Questions about hay

[Huckleberry]

 I am going to order a new box of hay tomorrow. I usually get a mini bale of timothy hay and orchard grass or oat hay. The vet says that I need to get harder hay to help Huckles grind down her teeth. I thought that timothy was the harder stuff… is there a harder hay? I googled it all but I am still very unclear about it all. So, here are my questions… thank you in advance for clarifying. 

What is the difference between first and second cut? How would those cuts affect my bun?

Is there a difference between timothy and blue timothy? 

Is there a difference between the green colored hay I order online and the golden colored hay I see at the feed stores? 

Which hay would be best to help her grind her teeth down?

[KytKattin]

First cut would be softer than second cut. As for nutrition, I would expect that first cut would be more nutritious, but second cut is still fine.

Maybe blue timothy is regular timothy mixed with blue grass? I can’t help you much there.

While hay color is important, some varieties are just different colors. For instance, oat hay is typically golden. The only way to know would be to ask what type of hay it is. You could even mix the two, just make sure the feed store hay (or any hay, really) isn’t full of mold and dust.

A variety would be best. Thick stalk hays like oat would be good. I am sure there are others that other members will be able to recommend! A variety will encourage her to eat more hay to begin with, and constant hay eating is better than trying to get it to be a particular roughness. Maybe cut her greens and pellets back a little if you have more varieties of hay to offer so she will spend more time chewing.

[RabbitPam]

This won’t help and I may be wrong, but I thought that 1st cut is the tougher, 2nd cut is softer and 3rd cut even softer, which is why bunnies who have trouble with their teeth or digestion often get onto the 2nd and 3rd cuts. (Sarita, which is it?)

I would recommended trying Mature Oat Hay. It’s tougher, happens to be the tan color, and is good for teeth. I think Broam may be a tough hay as well. (Orchard grass is the opposite, very soft, so don’t try that.)

You might also get Huckles some unpeeled willow toys and treats. (Like the willow wreathes). I put my hay into a willow basket and she’s eating the basket along with the hay. It is tough like sticks, but not as hard as wood and good for digestion, so he may get a chewing workout with willow.

Apple sticks are good, too. Hay for the daily grind, and the rest for tough chewy treats and toys.

[Sarita]

First cut is the most fiberous and the “toughest”. 2nd and 3rd cuts are softer.

I’m not familiar with Blue Timothy. I know KMS has a Bluegrass with is a hybrid orchard/bluegrass.

Oxbow does not distinguish between cuts for their Timothy so you won’t know the cut but in my experience w/their hay, it’s much stalkier so I suspect it’s mainly 1st cut.

I think the golden colored hay is more like straw, but you might have to ask the farmer or feed store exactly what type it is.

I guess my question is this…is Huckleberry having some dental problems? The way that hay works in “grinding” teeth down is the motion in which the teeth work rather than the hardness of the hay.

[Huckleberry]

Thanks for the info.
She is not showing any signs, currently, of having problems. However, I had to take her to the vet in September/October (cant remember exactly) and they had to grind her teeth down. The vet said she needed to come in again in February. She also said that Huckles needs to be encouraged to chew on tougher hay. Her jaw is offset just a bit and so they dont grind like they should. I think the vet was working under the assumption that Huckleberry only chews the orchard grass and oat hay and avoids the timothy. The last bunch of hay I purchased were the mini bales from the BB store. I give Huckles 2 flakes of timothy and 1 of orchard roughly every other day. She eats almost all of it in that span of time. She gets the oat hay as a topping.
I had planned on repeating the same order but I wanted to check to make sure I am getting the best possible stuff for my little girl.

Also, I gave her apple sticks but she never touches them unless I am holding them for her. 

[Sarita]

The thing with misaligned teeth is they will always have this problem unfortunately. Once it’s a problem, it’s usually a problem for life although you can try to mitigate it so that you don’t have to have the teeth done as often.

It sounds like you are on the right track with the hay though if you can get her to eat it and she’s not stubborn about it.

[KytKattin]

Oops. Haha. I was tired last night, and somehow it worked in my head that the first sprouts would be soft and tender and after it was shaved, like when you shave you legs, the hair appears to grow back thicker and tougher.

[Huckleberry]

Haha, its ok KytKattin

Thanks Sarita, I think Ill just get what I normally do. She loves it and eats it.

[Author]

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