Alfalfa Hay has a thicker stem and lots of elliptical leaves compared to the long thin leaves found on grass hays. The leaves run all along the thick and pliable stock. While it’s commonly referred to as Alfalfa Hay, it’s a legume (beanstalk). Full of protein and nutrients, it’s perfect for growing rabbits between the ages of 3 weeks and 7 months.

Mature rabbits can only eat a limited amount of Alfalfa due to the high levels of protein and calcium. Transition your 7-month-old rabbit off of Alfalfa Hay and onto grass hay (such as Timothy or Orchard). In limited amounts, Alfalfa Hay still makes a great treat for adult rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas.

Veterinarians recommend that to keep a healthy diet, adult rabbits and guinea pigs should have a diet consisting of 80% grass hay, and adult chinchillas should have a diet consisting of 75% grass hay.

Feeding Your Rabbit Based on Their Age

From birth until adulthood, you must feed your rabbit specific hays and other foods based on how old they are. Use the feeding timeline below to help guide you!

Birth – 3 weeks: Mother’s Milk
3 – 4 weeks: Mother’s Milk, nibbles of Alfalfa Hay, and Pellets
4 – 7 weeks: Mother’s Milk, access to Alfalfa Hay and Pellets
7 weeks – 7 months: Unlimited Pellets and Alfalfa Hay (plus see 12 weeks below)
12 weeks: Introduce vegetables (one at a time, quantities under ½ oz.)

Once your rabbit is older than 6 months, start to transition them to grass hay (such as Timothy or Orchard) and decrease pellets to ½ cup for every 6 pounds of body weight. You can also begin to slowly increase their green vegetables and give treats in moderation. The transitions will help keep your rabbit’s GI tract healthy and avoid obesity.

FEED ANALYSIS:
Crude Protein 22.07%
Acid Diet Fiber 25.78%
Neutral Diet Fiber 33.09%
Calcium 1.25%
Phosphorus 0.31%
Potassium 2.14%
Magnesium 0.34%