Hay should make up the largest part of a rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla’s daily diet, and it’s easily the category we’re best known for in Singapore. But “hay” isn’t one thing — different cuttings and types have different textures, fibre levels and protein content, and the right one depends on your pet’s age, weight and preferences. Here’s what we actually stock and how to choose between it.
What does “cutting” mean?
Timothy hay is harvested more than once a season, and each harvest — or “cutting” — has a different balance of stem, leaf and flowery seed head. Earlier cuttings are stemmier and higher in fibre; later cuttings are softer, leafier and lower in fibre. None is objectively “better” — it’s about matching the hay to your pet.
1st Cutting Timothy Hay
1st Cutting Timothy Hay is the most fibre-rich of the three cuttings and less calorie-dense, with plenty of the flowery heads small animals love. It’s slightly less soft than 2nd and 3rd cutting, which makes it a good fit for pets with chronic digestive issues, pets that need extra dental wear from chewing tougher stems, or pets that could do with shedding a little weight. It’s perfect for rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas.
2nd Cutting Timothy Hay
2nd Cutting Timothy Hay is considered the “gold standard” for healthy adult small animals — a middle ground between 1st and 3rd cutting in both texture and fibre. It’s leafy with a soft stem and a medium number of flowery heads, and it’s the most popular hay we sell for exactly that reason: most adult rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas do well on it as an everyday staple.
3rd Cutting Timothy Hay
3rd Cutting Timothy Hay is the softest and leafiest of the three, with the most flowery heads and the least fibre. It’s a good option for picky eaters who won’t touch a stemmier hay, and for animals that need extra calories — for example if they’re recovering or need to gain some weight. Because it’s lower in fibre than 1st or 2nd cutting, it works best as part of a varied hay diet rather than the sole hay on hand.
Other hay types we stock
- Orchard Hay — a fibre-rich alternative to Timothy for rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas, especially useful if your pet has a Timothy hay allergy or you just want to add variety.
- Oat Hay — yellowish, stemmy, with some oat heads attached; a good way to add variety to a hay rotation for rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas that are getting bored of the same texture.
- Alfalfa Hay — higher in protein than grass hays, best suited as a treat hay or for young, pregnant or underweight rabbits and guinea pigs rather than as an everyday adult hay.
- Gourmet Hay — premium farm-fresh hay blended with extra herbs and dried flowers and berries, a treat-style hay rabbits particularly enjoy.
- Premium Ultra-Soft Timothy Hay — an extra-soft Timothy hay for rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas.
- Sampler Hay Box — lets you try a variety of our hays in one box, ideal if you’re still working out which one your pet prefers.
How to choose
If you’re not sure where to start, 2nd cutting Timothy is the safest everyday default for a healthy adult rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla. From there, it’s worth adjusting: softer 3rd cutting for a picky eater, firmer 1st cutting if your pet needs more fibre or dental wear, and Orchard or Oat hay in rotation for variety. Whatever you choose, keep a fresh supply on hand at all times — small pets need a constant supply of fibre to keep their digestive system healthy.
Hay and rabbit food, together
Hay should always be the largest part of your rabbit’s diet, but it’s not meant to be the only thing in the bowl. Our Rabbit Food Pellets are a Timothy-based rabbit food formulated to sit alongside hay as a daily staple — not replace it — rounding out the fibre from hay with the rest of what a rabbit needs.