Oxbow Orchard Grass Hay Review: Better Than Timothy?
An Oxbow orchard grass hay review: softer texture and sweeter smell, when to choose it over timothy, the allergy angle, and why variety beats loyalty to one grass.
The softer grass that tempts fussy rabbits, and the one it exists for allergic owners.
The verdict: Orchard grass is softer, sweeter smelling and often more readily eaten than timothy, which makes it the standard next step for a rabbit that picks at coarse hay and the answer for owners whose own timothy allergy makes handling hay miserable. Buy it as a change of grass or a permanent switch. Skip it if your rabbit already eats timothy well, because softer hay does slightly less of the molar grinding work that grass hay exists to do.
Oxbow Orchard Grass Hay for Small Pets, 40 oz Bag, Pack of 2
~$24
Two 40 oz bags of all-natural long strand orchard grass hay, softer and sweeter than timothy, grown for small herbivores.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Quantity | Two 40 oz bags |
|---|---|
| Type | Orchard grass, natural long strand |
| Texture | Soft, with a naturally sweet flavour |
| Origin | Harvested from Oxbow's family of farms |
| Purpose | High in fibre for digestive and dental health |
| Grown for | Rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and hamsters |
| Role | A grass hay, so suitable as the unlimited base of an adult diet |
Specifications above come from Oxbow's published product information. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- It is a grass hay, so it can be the unlimited base of an adult rabbit's diet in exactly the way timothy is, unlike alfalfa.
- Softer texture and a sweeter smell win over a good proportion of rabbits that turn their noses up at coarse timothy.
- It is the usual recommendation for owners with a timothy allergy, which is a real and reasonably common problem in rabbit households.
- Long strand structure is preserved, which is the property that makes a rabbit chew side to side and wear its molars.
- Two 40 oz bags is a sensible trial quantity, small enough to test a fussy rabbit without committing to a bulk box.
Where it falls short
- Softer means less abrasive, and abrasion is how grass hay grinds molars. A rabbit fed only very soft hay gets less dental benefit than one eating coarse stem.
- Price per pound in small bags is high. If your rabbit settles on orchard grass, buying it in a 20 lb box is far better value.
- It is sweeter, and some rabbits that switch to it eat less timothy afterwards, which narrows the variety in the diet.
- Batch variation applies here as it does to all hay, so colour, softness and leafiness differ between bags.
- Being softer, it compresses and breaks up more in shipping and handling than stemmier hay does.
What owners report
Owner reports on Oxbow orchard grass consistently describe two things: rabbits that were picking at timothy eating this readily, and owners with hay allergies finding it much easier to handle. The sweeter smell comes up repeatedly as a positive from owners and, judging by intake, from rabbits. The usual criticism is price in the small bag sizes, and the same batch to batch variation that affects every hay brand.
The most useful framing is that variety is better than loyalty. Rabbits in the wild eat many grasses, and offering two or three different hays keeps intake up and stops a rabbit fixating on one texture. A common approach is a coarse timothy as the main hay with orchard grass mixed in, which gives both the dental abrasion and the palatability. Our timothy versus orchard grass comparison works through the differences, and our hay types compared chart covers oat, meadow and botanical hays as well.
What orchard grass is not is a fix for a rabbit that has stopped eating hay it used to eat. That change is usually about pain rather than preference, and molar spurs are the most common cause. Our guide to a rabbit that will not eat hay covers the reasons, and a rabbit-savvy vet should look at the teeth before you work through hay brands. For the alternatives, see our Small Pet Select 2nd cutting review and our Oxbow 40 lb bulk review, both in the hay roundup.
Who it suits
- Owners of rabbits that pick at or refuse coarse timothy.
- Anyone in the household with a timothy allergy, where orchard grass is the standard alternative.
- People who want to offer two or three grasses rather than one, which is closer to how rabbits eat naturally.
Who should skip it
- Owners whose rabbit already eats timothy well and needs the extra abrasion.
- Anyone buying in volume, who should look at the 20 lb box rather than pairs of small bags.
- Owners of a rabbit that has recently stopped eating hay, who need a vet before a new hay.
Alternatives worth considering
Oxbow Orchard Hay, Hand-Sorted, De-Dusted, 20 lb
~$52
The same grass in a 20 lb box, at a far better price per pound. This is what to buy once you know your rabbit eats orchard grass, and the box stores better than a stack of small bags.
Check price on AmazonSmall Pet Select 2nd Cutting Perfect Blend Timothy Hay, 12 lb
~$37
If the problem is texture rather than the grass itself, softer second cutting timothy may solve it while keeping more stem in the diet. It ships uncompressed, so the strands arrive intact.
Check price on AmazonOxbow Western Timothy Hay, High Fiber, 40 lb
~$85
Most owners end up with a coarser timothy as the everyday hay and something softer alongside it. Buying the bulk timothy and adding orchard grass as the treat hay is a better diet than either grass alone.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Timothy vs orchard grass hay
- Oxbow vs Small Pet Select hay
- Hay types compared
- Why won't my rabbit eat hay
- Best timothy hay for rabbits
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is orchard grass better than timothy for rabbits?
Neither is better in the abstract. Both are grass hays that can be fed unlimited to adult rabbits, and both support gut motility and dental wear. Orchard grass is softer and sweeter, so more rabbits eat it readily, while timothy is coarser and does slightly more grinding work on the molars. The best answer for most rabbits is both, offered together or alternated, since variety keeps intake up. Our timothy versus orchard grass comparison covers the specifics.
Is orchard grass hay good for rabbits with allergies?
The allergy in question is usually the owner's rather than the rabbit's, and yes, orchard grass is the standard suggestion for people who react to timothy. Some rabbits also seem to sneeze less on it, though hay dust rather than grass species is the more likely culprit there. If your rabbit is sneezing, has a discharge from the nose or eyes, or has crusted front paws, that is a veterinary matter rather than a hay choice.
Can rabbits eat only orchard grass hay?
They can, and a rabbit eating plenty of orchard grass is in a far better position than one eating little hay of any kind. The mild reservation is that softer hay is less abrasive, so if orchard grass is the only hay, keep a close eye on dental health and mention it at annual check-ups. Offering a coarser grass alongside it is the simple way to cover the gap, and most rabbits will eat both.
How much orchard grass should a rabbit eat?
Unlimited, like any grass hay. Grass hay should make up 80 to 90 percent of an adult rabbit's diet, refreshed at least daily, with pellets as a small measured portion and a handful of leafy greens on top. A useful mental picture is a pile roughly the size of the rabbit each day. If your rabbit is eating noticeably less hay than that, work out why rather than compensating with more pellets.
My rabbit prefers orchard grass and now ignores timothy. Is that a problem?
It is a mild one, not a crisis. Softer, sweeter hay is more appealing and rabbits will hold out for it, in the same way children hold out for the nicer food. If you want to keep timothy in the diet, mix the two rather than offering them in separate piles, and reduce the proportion of orchard grass gradually. What matters most is total hay intake, so a rabbit eating a large amount of orchard grass is doing better than one eating a little timothy.
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