Bugs in hay?

[vtramel]

I have KM's hay. I just noticed a cricket in the hay and I took it out. If I miss one and my piggies get a hold of it, is this going to harm them?
Val

[ErdTirdMans]

It was dead, right? If it was dead, i wouldn't worry about it. They probably won't eat it anyway and, if they do, I'd assume they ate a cricket or two in the wild and didn't die from it. Chances are, you'll see any crickets when you're putting hay in the cage. I wonder if KM will weigh in on this?

[vtramel]

Yes it was dead. I figured they probably would not eat it.

[Ly&Pigs]

No matter what type of hay you buy from any supplier, there may be times when you find something undesirable in there. It's not KM's fault that there is a dead cricket in your hay. When farmers cut their hay, they don't go out looking through the hay on the ground for dead insects, thistles, thorns, etc before baling it. Things like that sometimes just end up in hay and all you can do is remove it. Since cavies are strict herbivores, I really doubt they'd eat any crickets whether they were alive or dead.

[chisky]

I have it on good authority that crickets eat guinea pigs. They will also crawl in your ear and eat your brain. The good thing about crickets is that you can eat them when they are alive. Just pop it in your mouth. They are quite popular in Viet Nam

[BabyGrl]

I hear they cover your brain in chocolate syrup first...

[Cavy Cuckoo]

I've found a dead cricket in my hay before too. But just think - Kleenmama's Hay produces probably hundreds of bales per day (Acually, it's probably WAY more than that) and they can't go through and check everyone's bags for bugs. When I get a fresh bag, I spread it out in a big cardboard lid and pick all the thorns etc. out.

[chisky]

Did you ever check what is in your box of Uncle Ben's or organic beans?
There is a limit to how many bugs and bug parts can be included in a box of cereal etc. and the limit isn't 0.

[Ly&Pigs]

KM gets her hay from farmers who do all the cutting, baling, curing and delivering. She stacks the huge bales in her barn then she and her helpers take the bales of hay, flake them off into boxes and ship it out. When she orders hay from the farmers she orders from 2-4 tons at a time. 2-4 tons is quite a lot of hay.

[texascavycabins]

7 is the magic number. There are no more than 7 bug parts allowed at anytime to be found in a chocolate bar. Gotta love the government!

[suzilovespiggie]

Originally Posted by chisky

I have it on good authority that crickets eat guinea pigs. They will also crawl in your ear and eat your brain. The good thing about crickets is that you can eat them when they are alive. Just pop it in your mouth. They are quite popular in Viet Nam

You are joking, right?

[chisky]

Well Suzi I am joking about crickets eating guinea pigs and brains. Earwigs eat brains.

[chisky]

Originally Posted by texascavycabins

7 is the magic number. There are no more than 7 bug parts allowed at anytime to be found in a chocolate bar. Gotta love the government!

Ok, that is head, thorax, abdomen and 4 legs. LOL Or a tape worm 7 segments long. Glorious

[sweetjay6891]

This sort of thing happened to me too. I bought Oxbow Timothy hay and their was a dried up cockroach in it. It was gross.

[LobsterOverlord]

My question to continue this thread is this...

Is there a problem with me keeping my hay in a shed where there are bugs? Specifically grass hoppers and palmetto bugs (florida's flying cockroaches) When ever I get it for them, I always shake it out to dislodge any loose particles as well as any bugs that may have gotten into it. I've only ever seen one in there, and I've never brought one into the house that I'm aware of.

John M>