Hay - Which Type Is Best? Can The Richer Hay Cause Any Help Problems?

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EmmaNorth

EmmaNorth

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Hi everyone, I have a hay related dilemma....
For the past 5 years my piggies have eaten Pure Pastures dust extracted hay quite happily. We put big handfuls of it down and they make nests in it whilst eating it etc. but there is a lot of waste, they probably only eat about 10% and pee on the rest!
So, we decided to build some hay racks and put more expensive hay in those e.g. timothy hay, calmomile hay, readi grass, dandelion and marigold hay. The ladies have now decided they will refuse to eat the boring old pure pastures hay and only eat these new expensive hays. What was intended as a treat has very quickly become their staple diet!
I am wondering whether a long term diet of this hay could be bad in any way? E.g. if it contained too much sugar? Was too rich?
Thanks everyone!
 
The only thing I can think of is calcium issues with the readigrass and dandelions. Just keep an eye out for white, gritty deposits when they pee as that's a sign of too much calcium.

But I bet they love the choice. I use different hay for bedding than I do for feeding too.
 
Oh don't get me started on hay :))

Timothy is very good, mine have that all the time for their hay racks, cheaper meadow hay for their trays though. Readiness should (at most) only be given one handful per day, but I'd be inclined to do it just a few times a week. As for l dandelion products I give as an occasional treat, not sure on exact feedings.

Mine are trying new hays atm, spent about £50 odd on different ones to try. So far the most successful is either Oxbow Timothy Hay (expensive!) or the Timothy hay from the UK site (not sure what it's called?) it's £22 for a big bag that's almost as tall as me lol! Seems a cheaper alternative so we'll see :)
 
Try some soft hay from dustfreehay.co.uk tends to go down well.
 
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