The Hay Shortage Continues

[Roberta]

The hay mite blight is continuing to prevent the supply of oaten/barley hay here in Perth. I have just done the phone around and everyone is either sold out or down to a couple of bags of meadow hay.

Just contacted the local stock feeders and they still have a good supply of oaten hay in bales, “mite free”

Hope I can fit it on the back seat.

The next problem is finding something to store it in.

[Roberta]

Contemplating loading it into an old single quilt cover to get it inside the sunroom. That hopefully will contain the spread when I cut the ties. Now I just need 30 or 40 huge solid bags to pack it into.
Maybe I can get some big storage tubs tomorrow.
Rotten bloody hay mites !!!

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Oh wow! How long do you think the shortage of hay will last? Like hold long does it take to pick up again after something like this? Is it affecting the cost for the hay?

[Toady]

Roberta, got any old bed sheets? I once kept a bale wrapped in a sheet. I also cheated and made a bale bag from spare calico I had lying around but some pins at the side to keep the hay in or something like that might do in a pinch.

[Roberta]

No indication when it will end. At this stage it is only the one supplier but he seems to be the one that supplies all the pet stores. No profiteering for them as they are all out of stock. They expected the deliveries to start again this week.
The bales have only gone up $1 which is pretty good considering how long it’s been since I had to buy one. My own pet supplier is contemplating snapping up some bales and rebagging it for regular customers. This is where it could be serious as if the shortage continues and all of the pet shops have to buy bales the stockas could start to run low fairly quickly. I don’t know where the stock feeders get their supplies but I am guessing their current stock is probably pre mite which means once they run out where is the stock going to come from if the problem continues ?
I can see it now… Me trying to roll one of those giant hay wheels up the garden path to store it in the backyard.

[Roberta]

Toady, Maybe I can keep it in the quilt (doona) cover and just keep refilling a single bag ? That would work….
Originally I was thinking of using a sheet then I thought quilt covers are already sealed on 3 sides like a big bag and if I have any of the old single bed ones they’d be ideal.
Given that the cats are probably going to sleep on them

[bunnygirl]

Oh crap Roberta! This is not good! I’m just running out on hay, it’ll be gone by the end of the week. What about perhaps if we went halves on a bale and split it or something? Or 70/30 since you have a big group? It’d be easier for both of us with storing it and stuff, I’m not sure, it’s up to you. Hope it doesn’t get too bad!

[Roberta]

No worries BG, I’ll get a bale and we can sort it out from there. You won’t have to worry where to get some from
It’s actually really cheap to buy a bale I just like the convenience of the bags.
I wonder if Floppy Buns if having any trouble.

[Roberta]

I am picking it up today or tomorrow morning from Wanneroo Stock Feeders, Paramount Drive Wangara. Not too far from home.

[Deleted User]

Roberta, I won’t say all the obvious things (I am truly horrified about your hay shortage, … I’m already praying we get good crops here this year), but I would like to say I think your idea of a quilt cover or sheet absolutely inspired. I haven’t coped with a whole bail before and it is a bit of a problem, I was wondering how to do better next time around, … thank you so much for giving me my answer!

[Roberta]

Got to the Wanneroo Stock Feeders and was assisted by a (tiny) lovely young lady. They had little compressed bales as well as the big ones, they also had sweepings bags for $2 (no thank you only the best for my buns) The compressed bales were a great size, a little bigger than the old phone books but cut short and my buns love the long strands so we settled on the full bale. This tiny little lady picked the thing up like it weighed nothing and maneuvered it into the boot of my Cerato sedan. I didn’t think it would fit but she got it in. When I went to take it out at home I nearly busted a valve, it weighed a ton, the little lass must have muscles like a stevedore. Whilst in the shop front paying for the bale i noticed they had Bale Bags, I bought one, the bale goes in lengthwise and a lid closes over it and seals with velcro. Thank heavens I bought one as there is no way I could have dragged the bale through the house otherwise. The great thing about the bale bag is that even if I don’t buy bales very often it will be great for storing the normal bags of hay and looks quite pleasant too. Once I use up all the hay I will be able to fit a half dozen bags of hay, all the newspapers and boxes of pellets in there. It will keep the bun room so much tidier. The long eared wilderbeest have been busy this week and it looks like the end of days in there at the moment.

The Bale Bag (they also come in printed fabrics)

[bunnygirl]

Okay, that’s something new Roberta! haha I have to deal with 2-3 bales every Saturday at the stables. And each week they get a little easier to lift. Actually planning on stopping work there though, and taking up a job cleaning out the cages of the breeders buns! (The one I got Apollo off!) I start next weekend. I think I’m going to let each bun out in the pens while I clean their cage. That way they get exercise and they’re also out of the way whilst I clean! Im going to treat it like volunteering at a rescue though – change entire clothes and shower before touching Apollo when I get home!

[Stickerbunny]

Eek, glad you found a place to buy hay. I just store the bales in a large cardboard box when I get them, but the bale bag looks handy.

[Roberta]

Aaaaargh, The crisis continues as far as the rabbit hay is concerned. Baled is available but it’s not as sweet and crunchy as the usual hay. Unfortunately the infestation of mites was huge and the entire farm is rife with mites, the wholesaler has only just gotten his warehouse cleaned of the little blighters but now he still needs to find another grower…..
My poor bunnies miss their favourite hay.

[Roberta]

There may be some relief in sight. Looks like the Clarkson store got a small delivery yesterday and the girls at Wanneroo said to check with them Friday.
Not to soon for me, the kids prefer their original hay.

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