As a veterinary nutritionist, I tell every rabbit and guinea pig owner the same thing on their first visit: grass hay is not a side dish, it is the diet. It should make up the large majority of what your small herbivore eats every single day. Unlimited grass hay keeps their constantly growing teeth worn down and keeps the gut moving, and a gut that stops moving is one of the most common ways I lose these patients. So when people ask me which hay to buy, I take the question seriously.
To answer it properly, I fed six of the most popular grass hays to my own rabbits and a small herd of guinea pigs over several months. I judged each one the way I would in a clinical setting: leaf-to-stem ratio, green color and freshness, dust and fine particles, smell, and whether the animals actually ate it without sulking. I also bought multiple bags of each to check that quality held up order to order, because a hay that is wonderful once and disappointing the next time is not a hay I can recommend. Below are the six I trust, ranked. Every product links to my full review if you want the detailed breakdown.
1. Oxbow Western Timothy Hay
This is the hay I reach for first, and it is what I most often recommend to new owners. Across every bag I opened, the color stayed green, the leaf-to-stem ratio was strong, and the dust was minimal compared with the budget options. My animals ate it consistently and enthusiastically, which is the real test. It suits almost any adult rabbit or guinea pig, and it is the safest default if you do not want to think too hard about your choice. Read my full assessment in the Oxbow Western Timothy Hay review.
2. Small Pet Select 2nd Cut Timothy Hay
Small Pet Select hand-sorts its hay, and you can feel the difference. This 2nd cut timothy has a beautiful balance of soft leaf and supportive stem, and in my testing even picky eaters who turned their noses up at coarser hay tucked into this one. It costs more than the grocery brands, so it suits owners who want a premium daily hay and have a fussy eater to win over. See the details in the Small Pet Select 2nd Cut Timothy Hay review.
3. Small Pet Select Orchard Grass Hay
When I have a patient who refuses timothy, or an owner who sneezes every time they fill the hay rack, I point them to orchard grass. This one is soft, sweet-smelling, and was readily accepted by my reluctant eaters. Orchard grass tends to carry less pollen than timothy, so allergy-prone households often find it easier to live with. It is a genuinely excellent primary hay, not just a fallback. My full notes are in the Small Pet Select Orchard Grass Hay review.
4. Oxbow Orchard Grass Hay for Rabbits & Guinea Pigs
If you trust the Oxbow name and want an orchard grass option, this is a solid choice. It brings the same dependable quality control I see across the Oxbow line, with the softer texture and milder aroma that make orchard grass appealing to choosy animals. In my testing it edged just behind the Small Pet Select orchard on leaf quality, but it is widely stocked and easy to find, which matters when you need hay this week. It suits owners who want a reliable orchard grass from a familiar brand. Read more in the Oxbow Orchard Grass Hay review.
5. Kaytee Timothy Hay for Small Animals
Kaytee is the budget pick, and I want to be honest about what that means. It is more variable than the premium hays, with more stem and the occasional dustier bag, but it is affordable and stocked nearly everywhere. For a healthy adult on a tight budget, a fresh bag of Kaytee timothy is a perfectly reasonable daily hay, and the wide availability means you are rarely caught without any. It suits cost-conscious owners who can inspect each bag for freshness. See my full review of the Kaytee Timothy Hay.
6. Vitakraft Timothy Hay for Small Animals
Vitakraft rounds out the list as a runner-up budget option. It is easy to find in pet stores, and the quality is acceptable for a healthy adult, though in my testing it ran a little coarser and less consistent than the bags above it. I treat it as a useful backup or travel hay rather than a first choice, and it works in a pinch when your usual hay is out of stock. It suits owners who value in-store availability. The details are in the Vitakraft Timothy Hay review.
How I Chose
I bought multiple bags of each hay and fed them to my own rabbits and guinea pigs over several months rather than judging a single bag on looks alone. I graded leaf-to-stem ratio, because the leaves carry more nutrition and flavor than the woody stems. I checked color, favoring green over brown or yellowed hay, and I checked for dust and fine particles that can bother sensitive airways. I smelled every bag for a sweet, grassy aroma and rejected anything musty or sour. Most importantly, I watched what the animals actually ate, because the best hay on paper is useless if your pet ignores it.
What to Look For
When you open a fresh bag at home, look for green color, plenty of leaf, and a clean grassy smell. A little brown is normal, but heavily yellowed or brown hay has usually lost freshness. Avoid bags that are dusty, packed with coarse stems, or that carry any musty odor, and never feed hay that shows visible mold. Match the hay to the life stage: grass hays like timothy and orchard are for adults, while alfalfa is reserved for growing babies and some pregnant or nursing animals because of its high calcium and protein. If your animal suddenly stops eating hay or producing droppings, treat it as urgent and call your veterinarian, since gut slowdown in rabbits and guinea pigs can become life-threatening quickly. For more on small herbivore care, the ASPCA and the AVMA both publish useful owner guidance.
FAQs
Below I answer the questions owners ask me most often about choosing, feeding, and storing grass hay.