Pet Habitat South Africa

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12 Jun 2014

Hay For Health And Happiness

Posted By : Guest

Hay should form the foundation of a rabbit’s, guinea pig’s and chinchilla’s diet and you need to make sure you are feeding a plentiful supply each and every day. There are a number of different types of hay available and certain things you should look out for before feeding, so in this post we aim to walk you through them…

timothy grass

Pay Close Attention…

Before offering the hay to your pets make sure it is clean, free of dust and smelling fresh. To keep it at its peak you need to store the hay in a sealed bag in an area free from damp because it can quickly spoil. Keep it tightly packed because air helps it to become dry and brittle, which needs to be avoided. Hay retains a wonderful aroma, so have a smell – you should be able to smell the aroma of a grassy meadow.

Be consistent…

Fibrevores have a sensitive digestive system which does not cope well with frequent or rapid change. You should try and stick to a single type of hay, rather than chopping and changing. As we always advise, any changes you do make should be gradual so phase out the old whilst phasing in the new.

Know your Hay

Timothy hay is a strong, coarse hay and the long stalks help to keep your pet’s teeth in good condition. It is also packed full of fibre, which is vital to a fibrevore as it helps to promote good digestive health.

Bunny Nature meadow hay has a softer texture than timothy hay. When you open the pack you will get a wonderful aroma that comes from the dried grasses.

For added variety, taste and texture you may find some delicious extras within your timothy hay or meadow hay, including birch bark, dandelions, marigolds and chamomile.

Feeding

If you are wondering how much hay to feed to your fibrvores then always err of the side of caution and feed a little too much! Your pet will regulate how much he / she wants to eat through the day and will usually have great fun nesting with any leftovers! As a rough guide you should feed your pet his own body size in hay every day.