Selective's grain-free range
Selective's core Science Selective range for rabbits, guinea pigs and other small animals is built around hay and naturally light on added cereal to begin with, since these are grazing animals with a fibre-based diet. Alongside that, Selective Naturals has a specifically labelled Grain Free line for rabbits and guinea pigs, which is worth knowing is a distinct, separate part of the range rather than a description of everything Selective makes.
The core range versus the Grain Free line
The main Science Selective diets for rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters are hay-based nugget foods, formulated to be high in fibre and appropriate for a grazing animal's gut, and they're already light on added cereal compared with older-style muesli mixes. That's a different claim from being specifically labelled grain-free.
Selective Naturals Rabbit Grain Free and Selective Naturals Guinea Pig Grain Free are the products in the range explicitly built and labelled around that specific claim, which matters if grain-free is a requirement you're shopping to rather than a general preference for a fibre-based diet.
Why grain matters less for a rabbit than it sounds
Rabbits and guinea pigs are herbivorous grazers whose digestive systems are built around a high-fibre, largely hay-based diet, so the presence or absence of grain matters less to them than it might to a species with a different digestive system. The bigger factor for their health is the overall proportion of fibre-rich hay to concentrated food, whichever nugget or mix is chosen.
That said, if you're specifically avoiding grain, whether for a suspected sensitivity or simple preference, the Naturals Grain Free products are the ones in this range built explicitly around that.
Choosing between them
For most healthy rabbits and guinea pigs, the core Science Selective range, fed alongside unlimited good-quality hay, is a perfectly appropriate everyday diet regardless of whether it's specifically grain-free. The Naturals Grain Free line is there for owners who want that specific labelling confirmed rather than relying on the general low-cereal nature of the core range.
Whichever you choose, hay should still make up the large majority of a rabbit or guinea pig's diet, with any nugget food, grain-free or not, forming a smaller measured portion alongside it.
For this need
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Selective Naturals Guinea Pig Grain Free
Grain-free food for guinea pigs, based on Timothy hay, peas and soya
£9.20
Selective Naturals Rabbit Grain Free
A 1.5kg grain-free food for rabbits, built on timothy hay and high in fibre
£8.50
Selective Naturals Orchard Loops
Apple-flavoured loop treats for rabbits, guinea pigs, degus and chinchillas
£3.99
Selective Naturals Woodland Loops
Dandelion and rosehip flavoured loop treats for rabbits, guinea pigs, degus and chinchillas
£3.99
Selective Naturals Garden Sticks
Thyme and peppermint flavoured stick treats for rabbits, guinea pigs, degus and chinchillas
£3.99
Supreme Selective Junior Rabbit
A complete food for junior rabbits, fortified with vitamins and amino acids
£5.99
Selective Supreme Science Selective Rabbit
An extruded complete rabbit food, formulated to prevent selective feeding
From£12.30
Supreme Science Selective Guinea Pig Junior
Single-component nuggets for growing guinea pigs, with added vitamin C to 20 weeks
£7.40
Selective Naturals Meadow Loops
Pea-flavoured loop treats for rabbits, guinea pigs, degus and chinchillas
£3.99
Selective House Rabbit
Complete dry food for house rabbits, with 14% protein and 22% fibre for dental wear
£8.40
Selective Supreme Science Selective Ferret
Complete ferret food in 2kg and 10kg packs, with 43% dried chicken protein
From£12.50
Common questions
- Is all Selective food grain-free?
- No - the core Science Selective range is hay-based and naturally low in added cereal but isn't specifically labelled grain-free. Selective Naturals Grain Free products for rabbits and guinea pigs are the ones explicitly built and labelled around that claim.
- Do rabbits need a grain-free diet?
- Not specifically - a rabbit's health depends far more on getting enough hay and fibre overall than on whether grain is present in a small nugget portion. Grain-free is a reasonable preference rather than a necessity for most rabbits.
- What should make up most of a rabbit's diet regardless of the food chosen?
- Unlimited good-quality hay or grass should form the bulk of a rabbit's diet, with a much smaller measured portion of nugget food and safe leafy greens alongside it. This applies whether the nugget food is grain-free or not.
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.