Best place for hay?

[Kate79]

Hi everyone I was using Sierra Valley for hay and was very happy with them, but they closed up shop. I tried Small Pet Select and the hay seems nice and fresh but it’s all tiny shreds, like 1-2″ long so it gets everywhere, even worse than hay normally does. The pet stores around here have Kaytee and Oxbow but they must not restock often because they always look very dead and brown. Anyone have any suggestions for a good place to get quality hay that isn’t in tiny pieces? I am in the US, I have access to a Tractor Supply Co but they aren’t exactly close so that would be a last resort for me.

[Asriel and Bombur]

I get the Small Pet Select orchard hay and I’ve never had a problem with it being in tiny shreds, quite the opposite actually. It’s very long and clumps together nicely so I can just pick a handful out and give it to each boy.

[Doodler]

I have had the same issue with Small Pet Select but only with their 3rd cut Timothy. The second cut was so hard it seems like a 1st cut so my buns wouldn’t eat it but it did have such a nice color and length. The Orchard Hay in my sample box was also really nice and I was hoping my bunnies would like it but unfortunately they didn’t like that either.

I bought a big box of the 3rd cut with the hopes that it would have more longer strands than the sample box I bought but it’s mostly short like you described and the box is full of dust. My bunnies like the hay but it’s a mess. The other day I went through and tried to shake out most of the dust and shortest strands and l ended up throwing away a lot of hay.

I contacted SPS a while back and they did confirm that the strand length can vary batch to batch. They had me email a picture of the hay I received so they could forward the information. They were really nice about giving me a credit since my bunnies wouldn’t eat the 2nd cut. Even with their good service I am going to go back to Farmer Dave’s. Their 2nd cut has always been really nice and long if you are looking for a softer Timothy …although a little on the pricey side. I don’t want to keep getting so much hay that is unusable.

I know a lot of people are happy with Oxbow and Small Pet Select though. The other recommendation I see a lot is finding a local farmer that sells grass hay for horses also. This is definitely a cheaper route but I haven’t been comfortable doing it yet.

[BeanMode]

I’ve never gotten a shipment from Small Pet Select that was that short- I usually get 10lbs of the 2nd cutting and it’s about 6 inches long. Not sure why yours was so short- but considering the customer support I’ve gotten from SPS in the past even if it was I’d make do with the mess.

chewy.com is also an option I’ve heard, they stock oxbow hay- I can’t speak to how fresh it is when it arrives however I don’t use chewy for my rabbits.

[DarthVadar]

I buy mine by the bale from a feed store. The hay is really cheap ($6 per square bale) and very fresh, because of the constant demand by owners of large livestock. Hay from feed stores is usually sourced locally, and I’ve never had problems with it being dusty or too short.

[tobyluv]

The Oxbow that I order from drsfostersmith.com has always been fresh and green, as opposed to what I have sometimes seen in pet stores. It’s frequently on sale at Drs. Foster and Smith. I also give my bunnies American Pet Diner Timothy Gold. I now have to get that from Petco.com, since Drs. Foster and Smith no longer carries the smaller bags.

[Lindsayjgunn]

Hi there! I’m in the same boat as you. Sierra valley is the only hay my bunny will eat. I have tried SPS, one ear up, Sherwood and KMS hayloft (although this was a while ago) and my bunny wouldn’t touch it. He also likes long strands… I’ve gone down a “rabbit hole” and am trying to find other hay vendors located in Northern California in hopes that it will be similar in quality. Will let you know if I come up with anything.

[Author]

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