Hay should make up 80% of a rabbit's diet. Many online articles refer to timothy hay as a staple in the diet of rabbits, which is the case in the US. However, as the climate isn't suitable, timothy hay generally isn't grown in Australia so is mainly imported and available for purchase in bags, which can become quite expensive. As a result, in Australia, most bunny owners use local produce (e.g. oaten, meadow, rye, or teff hay) to make up the bulk of what they feed their rabbits, which is more affordable and can be purchased in bales.
However, if you are going to purchase timothy hay in Australia, there are generally 4 brands available.
Oxbow
Peters
Burgess
Alfalfa King
We have found that if you shop around and buy them on sale, all four brands can be purchased for $20-$25 per kilogram.
You can see a quick comparison of 3 of the brands available in the photo. Please note the Oxbow sample came from a 4kg bag, the Burgess sample came from a 1kg bag of 'Excel Feeding Hay with Dandelion and Marigold', which is made up of 98% timothy hay, and the Peters sample came from a 1kg bag of timothy hay imported from the US, which is completely different to their timothy & rye hay blend that is grown in Australia.
We like using timothy hay in our treat toys because our bunnies love it and it isn't their normal everyday hay, which makes it feel like a treat whilst remaining very healthy.
References
https://rabbit.org/the-importance-of-hay/
