Prevention of Hay Poke

[Jesse's pigs]

I've never encountered hay poke before until recently. As you may remember I posted a thread recently on Steve and his adventure with a minor hay poke that luckily cleared up by its self the next day and didn't require a vet visit (not to say this is going to be the case for everyone). Now Bellamy had hay poke in his right eye which again cleared up the next day like Steve. AND NOW HES GOT IT IN HIS RIGHT! but this looks like I will be booking a vet visit (the eye has gone cloudy and blue).

So my question is- what do I do with their hay?! Do I go back to putting it in a hay rack (though the hay rack seemed to increase sneezing) or leave it as it is at the minute just on the floor of their cage so they can bury etc. I just don't understand why it's suddenly occuring now.

I've already just switched to a different hay to see if that will help.

 

[Wiebke]

I've never encountered hay poke before until recently. As you may remember I posted a thread recently on Steve and his adventure with a minor hay poke that luckily cleared up by its self the next day and didn't require a vet visit (not to say this is going to be the case for everyone). Now Bellamy had hay poke in his right eye which again cleared up the next day like Steve. AND NOW HES GOT IT IN HIS RIGHT! but this looks like I will be booking a vet visit (the eye has gone cloudy and blue).

So my question is- what do I do with their hay?! Do I go back to putting it in a hay rack (though the hay rack seemed to increase sneezing) or leave it as it is at the minute just on the floor of their cage so they can bury etc. I just don't understand why it's suddenly occuring now.

I've already just switched to a different hay to see if that will help.

Hi!

Please use your hay rack for any hay with harder stalks.

It is however one of the best enrichments to allow your guinea pigs to burrow in soft hay. There is still the risk that dust or small bits can wedge between the lid and eyeball, though; it is a weighing up of benefits and risks.

Minor eye injuries are in my own experience not a problem as they tend to heal quickly and well in view of how much joy and content piggies get from sleeping and burrowing in it. I have some piggies who love to take a big dive jump into their freshly filled hay tray - and that can occasionally come with a hay poke. As long as you are on the ball and the hay is all soft, there should be no risk of really bad injuries.