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Third Cut Hay?

doodlecountry

Junior Guinea Pig
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I've fed my 3 guinea pigs a variety of hay, from different brands.
We started with the Oxbow Blends of orchard and timothy hay. They picked out the timothy hay because they didn't enjoy it as much. Then, we fed them the Oxbow 9-lb orchard hay, but they still picked out some of the "stalkier" pieces. So I decided to try the Small Pet Select 2nd cutting of timothy hay, which they like better than the first Oxbow timothy hay we tried. However, they are still picking out a lot of the stalky pieces!

Do a lot of you guys use the third cutting of hay instead and if so, from where? I've heard it's rich and can cause obesity in guinea pigs. I'm trying to reduce wasting hay :(
 
I don’t think last years hay is as good as previous years as it was so dry last summer, don’t know if that has anything to do with it?
 
I don’t think last years hay is as good as previous years as it was so dry last summer, don’t know if that has anything to do with it?
Do you mean from Small Pet Select? Or all hay in general? I've actually tried Small Pet Select 2nd cut timothy hay before and this time it was definitely not as great as last time. A little disappointed because I got a 25 lb box :no:
 
I buy a bale from local farm, the first cut last year was great, but this last bale is awful, very dry and not very green if that makes sense. My two are not that enthusiastic, I think UK hay in general may be poorer, due to last years weather. I’ve tried B&M and one of the other main hays (chucked bag now) but both weren’t great. There is a shortage and farms have had to buy foreign hay so I suppose pet suppliers will have had to do the same.
 
Mine love the B&M hay but you do get the odd dud bag. My local fruit n veg shop normally have good bags but recently been more like straw and rubbish! Think with the weather last year like you say @Bill & Ted.

Wish I could drive so could get a bale, get through it so quickly!
 
Not heard of that either. A few weeks ago when I went to pick up my usual 2 bales from the farm Sue said that all the lovely green hay had gone and that the only hay that was left wasn't such good quality (she still charged me the same). This stuff I have now isn't as soft as the usual hay but my piggies are still eating it. I suppose it all tastes the same once it has had a good trample down and been used as a toilet!
 
I’m located in the city in California, so it’s hard to find local hay. Small pet select has 1st, 2nd, 3rd cutting of hay each less and less stalky/dry
 
The first cut is grown early in the year and is usually lush and tender, the second cut regrows after this and is cut in summer, a third is regrowth and cut late summer and is generally coarser but this is also weather dependant, dryer the weather the hay tends to be more straw like and less like grass.
 
Mine love the B&M hay but you do get the odd dud bag. My local fruit n veg shop normally have good bags but recently been more like straw and rubbish! Think with the weather last year like you say @Bill & Ted.

Wish I could drive so could get a bale, get through it so quickly!
B and m have started doing two different timothys now. One is dandelion and marigold and the other has a purple banner, cant remember the flavour though
 
I use small pet select. I usually get a 60 pound box of 2nd cut. I also get smaller boxes of 3rd cut and orchard hay to mix in. I have never had a bad batch. Their customer service is excellent. Please let them know if you are not happy and they will help you. Mine pick out the softer pieces in the 2nd cut. They love the 3rd cut, but it's not as high in fiber. Still wears down the teeth and keeps the digestive system moving.
 
I try to avoid 3rd cut hay if i can as i find the quality isn’t as good as 1st or second cuts are
 
B and m have started doing two different timothys now. One is dandelion and marigold and the other has a purple banner, cant remember the flavour though
Yeah I grabbed one last week, cornflowers and dandelion and something else. Got through it pretty quickly so can't remember either!:hmm:
 
I was shown the dandelion hay but never got any
Thats for next time
 
I started our piggies with 1st cut and they liked it and ate it . then i read about 2nd and 3rd cut hay, put them on the 2nd cut and they love it. we have hay on top and lower level of their home and they will bury themselves under the hay when they eat.. i hope that means that they like it :nod: i want to try 3rd cut and see how that works if not i'll keep them on 2nd.. i'll let you all know how that goes TTFN
 

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