Hay Allergies and pellets....help, serious questions need help

[Krelean]

Hi
We got two piggies from a rescue the beginning of August. My daughter was stuffed up the very next morning. It has progressed to a pretty severe reaction, I took her to the dr yesterday and she is now on Nasonex and is taking benedryl. We started with straight Timothy, I purchased a Timothy/Orchard mix on the 27th and she is worse.
I'm allergic to every other type of hay but these two. Can the pigs live without hay? Can they just eat hay pellets? Can we go 2 days hay free so I can see if the hay is the issue for her?
I was thinking I'd go buy straight orchard today and after 2 days no hay try it and see what happens, assuming she clears up in 2 days.
It's looking like the pigs are going back to the rescue

 

[Ash-Ro060708]

Take all the hay out of your house for a couple days to see if that helps. I don't know where you live but if you are some place where grass can grow all year, you can provide them with that instead of hay. Another option is hay cubes, although not ideal for normal feeding, at least it's hay without much dust.

Can you keep the hay somewhere else(outside in a deck box, in a shed, garage, etc) and bring it inside in small amounts so the dust isn't as bad?

Good luck.

 

[bpatters]

Hay, or an unlimited supply of fresh grass, is necessary to keep their digestive systems moving and their teeth worn down properly. Hay cubes won't work properly.

I'm sorry you're having such problems, and I know you'd hate to give up the piggies. But hay isn't good for you and your daughter, and no hay isn't good for the pigs. I think that qualifies as a "standoff." Maybe the best thing would be to return them, and choose a hay-free, low-allergen pet instead.

 

[Krelean]

Ok, let me ask this then. We have grass in our front and back yard. I'm in Arizona...so it's pretty hot here! LOL. We have Bermuda grass outside, we don't use any pesticides since I garden. Would that be sufficient, let them outside for an hour or so every morning? Is this the right kind of grass? I just don't want them to go!!!!!!

 

[SurfingPigs]

Unlimited grass hay means just that... unlimited. An hour in the morning, even if they gorged themselves to the point of not being able to walk, would never be enough. They need it for constant gut motility and teeth grinding. If you cannot have unlimited grass hay in with the pigs, you really cannot own pigs without putting them through a painful and short life. Grass hay should be the most abundant part of any guinea pigs diet.

I'm sorry you guys are in this situation. Have you exhaused trying all types of hay?

 

[Ash-Ro060708]

Let a patch of grass grow long and pick it for your piggies a couple times every day, every couple weeks let a different patch grow long. In the summer I normally let the grass in between my veggie garden and shed grow wild and pick it for my piggies, they love it.

 

[CavySpirit]

I want to reiterate the point that Surfing Pigs made. If you cannot provide unlimited grass hay for your pigs in their cage, then very unfortunately, they just are not the right pet for you.

Another option to control the hay dust is to put the hay inside of a standard grocery bag. Fold down the opening so it stays open by itself (like a shirt cuff) and let them go inside the bag to munch. They love that and you can just toss the bag when it's yukky and empty. Someone who doesn't have allergies can fill the bag in the garage every day and put it in the cage.

Wash your hands and arms after petting/holding the pigs and have someone without allergies clean the cage.

Allergy meds.

That's pretty much it.

 

[Krelean]

I'm going to answer a few questions and restate a question no one has answered. First, we have Bermuda...is this sufficient, if so, I should be able to make this work!
I understand they need to free feed on hay. We started with straight timothy, moved to timothy/orchard mix from a feed store, so I have 65lbs in my garage sealed up in containers. Per the rescue, I was given the okay to go 3 days without hay or until we saw a change with my daughter. I pulled up the hay at 7am, her horrible wet cough every 2 seconds is now every 10 seconds. No hay in my house=better kid. So, I know hay is an issue. I'm going to go one more full day no hay and see how she is. I am then going to try straight orchard. If it doesn't cause her to go back to worse-bingo!. I am allergic to blue grass, alfafa and a few others What other options do we have if I can't use Blue, Tim, Alfalfa or Orchard???
I will be sad to see them go, but it is what it is, should that be the outcome. My child comes first. I'm super sad, I like them a lot!!! and they are the only animal so far that I can have with my allergies!

 

[lissie]

Do you have enough bermuda for them to eat unlimited amount of? It can work if you grow enough for them to have full day supply everyday instead of just an hour every morning.

 

[Krelean]

I mow my front and back yard weekly...yes, I could give it to them every day and all day long. But is it healthy for them? As it gets tall it seeds and birds walk in it. I know..paranoid, but I have to ask. Birds carry disease.

Also, we seed to Rye in October.

 

[Krelean]

Can someone tell me also...exactly which hay the pigs should or can have all day to free feed?

Timothy
Blue
Orchard

Any others???

 

[lissie]

I wouldn't feed any grass that has been visited by birds (or other animals). I also wouldn't feed grass that has been through the mower. You could use garden shears to clip them and wash them before feeding to your pigs.

Any type of grass hay can be fed. See hay chart here:
http://www.guinealynx.info/hay_chart.html

For fresh grass see:
http://www.guinealynx.info/forages.html

 

[pinky]

Your best bet is to have your daughter tested by an allergist. They can identify exactly what she's allergic to so you'll know for sure. They can also determine which triggers are worse than others and find out if she's allergic to anything else you were unaware of. I've been through scratch testing and another one to test for asthma where I had to breathe through a mask. Now, I know exactly what to avoid. The testing was easy and well worth it.

 

[Krelean]

Your best bet is to have your daughter tested by an allergist. They can identify exactly what she's allergic to so you'll know for sure. They can also determine which triggers are worse than others and find out if she's allergic to anything else you were unaware of. I've been through scratch testing and another one to test for asthma where I had to breathe through a mask. Now, I know exactly what to avoid. The testing was easy and well worth it.

She is scheduled for Wednesday next week, I'm on top of that, just trying to do some deductive problem solving right now. We know it's the hay for sure. She went from about 7pm last night till I took her to school with only 3 coughs, instead of about 20-30 an hour! I know it's the hay, not sure if its both the tim and orchard, so today i gave straight orchard and she is gonna be home soon. will see how she responds today.

 

[Krelean]

I don't quite understand the grass hay chart. Is this saying all the listed can be fed? I thought alphafa was a no no?

 

[Krelean]

I wouldn't feed any grass that has been visited by birds (or other animals). I also wouldn't feed grass that has been through the mower. You could use garden shears to clip them and wash them before feeding to your pigs.

Any type of grass hay can be fed. See hay chart here:
http://www.guinealynx.info/hay_chart.html

For fresh grass see:
http://www.guinealynx.info/forages.html

Wait I think I get it. So, I could give them wheat grass, timothy, rye, oat, prairie etc...the ones that are green...all those are okay?

 

[pinky]

I have really bad allergies and asthma. I'm really allergic to timothy hay but orchard grass doesn't bother me at all. I'm extremely allergic to cats, some dogs but, thankfully, not guinea pigs. Good luck with the testing. I hope you get it all sorted out soon.

She is scheduled for Wednesday next week, I'm on top of that, just trying to do some deductive problem solving right now. We know it's the hay for sure. She went from about 7pm last night till I took her to school with only 3 coughs, instead of about 20-30 an hour! I know it's the hay, not sure if its both the tim and orchard, so today i gave straight orchard and she is gonna be home soon. will see how she responds today.

 

[Krelean]

I have really bad allergies and asthma. I'm really allergic to timothy hay but orchard grass doesn't bother me at all. I'm extremely allergic to cats, some dogs but, thankfully, not guinea pigs. Good luck with the testing. I hope you get it all sorted out soon.

Funny...I am allergic to cats, have 2. I'm allergic to rats, have 1 left. The only grasses I am not allergic to that were tested are the tim and orchard. We've kept under the wire with our daughter till now...she's almost 5. I'm praying she is not allergic to the orchard!

 

[lissie]

Yes, you can feed any hay in the green. All the green ones are grass hay.

Good luck with your daughter allergy test.