Friendly forage and hay
Friendly is a small-pet forage brand built around dried Readigrass and grass-based forage, sold as a complementary fibre source rather than a replacement for hay. We stock four lines from the range, covering plain, alfalfa, oat and Timothy grass options.
What's in the range
Friendly Readigrass is a dried grass forage for small pets generally, while Friendly Timothy Readigrass uses specifically Yorkshire-grown timothy grass, a variety commonly recommended for rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and degus because of its fibre content. Friendly Alfalfa ReadiGrass is a higher-protein legume forage rather than a grass, more suited to young or nursing animals with higher energy needs than an adult on a maintenance diet.
Friendly Green Oat Readigrass is a grain-free dried oat forage at 28% fibre, meant to be fed unrestricted alongside hay rather than measured out like a concentrated feed. All four are described as complementary rather than complete, so they sit alongside a proper hay-based diet rather than replacing it, and swapping between them from time to time is a simple way to add variety without changing the bulk of what your pet eats.
Who this suits
This range suits an owner who already feeds hay as the bulk of their small pet's diet and wants to add variety or extra fibre, rather than someone looking for a single complete food. Alfalfa in particular is worth reserving for younger, pregnant or underweight animals rather than feeding freely to a healthy adult, given its higher protein and calorie content compared with grass hay.
If you are unsure how much of any forage to add on top of your pet's usual hay, that is worth checking against general small-pet feeding guidance or with your vet, since the right balance depends on the individual animal's age, weight and any existing health condition.
Common questions
- Can Friendly Readigrass replace hay in my rabbit's diet?
- No, it is sold as a complementary forage rather than a complete diet, so it is meant to sit alongside a hay-based diet rather than replace the bulk of it — hay should still make up the majority of what a rabbit or guinea pig eats.
- Is alfalfa forage suitable for adult rabbits?
- Alfalfa is higher in protein and calories than grass hay, which is why it tends to suit young, pregnant or underweight animals rather than a healthy adult on a maintenance diet, where grass-based forage is usually the better everyday choice.
- What is the difference between Readigrass and normal hay?
- Readigrass is dried grass processed to be more palatable and often more nutrient-dense than standard hay, and is generally fed as a smaller, complementary addition rather than in the large quantities a small pet would get through of ordinary hay each day.
- Why does my small pet need variety in their forage?
- Some small pets get bored of the same hay day after day and eat less of it as a result, so adding a different dried grass or forage occasionally can help keep them interested in eating enough fibre overall, which matters more for their digestion than any single ingredient.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.