Food questions

[portsmouthnappies]

Our guineas arrived on Friday ( called Pink and Rabbit- named by small daughters)
They seem to quite like it in their c&c cage and have even had an hours run in their run this morning before the rain set in for the weekend.
But when The lady from the rescue came she noticed that we were giving timothy hay and said that the quantity we needed was going to be too expensive and to use meadow hay and to buy it by the bale and continue to use the timothy hay in the rack but put plenty of meadow hay all round the cage.
Is this what others do?
However they dont appear to have eaten hardly any hay at all! I have seen them nibbling but we have been picking grass in quite bit quantities and hand feeding them, is grass an OK substitute for hay?
How long should I leave uneaten hay ( especially in the rack where it is still unsoiled) before replacing?.
They have also had a good array of veggies and we are getting the gist of their likes/ dislikes.
Any replies will be gratefully received.

 

[portsmouthnappies]

does anyone have any ideas?

 

[maryh]

Hay is more important than fresh grass,because it helps to keep the teeth filed down and also supplies important roughage for the digestive system.
You must encourage them to eat the hay.If necessary take the dry mix and veggies away for a short time and see what happens.

I only use good quality meadow hay for my piggies.,and they are very healthy on it.

If your pigs still refuse to eat hay,get them some Readigrass or Just grass.The eadigrass is a bit cheaper and just as good.My pigs have the dried grass and hay acvailable all the time.

Uneaten hay should be replaced daily bec ause it can get dry and dusty.