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I read a lot about hay pellets and Timothy Hay and Timothy Hay pellets here, when it comes to questions about rabbit's (and sometimes guinea pig's) diets.

Here in Germany I did not use nor even actively see something like this. I know hay (dried grass), pellets (grained stuff from vegetable-cut-offs to left-overs of milk production, baked to small balls or rings) and fresh grass, but without any special name.

I try to understand, why there are so much answers recommend to increase the intake of Timothy Hay pellets, even if the rabbit favor fresh green grass instead. (Is it even all the same? Pellets <-> hay <-> Timothy)

Is there something that I miss?

(Examples: What's The Purpose of Hay Pellets?

What are good fiber substitutes for hay in a rabbit's diet?

Is grass OK instead of hay?

my rabbit absolutely will not eat hay and very little pellets )

lila
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Allerleirauh
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1 Answers1

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Timothy hay pellets are made from Timothy grass (Phleum pratense), a type of grass that originated in Eurasia and has been cultivated in America since the 1720s. It's grown as feed for cattle, horses, rabbits, guinea pigs and other herbivore pets.

Timothy hay is rich in long fibre and its abrasive texture helps to grind down the teeth, keeping both the teeth and jaw in good order. (Source)

Timothy grass is a traditional premium hay for horses and other pets, but its limited yield (only 2 cuttings per year) make it not widely available in commercial products. Its very low sugar and protein content and high fiber content make it a very valuable feed for animals with a sensitive stomach or metabolic disorders.

High quality Timothy Grass contains a moderate amount of protein, usually testing at approximately 8% protein. It has a consistent and balanced ratio of calcium to phosphorus and Timothy Grass has a low to moderate calorie content. Timothy Grass is also a rich source of fiber. Seemingly, the only potential draw-back with Timothy Grass is availability. Timothy grass usually yields just two cuttings per year and requires a significant amount of water to grow. These two factors along with its traditional popularity limit the supply of Timothy Grass hay. (Source)

The German name of Timothy grass is "Wiesen-Lieschgras", which is much more unwieldly and less suited for marketing purposes. There are additional factors why you won't find Timothy hay easily in Germany:

  • Timothy hay is not cheap and can be considered a special diet. That's why you won't find it in most supermarkets that sell only cheap pet food.
  • Most consumers want to offer their pets a varied diet, so most commercial hay products for small pets contain a mixture of different crasses and herbs. You'd need to read the list of ingredients to see if a product contains Timothy hay.
  • Traditional meadows for hay production in Germany usually aren't cultivated and sown each year, but naturally grow a mixture of different plants. To get pure Timothy grass you have to cultivate it on a field.

You can find Timothy hay in specialized shops like heu-kaufen.com (sold as "Timothy") and Hansemanns Team (sold as "Lieschgras").

Elmy
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