Hay is not a side item for rabbits and guinea pigs, it is the single most important part of their diet. Getting the hierarchy right (hay first, pellets second, treats a distant third) prevents a lot of the dental and digestive problems small pet owners run into. Here is how to build that hierarchy properly, and what we stock at each level.
Hay: the foundation
Rabbits and guinea pigs should have access to good quality grass hay at all times, not as an occasional extra. Constant chewing on fibrous hay wears down their continuously growing teeth and keeps the digestive system moving, and hay should make up the large majority of the diet by volume for both species. We stock loose hay and compressed hay cubes from Peters, Multicube, Green Valley Naturals and Showmaster, including lucerne, oaten and pasture hay. The Peters Lucerne Hay is a straightforward everyday option, and Multicube's Pasture Hay Cubes are a lower-mess alternative if loose hay is impractical in your setup. Note that lucerne (alfalfa) hay is higher in calcium and protein than grass hay, so it suits growing, pregnant or nursing animals better than it suits a sedentary adult, where a grass or oaten hay is usually the better everyday base.
Pellets: a measured top-up, not free feeding
Formulated pellets fill nutritional gaps that hay alone does not cover, but they are meant to be fed in a measured daily portion rather than left available all day, since free-fed pellets can crowd out hay intake and lead to weight gain. Oxbow, Burgess Excel, Vetafarm and Wombaroo are our main pellet ranges, with life-stage and species-specific formulas. The Oxbow Essentials Adult Rabbit Food and Oxbow Essentials Adult Guinea Pig Food are formulated separately for each species, which matters because guinea pigs need dietary vitamin C (they cannot synthesise it themselves) while rabbits do not, so a guinea-pig-specific pellet is fortified differently to a rabbit one. Burgess Excel's Nuggets range covers junior, adult, indoor and mature life stages for both rabbits and guinea pigs if you want a UK-formulated alternative.
Fresh food and treats
Fresh leafy greens in small daily amounts add variety and hydration on top of hay and pellets, but introduce anything new gradually and in small quantities, since a sudden change can upset a small pet's sensitive digestive system. Treats sit at the bottom of the hierarchy: useful for bonding and training, but easy to overfeed given how small these animals are. Our treat range includes Little Cheeks' freeze-dried vegetables and forage-style treats in small portioned packs, which suit occasional feeding better than a large bag of mixed treats.
Other small pets: rats, mice and beyond
Rodents like rats and mice have different needs again, generally omnivorous and less hay-dependent than rabbits and guinea pigs. Peters' Mouse & Rat Feast range comes in both meat-inclusive and vegetarian formulas, giving you a species-appropriate option rather than repurposing rabbit or guinea pig feed for a different animal. Wombaroo also stocks specialist milk and rearing formulas that go beyond standard small pet feed, useful if you are hand-rearing or caring for an animal with specific needs.
Water and monitoring intake
Fresh water needs to be available at all times, whether from a bottle or a bowl. Bottles avoid the mess and contamination risk of a bowl but should be checked daily to make sure the ball or spout has not jammed, since a small pet can go through water quickly and a stuck bottle can go unnoticed longer than a visibly empty bowl. It is also worth keeping a rough eye on how much hay and pellets your rabbit or guinea pig is actually getting through day to day. A sudden drop in appetite, reduced droppings, or a rabbit or guinea pig that stops eating for more than a few hours is worth acting on quickly, since both species can decline fast once their gut slows down.
Building the daily hierarchy
- Unlimited hay, refreshed daily so it stays appealing and free of soiling.
- A measured daily portion of species-appropriate pellets, not free-fed.
- A small daily serve of fresh greens, introduced gradually.
- Treats occasionally, in small portions appropriate to the animal's size.
This guide covers general feeding principles only. Every small pet species has its own specific needs, and if your animal is unwell, not eating, or has an existing health condition, consult your vet rather than adjusting the diet alone.
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