hay storage and pests

[Beka27]

awhile ago there was a thread here about hay storage and how you’re not supposed to store hay in a airtight plastic container.  some people mentioned that they store hay in a cardboard box, but do you ever have problems with getting pests in there?  my husband is concerned that since we live in a wooded area, we may get spiders or other unwelcome creatures in Meadow’s hay.  any thoughts?  are these concerns unfounded?  remember… having only one bunny, we don’t have a superquick hay turnaround.

[Sarita]

I suppose it could depend where you actually store the hay. I store mine in the rabbit room in the closet so I’ve never had any problems.

[Beka27]

i have the hay in a corner of the dining room with Meadow’s other supplies (litter, pellets, etc.)  i’ll just have to keep an eye on it.  i did notice that when i opened the bag, the hay wasn’t as dry as it normally is, it felt more fresh.

[sarah bowden]

why is it bad to store hay in air tight containers?

[Deleted User]

i to only have one bun (Beepers) and I too am confused as to how store the hay…I have it in the original plastic bag it came in but open at the top so air gets in it…and is it ok to leave the hay from the previous day in the hay hanger and add fresh to it or do I have to make it all fresh…Beepers eats alot but not as much as I put out for him so there is some left…I don’t want to throw it out..I am a new bun owner and need direction…I adopted and are learing as I go..the previous owner was no help…just dropped him off…talked for 15 mins and left…now I can’t get ahold of her at all..but this website has been a godsent…please keep up the great work…and please help…

[MooBunnay]

I generally store my hay in trash bags with the top tied for the extra – and the hay that I am using at the time I will store in a large rubbermaid container. I have not had any problems with pests in my hay up to this point, and have not had any problems with the hay going bad either, so I think either the plastic bag, or those large rubbermaid tubs are very good ways to store hay.

Janymae – in response to your question, you do not have to throw away hay that has been in the rack. You can just add to the hay in the rack, or consider putting the hay into the litterbox, where the bunnies may still eat pieces of it. It is a good idea to put additional fresh hay in the rack, but there is no need to throw out the other hay unless it were to somehow get damp or moldy.

[Sarita]

Here is a good article form Sterret Brothers Hay

http://www.sterettbroshayandfeed.com/articles/haystorage.shtml

I store mine in the rabbit room closet in the cardboard boxes – I remove the plastic bags.  Now I realize that they may store the hay at the hay farm in plastic bags and who knows how long it is stored that way before we get it…I still take it out of the plastic.  Some of the hay I purchase does not come in plastic bags so I like that.

 

[JK]

I buy my hay from Bink Bunny and it comes in a cardboard box so I just leave it in that and keep the box in Edson’s room.  These are compressed bales and are the perfect size as they stay fresh.  I go through 1 in 10 days for Mr. Pig, Edson.  I was told never to store it in sealed containers because of the potential for mold but not sure about that…that it needs air.

[BinkyBunny]

Plastic  attracts and holds in moisture and prevents airlflow to dry the moisture out. Hay, as dry as it is, still has moisture, and can become moldy if it can’t breathe.

It’s okay to store in plastic as long as their is some air flow. For example Oxbow stores theirs in plastic bags, but there are airholes throughout the bag.

It also depends on your circumstances, if you do store hay in a plastic bin, and you are going to it everyday, it is probably getting a decent amount of air just by opening and closing it everyday (good idea to rotate it around) but if you store a larger amount somewhere else, just waiting to use it, then you would need to keep an eye on it, air it out and rotate it.

As far as keeping bug pests out, you can try and use a cotton laundry bag and tie it off at the top. Use the plastic bins, but if you are storing for longer periods of time, then you’ll need to air it out and rotate it often. Use cardboard, but try using velcro strips to seal the top more tightly.   You don’t have to worry about sealing it, as the nature of cardboard allows the hay to breathe.

EDITED:  I forgot to add – you can also store it in a wooden bin too.

[Gravehearted]

I have a big cardboard box on top of the NIC cottage that I use to store the hay, so it airs out.

[JK]

Wait a second.  Are you saying if we store hay in a cardboard box it needs to be sealed like with velcro?  Is that only if stored in a basement or garage type area?  Wouldn’t it be fine inside a house or should I be worried now about SPIDERS!  Ick!  Never seen a thing but now you have me thinking!

[JK]

Hay question!  Now that we are talking hay – should the small fine like parts (sawdusty looking) be thrown out?  There is always that along with the nice long pieces.  Thanks!

[Sarita]

Knowltons – I would throw out those small fine sawdusty type parts.

I also think BinkyBunny means if it’s stored in the cardboard box it should be sealed if you are worried about pests.

Here’s a good article on mycotoxins that is worth reading:

homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/myco.html

Also here is the article she references – she has a link in the article too on choosing good quality hay:

http://www.todayshorse.com/Articles/ChoosingGoodHay.htm

 

[JK]

Thanks Sarita.  So I guess I should be taking the compressed bales apart then?  I have been just taking little sections as I need them.

[JK]

Sarita – VERY interesting articles on the hay. Thanks for sending them.  There is so much to worry about with these bunnies!

[Beka27]

^^^tell me about it knowltons4!  lol…

i have taped up the bottom of the hay box and on top i have her pellet container holding the flaps down.  that’s a good idea about the velcro tho… i’ll have to look into doing that.

[JK]

How the heck do you put velcro on a cardboard box?  I just have a basket with Edson stuff on top to hold the flaps down. Gee another chore for me!  Yippee!

[Beka27]

at craft stores you can get rolls of velcro.  each half has sticky stuff on the wrong side so you can attach it to whatever you’re velcroing, kinda like double-sided tape…

[JK]

That’s cool especially if you don’t have to sew it!  Thanks.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I use sort of a laundry bin type thing…It doesn’t have holes on the side, but it has no lid…It’s on the top shelf in my rabbit room so no mice to worry about…I actually haven’t seen any bugs in our apartment so I wouldn’t worry about spiders…I’ve never had my hay go moldy or anything but I do check it!!

[osprey]

I did have hay go moldy on me once when I stored it in sealed plastic trash bags in the garage.  Now, I still use the trash bags, but I leave the top open so that moisture can escape.  I keep them in the rafters of the garage (my "hay barn" )

[(dig)x(me)x(now)]

I keep my hay stored in a cardboard box and have never had any problems with bugs or anything. There are lots of spiders where I live, too!

[BinkyBunny]

knowltons4, You don’t have to put velcro on a cardboard box, only if you are worried about pest infestation. For the most part, an occasional spider is normal in a house, but if you have consistent problems with spiders or beetles, and other pests, then velcro is a possible sealing solution.

[Ollie1122]

OMG I just went to clean out my bun room and there are hundreds of these tiny like grain of sand tiny black bugs all over. Anyone have any idea what these are and how to get rid of them? If it’s hay or pellet related how can I store this stuff to keep these bugs from multiplying? Especially if it’s already in the hay/pellets I purchased at the store? Thanks in advance!!

[Bam]

Its not possible to say what these bugs are from your description only, but they probably were in the hay when you bought it. Grain of sand-size seems to tiny for flour beetles, and meal moths are moths, so that’s not a good fit either. So I’d suspect the hay.

You can freeze pellets and store them in the freezer and only take out what you need for a cpl of days or so at a time.

I dont think these bugs will harm your buns much, but it does feel nasty to have bugs in your home. I think I’d get rid of the hay and not buy hay from that source again.

[Ollie1122]

Thanks Bam! Can you freeze hay too?

[LBJ10]

If you have a large freezer, then yes. The hay would need to be super dry though.

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