Hay Bamboo leaf as a substitute of hay - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**fridzalone** · #1 10-23-09, 05:13 am

My friend asked me if she can use bamboo leaf as a substitute for hay since there is no hay in his place and buying them online will only cost him lots of money because the delivery fees is much expensive than the hay itself. He also stated that he use bamboo leaf as a substitute of hay for his rabbits, and his rabbits don't have any problem with it (in fact it can neutralize diarrhea). Any suggestion about this?

**poopysmom** · #2 10-23-09, 05:52 am

if you and your friend are in Indo, ever thought about sourcing hay from nearer country like Singapore or Australia?

The Busy Barn - First Online Rabbit Pet Store in Singapore this company is based in Singapore and sells Timothy hay in 5kg pack. Its mostly bunnies product. But I think the hay should be alright?

This is another one, also based in Singapore [ ePETZJOY - Online Pet Shop / Pet Forum in Singapore ]

This is another one Pets Gourmet Express - Online Pet Shop Singapore - Pet Supplies to your Doorstep - Home

They carries the Marukan brand as well. When I was living in Sg, I buy a lot of marukan products for my guinea pigs. They make wonderful products and is imported from Japan.

**fridzalone** · #3 10-23-09, 06:09 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by poopysmom

if you and your friend are in Indo, ever thought about sourcing hay from nearer country like Singapore or Australia?

The Busy Barn - First Online Rabbit Pet Store in Singapore this company is based in Singapore and sells Timothy hay in 5kg pack. Its mostly bunnies product. But I think the hay should be alright?

This is another one, also based in Singapore [ ePETZJOY - Online Pet Shop / Pet Forum in Singapore ]

This is another one Pets Gourmet Express - Online Pet Shop Singapore - Pet Supplies to your Doorstep - Home

They carries the Marukan brand as well. When I was living in Sg, I buy a lot of marukan products for my guinea pigs. They make wonderful products and is imported from Japan.

The problem are the delivery fees itself are very expensive plus the import tax in Indonesia is very high, so its impossible if we import the hay from abroad.
I'm pretty lucky because I can get my hay online without paying expensive delivery fees, but he lives quite far from Jakarta and that makes the delivery fees are more expensive than the hay itself.

**Ly&Pigs** · #4 10-23-09, 02:03 pm

Does he have access to fresh grass? Bamboo leaf is not a substitute for hay and should not be given in place of hay.

**fridzalone** · #5 10-23-09, 02:54 pm

Of course, fresh grass is easy to find in here. But doesn't fresh grass can only be used as a substitute for vegetable?

**Ly&Pigs** · #6 10-23-09, 03:13 pm

Hay is nothing more than dried grass. Fresh grass is even better than hay and it's considered a forage. Most of us use hay because finding large amounts of fresh grass is almost impossible on a year round basis. In many places, the weather gets cold and the grass dies off.

Grass isn't a substitute for veggies and veggies should still be provided in addition to either hay or grass. The only thing with grass is that you have to start with very small amounts and increase gradually so as not to upset the digestive system.

**fridzalone** · #7 10-23-09, 03:31 pm

Okay...that's better...we can get grass everywhere here in Indonesia

Thanks a lot.

**fridzalone** · #8 10-23-09, 07:32 pm

Btw, what's the difference between giving them hay and giving them grass?
I ever read that hay have more fiber than grass, that's why we should provide hay and not only grasses. And some grasses have sharp texture, is it safe for them to consume it?

Here is the most common forages that we can find everywhere :
Alang-alang - Wikipedia bahasa Indonesia, ensiklopedia bebas
http://obatherbal.files.wordpress.co...mput20teki.jpg

Are they safe?

**poopysmom** · #9 10-24-09, 07:15 pm

Fridz, from what I have known of alang-alang (they are very annoying), they causes itchiness... so i don't know how friendly they are towards piggies.

Ly, just in case you are wondering, their leaves have a texture similar to young lemongrass.

I never tried feeding them alang2, just the normal short green grass (that won't grow more than a half to a meter high) like the kind the cows graze on. surely if he is in the country side, can find those as well?

**poopysmom** · #10 10-24-09, 07:18 pm

Quote:

Dalam bahasa Inggris dikenal sebagai bladygrass, cogongrass, speargrass, silver-spike atau secara umum disebut satintail, mengacu pada malai bunganya yang berambut putih halus.
Orang Belanda menamainya snijgras, karena sisi daunnya yang tajam melukai.

TRANSLATED TO:
It said the alang-alang is known as bladygrass or blade grass, spear grass, silverspike or commonly pronounced as satintail (this is in reference to its flower that has fine white hair).
The dutch named it snijgras, because the side of the leaves are very sharp and can hurt.

**fridzalone** · #11 10-26-09, 10:36 am

Thats why until now i don't dare to give those grass to my piggies.
I see something that looks like meadow grass but I'm not sure is it meadow grass or not.