Hay bales or Cubes??

[auburnmare5]

My guinea pig makes a mess of his cage when he has regular hay.
I have given him alfalfe cubes and he likes them just as much.
Are alfalfa cubes the same thing or different from regular hay?

[Jenni_Feathers]

How old is your Guinea Pig? piggys over 6 months should not have alfalfa they should have timothy or another grass hay. I'm not sure if they are the same thing or not but they need unlimited ammounts of hay and they like it in large quanities all over the place where they can paly in it, eat it and sleep in it. Hay is the most important part of their diet followed by veggies then pellets, pellets are the least. Have you tryed putting it in a hay rack? Its normal for them to make a mess they are extremely messy lil creatures here is a picture of my pigs hay room, just for an idea --> http://www.guineapigcages.com/photos...48/ppuser/6820

[Ly&Pigs]

Alfalfa cubes and loose hay are not the same thing. Pigs need the long loose hay fibers for their molars and their digestion. They don't get that with the cubes. You need an unlimited supply of loose hay. Grass hay is what you should be feeding for all pigs no matter the age like Timothy, bluegrass, orchard grass, bermuda, etc. If the pig is under 6 months you can give alfalfa as a supplement. You can give the cubes but only as a supplement but I don't recommend alfalfa cubes for pigs over 6 months because of the high calcium content.

Most pigs make a mess out of loose hay. It's quite normal. But they do need it, it's essential.

[auburnmare5]

My Guinea pig is three going on four years old (He'll be four on Christmas!!) Is it still alright if he gets loose hay when he is out of his cage and the cubes while he is in his cage?

[Ly&Pigs]

Originally Posted by auburnmare5

My Guinea pig is three going on four years old (He'll be four on Christmas!!) Is it still alright if he gets loose hay when he is out of his cage and the cubes while he is in his cage?

No that won't work. He needs access to loose hay 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If he's almost 4 then he shouldn't get alfalfa at all or very rarely because of a higher risk of stones.

[auburnmare5]

Most of the time he gets loose hay but 2 days ago, I found these cubes and I thought I would give them a shot.
Thanks for all of your helpful information.
I will be sure to keep the alfalfa consumption to a minimum.
Thank You for all of your responses
Happy Holidays

[Jenni_Feathers]

Originally Posted by auburnmare5

Most of the time he gets loose hay but 2 days ago, I found these cubes and I thought I would give them a shot.
Thanks for all of your helpful information.
I will be sure to keep the alfalfa consumption to a minimum.
Thank You for all of your responses
Happy Holidays

You shouldnt keep it to a minimum you should stop it completely and switch to timothy hay. Alfalfa is very fattening and filled with calicum and can cause helath problems, ecsecially becuase of his age.