3 Best Rabbit Hay For Allergies

Before you purchase any hay for your rabbit, you must find out if you are allergic to it or not. Here, We are going to discuss the best grass for rabbit allergies. We have done extensive research to gather all the information about the best rabbit hay for allergies. Therefore you won’t have to spend hours and hours looking for your answer.

If you use any hay for rabbits and discover you are allergic, you must replace it with the other kind of hay available in the market, like Bermuda grass or Orchard Grass. 

Besides that, you should also wear a dust mask and gloves to avoid allergens when handling grass or hay. Let’s first find out the kind of hay every veterinarian recommends. 

Vet Recommends: Timothy Hay

According to most veterinarians, hay is considered the most suitable type for rabbits because it is rich in protein and calcium. Apart from this, the grass is also widely used as bedding and sometimes as a digestive aid for small pets like hamsters and rabbits. Timothy hay is also popular among pets like horses and cattle as a feed. People with allergies also face some associated problems with this type of hay.

Problem With Timothy Hay

As we know, timothy hay is the most common and widely used feed for small pets. It also releases the most abundant airborne grass pollen at certain times. Timothy grass is perennial and grows as tall as 5 feet with flat leaves and dense spike-like flower clusters.

Also, it releases wind-borne pollen in the air from spring to fall. Therefore, timothy grass makes the worst type of hay for rabbits and people who have allergies. This species is the second most type of grass that causes severe allergic problems in people.

Depending upon certain times of the year, many plants release the same pollen for further fertilization. Therefore, people suffering from an existing grass allergy also get an allergic reaction during this time. 

Here are some symptoms that Timothy’s grass pollen allergy can exhibit.

• Itchiness
• Watery eyes
• Runny nose
• Swelling on the face

Best Rabbit Hay For Allergies

Orchard Grass

As we already know, all rabbits need hay to keep their digestive tract healthy, and their teeth have worn down. If you or your rabbit have allergies to Timothy hay, then Orchard grass can do your work. Orchard grass is the second most suitable type of hay for rabbits.

Because it is less likely to cause allergies in people, orchard grass is recommended. Make sure to get the Orchard grass from a reputable brand because some batches or brands are dustier than others.

It would help if you always went with the soft Orchard grass as it tends to be low in protein & calcium while being high in fiber. It is also the weakest type of hay you can carry around while traveling with your rabbit.

Soft Orchard grass usually has longer blades of grass with minimal seed heads and little brown leaves. It usually grows in clumps. Surprisingly, this grass offers much easier chewing & digestion to small animals like rabbits than hay.

Plus, picky eaters & elder rabbits love eating soft Orchard grass. As your rabbit ages, software becomes more critical for their well-being. However,, most commercial Orchard hay available will also have coarse grass to maintain the rabbit’s dental health.

Therefore, I would always recommend you to make some Timothy hay into your soft Orchard grass. If you are allergic to Timothy, then go with oats and hay. Below is the best rabbit hay for allergies that I found helpful and most rewarding. It is almost dust-free and hand-picked hay that all allergy sufferers need the most.

Best Hay: Ultra Premium & Hand Packed: Soft Orchard Grass

You will never appreciate having dusty hay, especially if you suffer from allergies or have a sensitive immune system. Therefore, choosing the right type of hay from the right brand becomes more critical for those with allergies.

This ultra-premium hand-picked soft Orchard grass is the most popular and helpful type of hay among allergy sufferers. All of the hay from this brand is tested to ensure it is free from pesticides when harvested. With each bag, you will get fresh, fragrant, and green hay that is hand-picked with little to no dust.

It’s a good substitute for Timothy’s hay as it carries all the essential nutrients. While being soft, it also promotes dental health. It is comparatively low in protein and higher in fiber than most hay. This hay also supports healthy weight gain and digestion for pets like rabbits and hamsters.

Without doing much, I would highly advise you to try this right now, as one bag of this hay would be enough to clear your doubts and supplement your problems. After trying just one load of hay, you will become a repeat customer of this product, especially if you have an allergy or sensitive immune system. If you want to avoid Orchard grass, oats hay is an alternative.

Alternative: Oat Hay

Technically, oat hay cannot be considered grass hay, but it is still rich in nutrition and can benefit rabbits. As it is an excellent source of fiber, you can use it as a digestive aid for rabbits. Oat hay tends to be more challenging than Orchard and Timothy hay but yellowish with more hollow stalks.

Rabbits usually poop in light color if this hay is fed. You should never be surprised if your bunny’s poop looks like sawdust when crumbled and is lighter colored. However, the best part for rabbits when eating oats is the yummy oats attached.

The oats are the favorite part for most of the bunnies. Most of the oat hay can vary widely in terms of content and appearance depending upon when it is harvested. Oat hay is not only good for small animals like rabbits but also for big animals like cattle.

It is also suitable for herbivorous animals that need extra fiber but doesn’t like to eat first, cutting Timothy. Oat hay is rich in protein and fiber but also fat. Feed this hay cautiously as it can lead your bunny to an unexpected weight gain. 

After this information, you may wonder: Are Rabbits Good For Allergy Sufferers or Not?… Should you get one? Read this guide…

3 Other Tips For Allergy Sufferers

If you have severe rabbit allergies, it can be due to the airborne particles from the hay or your pet’s urine. Always look out for rabbit fur allergy symptoms. I suggest adopting one of the 5 rabbits that are hypoallergenic or don’t shed much. Therefore there are a few other tips that an allergist advises.

• Always wear a disposal mask and a latex glove when handling the hat to fill your bunny’s food dish or change his litter.
• Always purchase a good air purifier with a Hepa filter and keep it near your rabbit’s cage.
• If you don’t trim your rabbit’s nails and your rabbit often scratches you, you should immediately wash that area using an antibiotic or antibacterial soap and rinse it well. If you have a severe allergy, you should use Benadryl cream or cortisone lotion immediately. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, I recommend you try the Orchard grass recommended above as it is entirely dust free and relatively soft. If you or your rabbit have allergies to Timothy, you can always go with oats or Orchard grass. Rabbits can also suffer from allergies. Learn here: Can Rabbits Have Seasonal Allergies?

Most rabbits prefer Timothy as it is equally nutritious, but Timothy is also responsible for severe allergies in people. The type of hay you should always avoid is alfalfa because it tends to be rich in calcium and protein.