Wheat Hay?

[Tate]

 Wheat hay won’t be in the store for a while, but I’m just wondering if this is ok to feed to the buns? They are both under 1 year but should be about full grown now, at least I would assume so. Neither of them care for blue grass or timothy hay and they only *somewhat* tolerate orcahrd grass. They love oat hay though! I want to be able to give them some variety, so I was wondering if this would be ok to mix in. 

[RabbitPam]

I tend to stick with a hay that they will eat as long as they will eat it. I don’t know if Wheat hay is OK, but I can’t imagine it’s bad. Where are you getting it? Is yours from a field or something? The issue with anything that isn’t being sold for a bunny is that it could have pesticides on it from a field that used them that might be harmful. So I’d be inclined to wait until it’s actually back in the store.

When a bunny rejects a kind of hay, but will eat one kind gladly, it usually is a relief from being aggravated by a picky bunny. Many people will have one kind of hay work only to have it be rejected several months, or years, later. So my advice would be to not mess with success. Stick with the oat hay as long as they like it. Samantha is the same way, and I think some bunnies prefer the tougher hays (oat has some hidden treat-like stalks that they love to find mixed in) and others like the soft, sweet grasses. Samantha definitely went nuts over Mature Oat, and still does. It keeps her coat shiney and she’s slim.

[Silly Sungura]

My young bunny enjoys a mix of oat, wheat, and barley regularly. Her staple hay is timothy, though, and she’s still eating alfalfa because of her age.

[Tate]

I get hay from the BinkyBunny store, so no pesticides. I just like the idea of giving them some mix. They will not touch Timothy or blue grass now, which is crazy because 2 or 3 weeks ago, they devoured it!! They are also on a pretty limited diet… They really don’t get any veggies because even just a small piece or leaf gives them poopy butt. I saw that wheat hay has higher calories than orchard, oat, Timothy, etc., but didn’t know how big of a difference it was or if it would be ok to mix in with he oat.

[Bumblebunny]

It took me several months to figure out what he would eat. Store bought hays just did not seem to work, After experimenting, I settled on a mix of oat hay, wheat hay, and the bunny blend from BB. I keep a hay basket in his condo and one outside. When he is out of his home he spends a lot of time just eating hay which makes us happy. This mixture has worked for the last year.

[MimzMum]

I know bunnies should eat only one hay at a time to keep the possibility of tummy troubles down, but I find that my three are constantly switching tastes. And then it really stinks when they will only eat one and that one either goes out of season or is discontinued or not available.
The multi-blend hays are nice to keep that pickiness down, and as long as they enjoy it I get it for them.
But I think there’s a certain protocol for switching hays, isn’t there? To keep food moving through their gut it has to be a gradual change so their appetites and interest stay consistent?
I love the BB.com hay too, and sometimes mine will eat it for so long, then they suddenly snub it. The hay is wonderful, I just have spoiled bunnies who know I worry if their basket isn’t emptied each morning and evening. >.<
The oat has been a constant winner for me. I like how it helps them make nice, healthy poopies. ^_^ I have to use that because I am allergic to timothy. We’ve tried the wheat too, and while they show interest in it occasionally it must taste different despite looking like oat, they will nibble a bit and then set it aside.

[Monkeybun]

Really MM? The RA here sell a hay mix that has been vet approved (by my vet too!) of oat, orchard, timothy and rye.

[BinkyBunny]

Mimz — I’m with Monkey. I have always been of the mindset, with my own vet approval, (otherwise our store would never sell a “mix”.) that a variety of hay is fine. Now, with that said, IF you do have a bunny that is sensitive, then that is the exception as you want to create a specialized diet that prevents digestive upset.

Tate — Wheat is a grain hay, similar to Oat nutrition. High in fiber, but also higher in calories. Wheat is okay to feed the bunnies at the age yours are. The only hay that I wouldn’t recommend is the “YOUNG” Oat as the seed heads are harder and a young bunny can’t digest those as easily. With grain hays though, you just have to watch how your bunny reacts. I do like to recommend a mix so that they will be eating other fiber, and a mix of calorie intake just to be safe. (though I feel de ja vu coming on because I know we have been down this road before with the caloric and fat issues of grain hay…I wish I could remember the details) I don’t remember it being a big issue, just something that you have to watch on an individual bases.

I just found out today that the Oat “Mature” crops may be in danger this week. Send “Sun’ vibes — no rain. Some of our favorite Oat fields are in the drying process this week. And it’s a very precarious time…if it rains, and it is in the forecast, it could all be damaged. (I would hate to be a farmer!) and if that happens we won’t have Oat hay for many many weeks!  Sun vibes….sun vibes….sun vibes!

Wheat hay though should be available soon.  

[Tate]

Ah ok- wasn’t sure if the calories were TOO much for them… didn’t want to be feeding them the equivalent of alfalfa without knowing it.
Fingers crossed that the oat hay will be ok! If not…. well, I’ll have some very skinny bunnies on my hands.

[BinkyBunny]

My understanding is that it is higher in calories, but it’s not as rich as Alfalfa Wheat hay is also very high in fiber, low in protein and calcium which is also a good thing. It is something that I would prefer to mix with other hays.

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