Forage food for small animals
Forage food is built around what rabbits and guinea pigs would naturally spend most of their day doing — grazing on hay and mixed dried plants, bit by bit, rather than eating a single meal and stopping. This aisle covers hay-based mixes and forage blends rather than concentrated pellet or muesli-style feeds, which sit in the small pet food aisle nearby.
Why forage-based feeding matters
Both the Rabbit Welfare Association and PDSA are clear that hay should make up the majority of a rabbit's diet, not just a portion of it, because constant grazing keeps their digestive system moving and wears down teeth that grow continuously throughout their life. A forage mix supports that same grazing behaviour rather than encouraging a quick meal and a long wait until the next one.
Guinea pigs benefit in a similar way, both for their digestion and for having something to occupy their time — a hutch or cage without enough to forage through for most of the day is a welfare gap as much as a dietary one.
Choosing and introducing a forage mix
Look for a genuine mix of hay and dried herbs or plants rather than one dominated by a single sweet or colourful ingredient, since a rabbit or guinea pig will often pick out the tastiest bits and leave the rest — the same selective-feeding problem that affects muesli-style pellet mixes.
Introduce a new forage food gradually alongside what your pet already eats, watching their appetite and droppings over the following few days, and keep fresh hay available at all times regardless of which forage product you choose — it's the baseline, not an optional extra.
Common questions
- How much hay should a rabbit eat each day?
- Hay should make up the majority of a rabbit's diet and be available at all times, not just given once a day. It supports constant grazing, which keeps their digestion moving and helps wear down their continuously growing teeth.
- What is forage food for small pets?
- Forage food is a hay-based mix, often combined with dried herbs or plants, designed to encourage the natural grazing behaviour of rabbits and guinea pigs rather than being eaten in one sitting like a concentrated pellet feed.
- Can guinea pigs eat the same forage mix as rabbits?
- Many forage mixes suit both, but guinea pigs need a reliable source of vitamin C in their diet that rabbits don't require in the same way, so check the product is appropriate for guinea pigs specifically or that their vitamin C needs are met elsewhere.
- Why does my rabbit only eat part of the mix and leave the rest?
- This is selective feeding, where an animal picks out the tastiest pieces and ignores the rest, often the less nutritious parts of the mix. A genuine hay-based forage blend with less added sugar or colour reduces this compared with a muesli-style feed.
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Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
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.