Ideas on storing hay

[Avantika]

I was thinking if trimming the seed heads and cutting the long hay strands into smaller pieces (that would create lesser mess when Moshu’s munching on them) would be a good idea. I hope cutting the hay strands wont do any harm to the taste or quality. 

Also, is it a good idea to store it in a cardboard box or paper bag ? I read somewhere that hay needs some ventilation, so maybe storing it in a cardboard box with holes in it or paper bag will give it some good ventilation.

[JackRabbit]

I store my hay in the boxes it comes in and weekly, cut it into shorter pieces as needed and put it in cardboard paper boxes (the kind that reams of paper come in with separate lids) that luve in the bunny room. I leave the top of the large box(es) open, and have never punched holes (if stored in plastic bins I might punch holes). My weekly boxes don’t have holes,and I keep the lids closed, but they’re opened daily to fill hay feeders — we go through 3 of these boxes each week (@ 17.5×11.5×14) with my 3 buns.

[Avantika]

Thanks So I guess storing hay in a cardboard box wont be a bad idea.
How good is the idea to store it in an air-tight container ? Read somewhere that it will protect the hay from external humidity.

[Bam]

Air-tight is tricky. It’s actually better to keep it in a dry place in a container that’s rather airy. Otherwise the tiniest moisture in the hay combined with bacteria that naturally exists in earth may cause really bad toxins to form in the hay if there’s no oxygen – f ex botulinum bacteria. As you know botulinum is perhaps the most toxic toxin in the world. It has no taste and no smell and heat destroys it, but since you dobn’t cook hay, there is a risk. There are horses that die of botulism.

In a non-air-tight but still closed plastic bag, the hay may rot or get moldy if it’s just a little bit too moist when it’s bagged. I had that happen recently- I ought to have opened the bag right when I bought it, but I bought 3 at a time and left one bag in my mum’s house. When I did open it it didn’t smell right, I had to throw it all out. Rot and mold may also kill a bunny.

So I really recommend airy storage of hay. Cardboard boxes or paper-bags or opened plastic bags, and to store it indoors where the humidity is low.

[Avantika]

I trimmed all the hay strands, eliminated excess seed heads and have stored them in a cardboard box. Thank you

[Author]

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