Weird "twigs" in Timothy Hay

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Marty

Marty

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Does anybody know what these weird twigs are that we've had in our latest bag of Timothy hay and whether it's safe for our piggies. There's been quite a few of these in the bag and we were a bit concerned, we've had them in a previous bag too but not in quite such a large quantity.

WeirdHay1.jpg


Thanks

Marty
 
doesnt look safe to me :o

i bought some dry food once that had little twigs in, that i didnt realise and one got lodged in bobs throat and had to be removed.

if it were me i wouldnt buy that hay anymore
 
It's Oxbow Timothy Hay so I'm really hoping it's not dangerous. :-\
 
BUMP, we'd like to know if anyone knows what these are and whether they are dangerous or not?
 
The hay isn't very good at the moment, you really have to shake and inspect before giving it to them. I too have found strange twigs and green stuff in my hay. Its probably becuase of the bad weather we have had earlier this year.
 
(Whatever does BUMP mean? 98))
Yeah there is a worldwide shortage of hay and wheat this year because of the poor Summer, floods etc - look out for the price going up too, I haven't noticed it yet but it is bound to happen sooner or later!
I've been closely inspecting my hay lately as I've been getting some "odd" bits in it too and even though I don't know if it's dangerous or not I really wouldn't like to risk it.
 
Bump means a little nudge to the top of the board if the topic has fallen off the page ;)

As far as I know Oxbow is from the States and shouldn't be affected by our rubbish summer, but I may be wrong :-\
 
I was told there was a worldwide shortage (may or may not be true - I'm pretty clueless 98) !) but they've also had floods in the US as well as those dreadful fires too.
 
It looks like gorse to me, maybe it's got cut in from the edge of the field. I stopped buying hay from pet shops because it is realy expensive and it was constantly full of huge pieces of brambles with thorns. I buy bales of hay the same as i'd give to horses, the whole bale only costs the same as a large bag and it lasts for ages. :)
 
I get oxbow timothy too and have found some black twigs in mine, just take them out as you find them. If you complain to the place you bought the hay from, you may get a replacement free, I did that with a different hay I bought online and got a free bag :)
 
First cut hay is stalkier than second maybe this is why? Its a natural product so theres bound to be a bad bag in there somewhere. I don't know how the US were affected hay wise but perhaps there is a shortage of the second cut due to 'us' buying it all!
It doesn't look like Tim Grass to me but I never let mine get that old and it looks old or a different species of plant. Don't give it to be on the safe side :)
 
Thanks for your reply - I must just make it clear that it's not an old bag, its a new one delivered a few weeks ago, the rest of the Timothy is fine and green and just how it should be, but we keep finding these nasty bits hidden amongst it. We'd never let them eat it and discard it whenever we find new bits. We'd never feed them stuff we thought was unsuitable or we were not sure of.

Thanks anyway

Marty
 
Sorry Marty, I meant I don't let my grass get that old (not hay :) ) so don't know what 'old Timothy roots' look like :)
 
Up until i was still using hay i had to physically go thru it because of the same reason... this is because of drought conditions... all the rubbish grows more so than the hay and it gets picked up when they cut :( :(
Sort out your hay when you go to use it, other than that can you tell them where you bought it? maybe ask for a refund, but somehow i don't think they'll be interested :(
Good luck, and well done for knowing immediately that it was wrong for them, you're a good piggy parent :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
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