser hay or offering chew items helps maintain dental balance.

Orchard Grass as an Alternative to Timothy

Not every rabbit can eat Timothy hay comfortably. Some rabbits and even some owners experience sensitivities or allergies. This is where orchard grass becomes an excellent option.

Rabbit Hole Hay offers both soft and coarse orchard grass, which is uncommon in the hay world.

Soft Orchard Grass

Soft Orchard Grass is the softest hay that Rabbit Hole Hay carries and is easily recognized by its blue-green color and long, soft leaves. This variety contains almost no stems and very few, if any, seed heads, which contributes to its gentle texture and low dust levels. Because of its softness and cleanliness, it is often a preferred option for rabbits with sensitivities or for owners looking for a softer hay choice.

Because orchard grass lacks the pollen-heavy seed heads common in Timothy, it is often better tolerated by rabbits with sensitivities. Orchard grass offers the same fiber content as Timothy hay and supports digestion just as well.

Coarse Orchard Grass

Coarse Orchard Grass is harvested from the first cut and offers more structure than softer grass hays. It includes visible stems and seed heads, along with long strands that encourage natural chewing behavior. This balance of roughage and nutrition makes Coarse Orchard Grass a solid option for supporting both dental health and digestion, especially for rabbits that need more chewing resistance.

For rabbits that need chewing resistance but cannot eat Timothy, coarse orchard grass is a strong option.

Why Hand-Packed Hay Matters

Many hay products on the market are machine-cut and heavily processed, which often results in short, broken pieces, excess dust, and crushed leaves that create a less appealing texture for rabbits. These processing methods can lead to more waste and less hay being eaten. Rabbit Hole Hay does things differently by focusing on careful handling and quality at every step.

Their hay is:

• Hand-processed, not machine-cut
• Packed fresh and green
• Stored away from sunlight

• Protected from water and moisture

Hand-packing preserves long strands and reduces dust. This means less waste in the box and more hay that your rabbit will actually eat instead of tossing aside.

Where is Rabbit Hole Hay Grown?

Rabbit Hole Hay sources its hay from the mountain valleys of Northern California and Southern Oregon.

These regions offer:

• Fertile soil
• Cool summer days and nights

• Ideal growing conditions for grass hay

Hay is a natural product, and weather plays a big role in how it grows each year. That is why Rabbit Hole Hay focuses on grading by texture rather than relying only on harvest timing.

Fiber and the One-Way Digestive Tract

Rabbits have a one-way digestive tract. They cannot vomit, and toxins can only leave their system through proper digestion.

Fiber supports:

• Healthy gut movement
• Better poops
• Lower risk of GI stasis

• Reduced issues like poopy butt

Grass hay provides the long strands of fiber rabbits need to keep everything moving the way it should. This is why hay is not just food, but daily maintenance for a rabbit’s entire system.

Choosing the Right Hay Products for Your Rabbit

Every rabbit is different. Age, dental health, sensitivities, and personal preference all play a role in choosing hay.

General guidance includes:

• Alfalfa is best for younger rabbits
• Adult rabbits do well with Timothy or orchard grass
• Soft hay helps rabbits with dental challenges
• Coarser hay supports strong chewing

• Mixing textures can provide balance

Watching how your rabbit eats, chews, and digests hay will help guide your choice over time.

Supporting Feeding Decisions with Everbreed

Feeding high-quality hay products is only one part of good rabbit care. Keeping track of what works and what does not helps owners make better long-term decisions.

Everbreed helps rabbit owners:

• Track feeding routines
• Monitor digestion and health
• Record weight and behavior changes

• Stay consistent with care

When combined with trusted hay products from Rabbit Hole Hay, good record keeping helps support healthier rabbits day after day.

Conclusion

Rabbit Hole Hay has built its reputation around care, quality, and education. From their texture-based grading system to their hand-packed approach, every detail is designed with rabbits in mind.

For rabbit owners who want excellent hay products that support digestion, dental health, and overall wellness, Rabbit Hole Hay offers options worth understanding and trusting. Choosing the right hay is one of the most important decisions you make for your rabbit. When that choice is informed, consistent, and backed by quality, your rabbit feels the difference every single day. Explore our shop today!