Hay concerns

[LittlePuffyTail]

I recently started buying SunSeed Western Cut Junior Bales Timothy Hay for my buns and they love it. When I went to the only store in town who sells it today they only had a small bag so I bought that and a big bag of SunSeed Sweet Meadow Junior Bales TImothy Hay.

I am super careful of what I feed my buns so I sort of mixed the two kinds together. Do you think this could upset their system?? I mean I know all diet changes are to be introduced slowly but how sensitive are they with hay???  Theyre both Timothy so I figure it will be okay?

It’s really hard to find good hay around here and when I find a brand I like they stop carrying it or I get a mouldy bag and dont buy it again.

 

[osprey]

I think you should be fine.  When you buy new timothy, it is likely from a different source than your previous purchase, so your buns have had different varieties before.  I know that certain veggies can upset their system if they are not used to it, but I have never read that about hay.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hay is usually just fine, especially when it is the same type, i.e. timothy. If you think about how crops are grown, they get different versions of hay from the same field all year long, depending on the cutting. Some is really sweet, others aren’t. The thing to worry about is dust, weeds, seeds and mold. But if you buy it by the bag in a pet store, it is usually in pretty good shape as opposed to a bale that you really need to inspect closely. Do you have any feed stores near you or have a friend with a horse that would sell you a part of a bale? You can save a lot of money that way. Wait, come to think of it, didn’t you say that you have a horse? The same hay that you feed them is just fine for a bunny too.  You definately don’t want the stuff that cows are given, it is a lower grade and can contain mold. Some places will say there is no difference and they sell just one kind but there are places that do so be careful!

[LittlePuffyTail]

Yes I do have a horse and I can get all the free hay I want but I don’t really like it as rabbit hay because there are a lot of plants and flowers in it that you normally don’t find in store bought hay so Im concerned there might  be plants in the hay they shouldnt have.

I have fed them this hay in a hay shortage emergency (oops I forgot to buy more situation.)  Im just very precocious because despite all my careful feeding I have had two lops die in the past due to what my vet believes to have been GI Statis.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Oh dear, well it is better to be safe than sorry. Some hays do have a lot of that gook in them, I’m fortunate to where I have a feed store close by that sells very clean hay as far as weeds and other non-hay plants go. So sad to hear about the two bunnies you have had that passed away from GI stasis, I would be very careful myself too. If I might ask, what kind of diet are you feeding your bun now?

[Author]

Messages