Hay Types... Important?

**festara** · #1 01-09-06, 06:26 pm

I have 1 adult piggy and 2 little ones (1 & 3 months old). I know the babies should have Alfalfa hay and the adult should have Timothy. I mix them together to make sure they are at least getting some of the 'recommended type', but does it really matter which ones they eat?

**Percy's Mom** · #2 01-09-06, 09:38 pm

They all need grass hay (timothy, bluegrass, orchardgrass, meadowgrass), so leave that in the cage all the time. You can give the little ones the alfalfa during laptime or piggy preschool floortime.

**Ly&Pigs** · #3 01-09-06, 09:52 pm

I totally agree with Percy's Mom.

**TOCAVIES2LUV** · #4 01-09-06, 09:58 pm

So the young ones should only have a little bit of alfalfa hay every day? I am still worried about my piggies cloudy urine. Today after floor time there was a lot of it in their igloo (which we turn upside down during floor time because they love to jump in and out of it). Should I just be giving them mostly timothy hay and a little bit of alfalfa daily? I just want to do the best for my little girls!

**Ly&Pigs** · #5 01-09-06, 10:13 pm

If you are feeding alfalfa based pellets to all or even mixing timothy based pellets and alfalfa based pellets, then you won't need alfalfa hay at all as the young ones will get what nutrients they need from the alfalfa pellets and it won't hurt the older ones. If you are feeding a timothy based pellet only, the young ones will benefit from having a little alfalfa hay during floor or lap time everyday.

Most pigs have cloudy urine. If they are leaving white spots in the cage, feel the dried spots and see if they feel smooth or gritty. If they feel gritty it can mean one or more of your pigs have bladder sludge and if it feels smooth it's normal.

**TOCAVIES2LUV** · #6 01-09-06, 10:18 pm

Thanks Ly- They are eating Oxbow Cavy Performance (alfalfa based) so between that and alfalfa hay every day, it's probably too much alfalfa. I'll just give them unlimited Timothy hay and a little alfalfa hay for a night-time treat. Also glad to hear cloudy urine is normal as long as it's not gritty (which it's not)!

**Ly&Pigs** · #7 01-09-06, 10:30 pm

If all your cavies are eating Cavy Performance, you can skip the alfalfa hay entirely and just leave unlimited timothy hay in the cage.

**Percy's Mom** · #8 01-10-06, 10:29 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

I totally agree with Percy's Mom.

She totally agrees because she taught me that in the first place when I was researching for the new boys I'm (hopefully) about to get.

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