Guinea pigs without hay..

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PatchandSilky

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Hi all, just wondering about hay....after buying my little piggies with mites, the breeder told me they get them from the hay. I've since spoken to a friend who told me she doesn't give hers any hay at all, as she had a rabbit die and was told he'd caught something from the hay.

Now her guinea pig is 4 years old and is great (she does make sure he has plenty of things for chewing on etc).

I was just wondered if anyone else keeps hay away from theirs?
 
All my animals even get hay even my mountain of hamsters ... because its as close to a natural nesting material/food for many animals. I dont have a garden so cant give them grass.

There is a risk of mites but really if caught quickly they are quick and easy to treat, as are lice. Id never even think of not giving them hay because of that.

Id be interested to hear what the diet of these piggies is?
 
The only mites that can be caught from hay are hay mites also known as lice.

Lice is very easy to treat. They live on the fur, not in the skin. And they are not life threatening.
 
You should never with hold hay from guinea pigs, it not only keeps their teeth down but provides necessary nutrition to them for the health of their gut and general well being.

I have had lice from hay and after a fortnight of spot on treatments and a lice and easy shampoo from gorgeous guineas, they were all gone. If you guinea pig has mites, they are not seen by the naked eye and a whole different issue, mites dont come from the hay, they are already present on the pig but a stressful or reduction in their immune system triggers an outbreak in population which causes hair loss and itchy piggies. Mites need to be treated with a proper spot on treatment and with the advice from a vet.

When you say they came with mites, can you see them in the piggies fur? Or it is bald patches from scratching that has caused them to show signs of mites? If its the visable parasites then you can treat them, throw that batch of hay away and get a different one (only to stop the reinfestation, I have had some bad hay bags which just go in the bin). If there is no obvious signs of parasites, or you are worried then pop them along to the vets for a proper diagnosis and the correct treatment for their little friends.

Please dont stop their hay, they need that 24 hours a day every day.
 
As guinea pigs are fibrevores hay is very important and should make up 80% of their diet. It is both important for grinding down their teeth and for gut motility. As with other grazing animals, such as horses, guinea pigs require a constant supply of feed into the guts to keep them moving. Gut stasis is very dangerous for guinea pigs. Also, as mentioned by Bekki2308, it is as close as anything to their natural nesting material. Mine love to burrow in it, and yes they have had lice from their hay before, but a quick shampoo and some Xeno drops they were all gone.
 
Ah ok, that's as I thought. Mine love Timothy Hay aswell so I wouldn't want to take it away but just thought it was interesting when she said she stopped hay completely around 3 years ago and he's been fine.

I only got them last Friday and took them to the vets on Monday as it's bald patches/scratches that I noticed (couldn't visibly see anything so not lice) and when I messaged the breeder about it, she told me they come in the hay and also she treats them with spray she can't catch them all.
 
HI,

Mine has unlimited hay and I even use it as a bedding and all 9 of my guinea pigs haven't any bald spots or bad itching from mites.

All I do is treat with ivomectin spot on every 6 months and shampoo every 3 months with a lice shampoo from gorgeous guineas and their coats look lovely.

Always feed hay to keep teeth short and their digestion going.:))
 
mine have unlimited hay, they have it in their bed area, in 4 hay balls, and a hay try. Its pretty much everywhere, they get so excited every night when I put the fresh hay in popcorning everywhere and munching on it! I would never deprive them of that! In fact they have 4 different types of hay, in addition garden and mountain herbs. Guineas need hay -c
 
PatchandSilky said:
Ah ok, that's as I thought. Mine love Timothy Hay aswell so I wouldn't want to take it away but just thought it was interesting when she said she stopped hay completely around 3 years ago and he's been fine.

I only got them last Friday and took them to the vets on Monday as it's bald patches/scratches that I noticed (couldn't visibly see anything so not lice) and when I messaged the breeder about it, she told me they come in the hay and also she treats them with spray she can't catch them all.
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Your Piggies would have mange mites or fungal. Mange mites do not come from the hay,the can not live for long without a host, ie a guinea pig. They will be spreading through the breeders pigs, and those with low immunity.
 
My Piggys love their hay and i could never imagine not giving it to them.
They have it as bedding too-all the floor of their c&c is covered in hay andi love watching them forage through it. I also sprinkle graze on around twice a week-they love to hunt for it amongst their normal hay :)

If Piggys didn't have hay what would they do all day? They would be so bored without it.
 
I would have very sore ears if i didn't give my piggies hay. They love it!

I have had piggies come to me with mites. They are usually present because of low immunity. My Douglas (RIP) was in a mess when I rescued him. He lived in a tiny hamster cage and was lucky to get any dry mix. He was treated with ivomectin, and some soothing baths (and lots of TLC).
 
Hi,
Just to ditto what Salt n Peppers Mum said.
Your Piggies would have mange mites or fungal. Mange mites do not come from the hay,the can not live for long without a host, ie a guinea pig. They will be spreading through the breeders pigs, and those with low immunity.
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The only mites that are carried in hay are hay mites, which live in the fur and eat dead skin. They don't cause any balding or sore patches. I treat mine for hay mites every time they get a bath, or if i see any hay mites on my white pig (it looks like someone has shaken pepper on him). They are much more difficult to spot on my darker pigs, I use a fine comb and groom them with a white towel underneath. The tiny grey/brown specks (hay mites) will show up on the towel.

I think the breeder may have been trying to fob you off by saying it's hay mites. From the picture you showed in your other thread, your pigs look like they have a fungal infection.

Hope this helps ;)

Helen x
 
I'm curious as to what you friend feeds her pig :S

Hay is vital to their diet and well being. and they love it!

My two just sit and chomp all day :)
 
xx breeders again! get your pigs looked at by a vet and properly treated for whatever it is that's the matter - fungal or mites. They will be in, at best, discomfort.

For mange and fungal free pigs, next time try a rescue!
 
Do you know I thought going to a breeder was a good thing but clearly not. I have another thread as after 2 vet visits they have ringworm which I'm now treating but its a nightmare!

Just about hay, a pet shop advised I needed one type of hay for bedding (softer) and Timothy hay to eat. My friend was only told she needed the softer one, at the same shop?

As for my friend without hay, not sure exactly but she said she gives him seeds etc and plenty of stuff to chew.
 
You should not give guinea pigs seeds. They can choke on them and also I don't think they are very good for them.
 
Hay makes up 80% of a pigs diet, without it they risk digestive issues leading to serious complications and teeth problems if not now later in life. Please speak to your friend about this and ahow her these posts, by not feeding hay she may think she is doing right by her pig but infact she isnt! It is neglectful not to feed an animal its appropriate diet.
 
Lil-Ninnibig said:
Hay makes up 80% of a pigs diet, without it they risk digestive issues leading to serious complications and teeth problems if not now later in life. Please speak to your friend about this and ahow her these posts, by not feeding hay she may think she is doing right by her pig but infact she isnt! It is neglectful not to feed an animal its appropriate diet.
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I will, although I doubt she'll pay much attention as he hasn't had hay for 3 years and appears fine.

Can I just ask if yours have different hays ie one for bedding and one for eating?
 
PatchandSilky said:
I will, although I doubt she'll pay much attention as he hasn't had hay for 3 years and appears fine.

Can I just ask if yours have different hays ie one for bedding and one for eating?
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I use this for bedding as its softer

http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/products/rabbit/burgess-excel---excel-fresh-forage.html

I use these mixed in for feeding...they have lots everyday

http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/products/guinea-pig/burgess-excel-herbage.html

with some

http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/products/guinea-pig/excel-chamomile-herbage-.html

and they just love to munch on this birch bark

http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/products/guinea-pig/excel-birch-bark-herbage.html

I also sprinkle herbs once per day they love these

http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/pro...cel-nature-snacks---country-garden-herbs.html

the mountain ones are their favourite

http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/pro...el-nature-snacks---mountain-meadow-herbs.html

they are fed on this

http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/pro...guinea-pig-with-blackcurrant-and-oregano.html

and get fresh veg twice per day :)
 
I love pillowwad (google it), it's not the cheapest but i know cheaper than hay for pets (i pay £3 at a local farm shop for i think the 2 or 3kg).
It's green and it smells SSOOO sweet, my piggies love it, never had any problems with mites or even dust in it.
 
I just buy meadow hay as it's soft, but they happily munch on it too. A lot of people feed timothy hay and use softer hay (such as meadow hay) for bedding.
 
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