How long can hay be stored?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 9sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by kurottabun.

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- 04/03/2018 at 4:09 AM
  kurottabun
  Participant
  908 posts
  So Kurotta is pretty small in size and it takes him quite long to finish what’s in the hay rack. I bought a whole kilo worth of timothy hay from the store so I’m not too sure when it was harvested, but I did ask the seller how long it could be kept – they said that they normally only keep it for 2-3 months
  
  Currently it’s been a month he’s only eaten about 1/8 of the bag and I’m pretty sure at this rate the hay isn’t going to be finishing in 2-3 months. It still smells nice though, and I haven’t really seen any mould growing – only a few brown bits of hay here and there.
  
  Should I keep it as long as it’s not mouldy and he is still eating it, or should I throw it out once it hits 2-3 months?
- 04/03/2018 at 4:51 AM
  Sirius&Luna
  Participant
  2320 posts
  Honestly, I’m a bit worried that a kilo of hay is lasting him so long. I have 3 bunnies, one of whom weighs a kilo. I reckon the smallest gets through about half a kilo of hay a week. When I had two, I used to reckon that a kilo would last them a week.
  
  Now I buy them 9 kilo bags and they last me about 6-8 weeks.
  
  Eating around 150g of hay in a month is nowhere near enough. Do you definitely mean a kilo bag?
  
  As for throwing it, if its kept aerated and still looks and smells fresh, it should be fine.
- 04/03/2018 at 4:51 AM
  Sirius&Luna
  Participant
  2320 posts
  Honestly, I’m a bit worried that a kilo of hay is lasting him so long. I have 3 bunnies, one of whom weighs a kilo. I reckon the smallest gets through about half a kilo of hay a week. When I had two, I used to reckon that a kilo would last them a week.
  
  Now I buy them 9 kilo bags and they last me about 6-8 weeks.
  
  Eating around 150g of hay in a month is nowhere near enough. Do you definitely mean a kilo bag?
  
  As for throwing it, if its kept aerated and still looks and smells fresh, it should be fine.
- 04/03/2018 at 5:02 AM
  Wick & Fable
  Moderator
  5835 posts
  As long as it’s dark, cool, and dry, pretty much as long as time goes….
  
  The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 04/03/2018 at 7:14 AM
  kurottabun
  Participant
  908 posts
  Posted By Sirius&Luna on 4/03/2018 4:51 AM
  
  Honestly, I’m a bit worried that a kilo of hay is lasting him so long. I have 3 bunnies, one of whom weighs a kilo. I reckon the smallest gets through about half a kilo of hay a week. When I had two, I used to reckon that a kilo would last them a week.
  
  Now I buy them 9 kilo bags and they last me about 6-8 weeks.
  
  Eating around 150g of hay in a month is nowhere near enough. Do you definitely mean a kilo bag?
  
  As for throwing it, if its kept aerated and still looks and smells fresh, it should be fine.
  
  It says 35oz on the bag – I googled it and it’s about a kilo?
  
  Hmm. I haven’t tried getting him other brands of hay yet. The breeder I got him from did tell me that he “didn’t give him much hay because he would play with it and waste it” though – so I’m wondering if Kurotta still isn’t quite used to eating hay yet. In the first week that I got him, I did reduce the pellets and noticed he ate more hay then. Currently I’m giving him the normal recommended amount of pellets and unlimited timothy hay since I do see him munching on hay when he’s in his litter box or when he is out in the play pen.
  
  He has also been pooping well all this while (normal looking round and solid poops) and peeing normally so I didn’t think that there was any issue with the hay.
- 04/03/2018 at 7:32 AM
  Sirius&Luna
  Participant
  2320 posts
  A good rough estimate is that they should eat a pile roughly the size of themselves each day. I would say that all of my buns do that, although it varies when they eat it. Luna eats mostly through the night, whereas Nimbus and Atlas graze all day.
  
  If he’s only eaten an 8th of a 35oz bag in a month though, that’s just a few strands a day, I would’ve thought. It’s great that he’s pooping well, but hay consumption is also important for their teeth as you know, so I would have a bit of a play around with his diet and see if you can up his hay consumption. If reducing pellets worked previously, I would try that again. Although places advise young bunnies should have unlimited pellets, its only so long as it’s not interfering with hay consumption.
  
  Unfortunately wasting hay is part of having rabbits – but it’s always better to give them a bit too much and have them throw it around, than have them not eat enough.
- 04/03/2018 at 7:42 AM
  kurottabun
  Participant
  908 posts
  Posted By Sirius&Luna on 4/03/2018 7:32 AM
  
  A good rough estimate is that they should eat a pile roughly the size of themselves each day. I would say that all of my buns do that, although it varies when they eat it. Luna eats mostly through the night, whereas Nimbus and Atlas graze all day.
  
  If he’s only eaten an 8th of a 35oz bag in a month though, that’s just a few strands a day, I would’ve thought. It’s great that he’s pooping well, but hay consumption is also important for their teeth as you know, so I would have a bit of a play around with his diet and see if you can up his hay consumption. If reducing pellets worked previously, I would try that again. Although places advise young bunnies should have unlimited pellets, its only so long as it’s not interfering with hay consumption.
  
  Unfortunately wasting hay is part of having rabbits – but it’s always better to give them a bit too much and have them throw it around, than have them not eat enough.
  
  Okay I may have exaggerated when I said 1/8 lol. I just had a rough image off the top of my head, but I went to check and realised it’s probably more than that, albeit still not enough. Will most probably try and get him other brands soon.
- 04/03/2018 at 8:00 AM
  Sirius&Luna
  Participant
  2320 posts
  That looks like pretty good quality hay
  
  You could also try mixing his pellets or some herbs into it, so he has to forage around in it a bit more It might also be worth trying placing some in the corner of his litter box – some bunnies just don’t like eating from hay racks.
- 04/03/2018 at 10:47 AM
  kurottabun
  Participant
  908 posts
  Hmm you may be right – I do notice that he doesn’t quite like eating from the rack as much as he does when the hay is in a cardboard box or on the floor. Thank goodness he does have a favourite corner to pee and poo on the litter box itself, so I’ve placed the hay in the other corner where his head is usually facing (the box has a grille on top).
  
  Will observe and see how it goes. Thanks!
- 04/03/2018 at 8:21 PM
  kurottabun
  Participant
  908 posts
  Update: So I transferred the hay from the rack onto Kurotta’s litter box at around 10+pm yesterday night. This morning at 7+am I went to check on him and it does seem like quite a big difference! This is a comparison on how much he ate throughout the night:
  
  I will stick to giving him his normal portion of pellets with the hay on his litter box for now and see how it goes. Thanks everyone!
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