Pet Habitat South Africa

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13 Apr 2014

Importance of Timothy Hay

Posted By : Guest

Got a rabbit, chinchilla or guinea pig? Did you know that these small herbivores need timothy hay and LOTS of it! Hay is so beneficial to these herbivores, so it’s very worrying when some rabbit, guinea pig and chinchilla owners don’t realise how much timothy hay they actually need within their diet. Hay is packed full of fibre which is essential for your herbivores digestive system.

All of these animals need a great deal of fibre in their diet. Rabbits, for example, need to eat a pile of Timothy Hay that is roughly equivalent to their size, and they need it every single day. Your herbivore should have access to Timothy hay at all times so they can chew on it as much as they like. It's also wonderful stuff for keeping them entertained, stuffing it into willow balls, tunnels... you can watch them for hours re-arranging their home to be just how they like it... before it all gets eaten of course!

Timothy hay is also a great toothbrush, as guinea pigs teeth never stop growing, when they chew on the Timothy hay it actually grinds down their teeth. Dental care is also very important for your rabbits and other small herbivores. Poor dental care can lead to expensive trips to the vets and could cause you small pet to be in severe discomfort.

Timothy hay also has very little dust which makes it great for pets with respiratory problems. It’s also good if any family members suffer from asthma and it can be tidier too when you’re cleaning out your rabbit. Dust from hay really can get everywhere if you’re not careful! Timothy hay is also low in calories so if your rabbit loves it, and he probably will, then you don’t have to worry about him putting on too much weight.

It's also great to use as bedding material, it smells great, were pretty sure your small pets certainly will think it tastes rather fantastic as well! For added variety, taste and texture you may find some delicious extras within your Timothy Hay or Meadow Hay, including chamomile, birch bark and tasty dandelion and marigold.

At Pet Habitat, we stock lots of imported super Timothy hay products from Newhay and Bunny Nature which you can order online... Including varieties with added chamomile and other tempting treats. Check out the full range on our website.

Of course don’t forget your rabbits, guinea pigs and other small herbivores needs constant access to fresh water, and giving then fresh greens to eat will provide yet another good source of fibre!