Hay Help

**synesthesia** · #1 04-12-05, 11:49 pm

How can I tell if hay is moldy?
I got this hay on the 28th of March.
Now I am very worried because it's a bit dusty. It's American Dinner second cut timothy if that helps.

**bunnyluv17** · #2 04-13-05, 01:57 pm

When my hay turned moldy it was extremely obvious. The hay was wet to the touch and had fuzzy dots growing on it; and it was stinky.

Quote:

Originally Posted by synesthesia

How can I tell if hay is moldy?
I got this hay on the 28th of March.
Now I am very worried because it's a bit dusty. It's American Dinner second cut timothy if that helps.

**synesthesia** · #3 04-13-05, 09:54 pm

Ok, that is good. My hay is still dry and smells sweet. I still was a bit worried since I just keep it in a cardboard box.
I froze some hay yesterday though.
Just in case.

**VoodooJoint** · #4 04-13-05, 10:31 pm

You shouldn't freeze the hay. It will absorb moisture from the freezer. Instead store it in a dry, dark, well ventilated place. Do not store hay air tight. If it's air tight then any little moisture in the hay will start to mold it.

**LiciaMommycott** · #5 04-14-05, 12:53 am

Cardboard box is a good place to keep hay. Never keep it in plastic, which will encourage mold.

**Peaches** · #6 04-14-05, 08:32 am

Which is funny because much of the timothy hay i buy from walmart or whereever is packaged in plastic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiciaMommycott

Cardboard box is a good place to keep hay. Never keep it in plastic, which will encourage mold.

**VoodooJoint** · #7 04-14-05, 09:25 am

Bagged hay is always sold in plastic. Usually the plastic is not air tight. Plastic helps keep the hay from getting contaminated and wet when transported from the supplier and while it sits on store shelves but it is not good for long term storage.

**Sabriel** · #8 04-14-05, 11:33 am

I use a decorative wooden box made of slats for hay stoarge. It's airy but it keeps the hay from going all over the place. You can get them at places like Walmart, Canadain Tire, and probably Target in the US. I got mine on sale. The pigs love to walk over to it during floor time and eat the hay that pokes out of the little slats but the holes are too small for the cats to get at it. (silly cats, they think they are piggies and try to eat hay

)

**Slap Maxwell** · #9 04-14-05, 06:33 pm

If it's American Dinner second cut it shouldn't be moldy. That's the best hay around. If your concerned call the company and get an exchange or refund.

**Slap Maxwell** · #10 04-14-05, 06:34 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peaches

Which is funny because much of the timothy hay i buy from walmart or whereever is packaged in plastic.

Please do not buy WalMart hay, that is the WORST hay out there. Get Oxbow (www.oxbowhay.com) or American Pet Diner (www.americanpetdiner.com). Or get nice, green timothy hay from your local feed store.

**synesthesia** · #11 04-14-05, 10:32 pm

Ooops
Now you tell me...
Well, it's just some of it... hopefully it will be ok, I saw a site that said to freeze hay. I think it was Lowes pet hay or something...

Now, I must figure out how to build a hayrack... I am so sick of him using the good end with all this hay as a toilet! *Glares at rabbit*

**Slap Maxwell** · #12 04-14-05, 10:49 pm

Take a grid and bend it in half, zip tie it to the grids of your cage.

**Ly&Pigs** · #13 04-15-05, 07:56 pm

It's good that you're storing hay in a cardboard box. If you leave the lid open it helps the air circulate and lets the hay breathe. Hay stored like this will last for months as long as it's in a cool, dry, moisture free area that has ventilation as well.

I buy kaytee timothy hay once in a while from Wal-Mart and I have never had a problem with it, it's always been nice and green but it is a little dusty. It always looks better than the timothy I have seen at Petsmart when I went to Little Rock. Theirs was all icky and brown. My girls eat bermuda hay I get locally but as a nice weekly treat, they get timothy or blue orchard grass mixed in.

**synesthesia** · #14 04-15-05, 08:00 pm

It's slightly open... at least it still smells good. I sniff it before I toss it into his litter box which is where he likes it for some reason. (But, it's mostly because he can't seem to eat hay without going to the bathroom.)

**VoodooJoint** · #15 04-16-05, 11:00 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by synesthesia

Now, I must figure out how to build a hayrack... I am so sick of him using the good end with all this hay as a toilet! *Glares at rabbit*

One way to make a semi-messless/waste limiting hay rack is to get a plastic shoebox or larger (but not so deep tub) depending on your cage size and number of animals.. Oh yeah, this will only work of you have a barred or grid cube cage to hang it on.

You will not need the lid that comes with the tub or shoebox so toss it aside.

The idea will be to hang the tub on the outside side of the cage with the opening against the bars. Figure out first if you want to hang it horizontally or vertically. The lower you hang it (against the coroplast or plastic pan) the less mess there will be.

Once you figure out how you want it hung then use sheet metal snips or heavy duty scissors or shears (pruning shears sometimes work) to cut out a section of the side of the tub that will be at the top. You can cut out most of the side (including the lip) or if it's a bigger tub you can just cut out a largish hole.

Punch holes on the 3 (or 4 if you just cut a hole) remaining sides near the lip of the tub (a large nail, block of wood and a hammer should work). If the plastic is brittle then melt the holes through by holding a large nail with pliers, heat it in a candle flame and press the nail against the plastic to melt a hole through the plastic. Use zip ties to secure it to the side of the cage by putting the ties through the holes you made and around the grids or bars.

With this type of hay rack you can fill it easily from the outside of the cage. The rabbit or guinea pig can pull strands of hay through the bars or grid for eating.

I use this type of system for my Guinea Pigs and Rabbit and it works really well. Before you ask...the Pigs and Rabbit do not live together.

**Myspoiltpiggies** · #16 04-16-05, 05:43 pm

I've had trouble with hay recently. The pigs started getting mites/lice when I started buying a huge bale for just £2. It was such a bargain so it's a shame I had to change it. I know it was definately from the hay. I don't recall ever having moldy hay

**Butterscotch** · #17 04-18-05, 06:58 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by synesthesia

Ooops
Now you tell me...
Well, it's just some of it... hopefully it will be ok, I saw a site that said to freeze hay. I think it was Lowes pet hay or something...

Now, I must figure out how to build a hayrack... I am so sick of him using the good end with all this hay as a toilet! *Glares at rabbit*

Does he have a litter box? Litter boxes are usually filled with hay so that is probably why you are having the problem with him using his hay area as a toilet. I have an English Lop and she will sit on one side and eat her hay and urinate in the other side. It's a normal bunny thing.

**Butterscotch** · #18 04-18-05, 07:02 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by voodoojoint

One way to make a semi-messless/waste limiting hay rack is to get a plastic shoebox or larger (but not so deep tub) depending on your cage size and number of animals.. Oh yeah, this will only work of you have a barred or grid cube cage to hang it on.

You will not need the lid that comes with the tub or shoebox so toss it aside.

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